Don't disturb me, I won't be a concubine

The cicadas in the surrounding trees chirped loudly, as if they knew their season was about to pass, and they chirped especially hard.

The continuous and sharp chirping of cicadas contrasts sharply with the two silent people under the tree.

Dong Jialin said so much, but Jiang Ru pursed her lips and said nothing.

Dong Jialin will not give up this opportunity that he has finally come across.

"Miss Jiang, please don't hide from me anymore. I've been suffering a lot during this period, and I just want to find you. The bookstore has a new storybook, I wonder if you have read it? It is written specifically about our story. I also asked a troupe to film the storybook into a play, hoping that you can see it no matter where you are."

Jiang Ru finally turned around with emotion, her voice trembling slightly.

"Since you know that I am from the Jintian Marquisate, then you should also know about my background, right?"

Dong Jialin nodded, "I got some information from the prince of Dingguo."

"My mother died when I was born, so I am an unlucky person. I was sent out of the mansion when I was young and grew up alone in a separate courtyard, with only Mother Song and Qinghe by my side." When saying this, there was an indelible sadness in Jiang Ru's eyes.

She looked up at Dong Jialin. "I had no friends. After I met you, you gave me storybooks and invited me to drink tea and listen to stories. I was really happy during that time. I thought that before accepting the marriage they arranged for me, I could think about nothing and just spend my life happily. Later..."

Jiang Ru paused, "I never expected what happened later. You're right. If you were just a businessman, there would be no possibility for us. It's not that I'm prejudiced against you. I heard from them that my biological mother was also the daughter of a merchant. Even if I asked them to avoid me, I'm also the daughter of the Marquis of Jintian. Even for their own sake, they wouldn't allow it."

Hearing this, Dong Jialin said: "Miss Jiang, this is the first time I feel fortunate for my background. Fortunately, I am not just an ordinary businessman."

Jiang Ru shook her head, "That won't work either."

"Why not?" Dong Jialin said anxiously, "If it's because I'm doing business, I can give up; if you think I'm not an official, I can start studying from the beginning and take the imperial examination..."

"Neither," Jiang Ru said with red eyes, "it's just that your background is too unusual."

"I don't quite understand what you mean."

"I have heard a little about your family. Your father is a minister trusted by the emperor, and your brother is the top scholar. With such a father and brother, you can definitely marry a legitimate daughter who grew up under the care and love of her family, instead of someone like me..."

"What's wrong with you? I just like you!" Dong Jialin expressed his feelings to her again, "I don't care about the legitimate daughter or illegitimate daughter. I only know that the person I like is you - Jiang Ru."

"Mr. Dong, marriage is not something we can decide on our own. Even if you don't care, what about your parents?"

"As long as they are the ones I have identified, I will try to convince them. You don't need to worry about that."

Jiang Ru bit her lip and said, "I am an unlucky person and I am not worthy of you..."

Dong Jialin was heartbroken upon hearing this. He stepped forward, held her shoulders, looked her straight in the eyes and said, "Jiang Ru, I don't allow you to say that about yourself. What others say is their business. You can't blame yourself for your biological mother's death. I believe this is definitely not what she wanted to see. She used her life to bring you into this world. If she knew that you suffered so much because of this, she would definitely be very sad."

"As for me, I don't believe these nonsense. I will give you a happy life in the future and let those who say that about you see that you are not an ominous person."

Jiang Ru felt a lump in her throat and couldn't help but let the tears fall.

"You, don't cry, did I say something wrong?" Dong Jialin panicked and raised his hand to wipe her tears, but hesitated and did not dare to touch her cheek.

Jiang Ru raised her hand to wipe away the tears on her face, "Thank you for telling me this."

"Then I..."

"I've been out for quite a while. My sister-in-law must be worried. I want to go back."

Jiang Ru walked past Dong Jialin without waiting for him to finish speaking.

Dong Jialin opened his mouth but didn't say anything. He just stood there and watched her walk away. He had already said what he wanted to say. He should give her some time. He would wait.

After Jiang Ru came out and saw Lu Yue waiting there, she quickly tidied herself up and slowed down her pace.

Lu Yue heard the noise and turned around, "I will take the girl back."

"Sorry to have kept you waiting."

"Miss, you don't have to be polite. This is all my job."

At this moment, Jiang Ru had understood that there were several sisters in the mansion, but her eldest brother had brought her to the Dingguo Mansion, where she met Master Dong. And the man in front of her, she couldn't have been unaware that Master Dong had followed her, but she pretended to be indifferent.

This is by no means a coincidence, and it is obvious who arranged it.

When Jiang Ru returned, the wife of the Marquis of Jintian was indeed anxious. She held her hand and asked, "Why did you take so long? I was afraid you got lost, so I was planning to go look for you."

"I passed by the lake and was attracted by the scenery there, so I stayed a little longer. I am sorry that my sister-in-law was worried."

"I'm glad you're okay," Lady Jintian pulled her to sit down, "The next song will start soon, hurry up and sit down."

Dong Jialin just came back when the play started. Just by hearing the sounds from a distance he knew that the play being performed on the stage was "A Mistaken Relationship".

After Dong Jialin sat down, Xu Yiwan whispered, "We are here as guests at someone else's house, don't just wander around."

"Don't worry, mother. I know my limits and won't cause any trouble." Dong Jialin said with a smile as usual.

Dong Jiafu looked at Dong Jialin with a look that only the two of them could understand, wanting to know whether his trip was going smoothly.

Dong Jialin understood, blinked at her and then shook his head gently.

Dong Jiafu didn't understand this riddle, but now was not the time to ask questions, so she turned her head to watch the show on the stage.

The play started out lighthearted and cheerful, but ended up being so heavy and heartbreaking that it gripped the hearts of the audience.

After it was over, many people couldn't calm down.

A young lady's eyes were slightly red, and she said with lingering thoughts: "Hey, how come it's over? We don't even know if those two people can get together."

Since the script was adapted from the story between Dong Jialin and Jiang Ru, Dong Jiafu left an open ending at the end of the story because the outcome would be determined by them.

Someone responded, "Yes, it would be a pity if two lovers could not end up together."

Even the old lady couldn't help asking the eldest lady, "Why haven't you seen this play before?"

The eldest lady smiled and replied, "This is a new play by the Chunxi Troupe. I heard it was very popular, so I ordered it. I didn't expect it to be so good."

The old lady nodded and turned to look at Qin Fangsui, only to see that she was wiping her eyes with a handkerchief with her head down.

"Is Sui'er crying? Do you think it's pretty too?"

Qin Fangsui raised her head, her eyes still moist, "This play is indeed good. The pure feelings between the two people in it are really enviable."

The old lady patted her hands and said, "Don't be envious. It won't be long before you have it too."

"Old lady——" Qin Fangsui felt a little embarrassed.

Jiang Ru could not hear the discussions around her. She stared blankly at the stage in the pavilion, and her mind was full of the scenes of her and Dong Jialin together. It turned out that what he said was true, and this play was performed for her.

"Sixth sister, sixth sister..."

The voice of the wife of the Marquis of Jintian brought Jiang Ru back to her senses.

"What's wrong, sister-in-law?"

"Are you okay?" The wife of Marquis Jintian pointed at her face.

Jiang Ru didn't understand why and raised her hand to wipe the tears, her hands were covered with cold tears.

She wiped it quickly and said, "I'm fine, sister-in-law. I was just too engrossed in watching."

The wife of Marquis Jintian was relieved. She was frightened by her grief-stricken look just now.

"It's good that you're okay. The show is pretty good, but don't take it seriously. It's just a show."