文登景星者，少有重名。與陳生比鄰而居，齋隔一短垣。一日，陳暮過荒落之墟，聞女子啼松柏間；近臨，則樹橫枝有懸帶，若將自經。陳詰之，揮涕而對曰：「母遠出，託妾於外兄。不圖狼子野心，畜我不卒。伶仃如此，不如死！」言已，復泣。陳解帶，勸令適人。女慮無可託者。陳請暫寄其家，女從之。既歸，挑燈審視，丰韻殊絕。大悅，欲亂之。女厲聲抗拒，紛紜之聲，達於間壁。景生踰垣來窺，陳乃釋女。女見景，凝眸停諦，久乃奔去。二人共逐之，不知去向。景歸，闔戶欲寢，則女子盈盈自房中出。驚問之。答曰：「彼德薄福淺，不可終託。」景大喜。詰其姓氏，曰：「妾祖居於齊。以齊為姓，小字阿霞。」入以游詞，笑不甚拒，遂與寢處。
文登景星者，少有重名。与陈生比邻而居，斋隔一短垣。一日，陈暮过荒落之墟，闻女子啼松柏间；近临，则树横枝有悬带，若将自经。陈诘之，挥涕而对曰：「母远出，托妾于外兄。不图狼子野心，畜我不卒。伶仃如此，不如死！」言已，复泣。陈解带，劝令适人。女虑无可托者。陈请暂寄其家，女从之。既归，挑灯审视，丰韵殊绝。大悦，欲乱之。女厉声抗拒，纷纭之声，达于间壁。景生逾垣来窥，陈乃释女。女见景，凝眸停谛，久乃奔去。二人共逐之，不知去向。景归，阖户欲寝，则女子盈盈自房中出。惊问之。答曰：「彼德薄福浅，不可终托。」景大喜。诘其姓氏，曰：「妾祖居于齐。以齐为姓，小字阿霞。」入以游词，笑不甚拒，遂与寝处。
Jing Xing of Wendeng had a great name even as a young man. He lived next door to a scholar named Chen; their studies were separated only by a low wall. One evening at dusk Chen was passing a desolate ruin when he heard a woman weeping among the pines and cypresses. He went closer and saw a sash hanging from a low branch, as if she meant to hang herself. Chen asked her what was wrong. Wiping her tears, she answered, “My mother has gone far away and left me in my cousin’s care. I never thought he would have a wolf cub’s heart and not keep me to the end. If I am to be this alone, I would sooner die!” And she wept again. Chen untied the sash and urged her to marry someone instead. She worried there was no one she could trust herself to. Chen offered to let her stay at his house for the time being, and she went with him. When they got home he trimmed the lamp and looked her over: her beauty was beyond compare. Delighted, he tried to force himself on her. She fought him off, crying out sharply, and the noise of the struggle carried through the wall. Jing climbed over to look, and Chen let her go. When the girl saw Jing she fixed her eyes on him and studied him a long while, then ran off. The two men chased her but could not tell where she had gone. Jing went home, shut his door and was about to go to bed when the young woman came gracefully out of his inner room. Startled, he asked what she was doing there. “That man’s virtue is thin and his fortune shallow,” she said. “He is no one to trust myself to for life.” Jing was overjoyed. He asked her name. “My family has lived in Qi for generations, so we took Qi for our surname. My pet name is A Xia.” He tried a few flirtatious words; she laughed and did not refuse him much, and so they went to bed together.
齋中多友人來往，女恆隱閉深房。過數日，曰：「妾姑去。此處煩雜，困人甚。繼今，請以夜卜。」問：「家何所？」曰：「正不遠耳。」遂早去，夜果復來，懽愛綦篤。又數日，謂景曰：「我兩人情好雖佳，終屬苟合。家君宦遊西疆，明日將從母去，容即乘間稟命，而相從以終焉。」問：「幾日別？」約以旬終。
斋中多友人来往，女恒隐闭深房。过数日，曰：「妾姑去。此处烦杂，困人甚。继今，请以夜卜。」问：「家何所？」曰：「正不远耳。」遂早去，夜果复来，懽爱綦笃。又数日，谓景曰：「我两人情好虽佳，终属苟合。家君宦游西疆，明日将从母去，容即乘间禀命，而相从以终焉。」问：「几日别？」约以旬终。
Many friends came and went at the study, and she always kept hidden in the back room. After a few days she said, “I will go away for now. This place is so busy and noisy that it wears me out. From now on, let us keep to the nights.” “Where is your home?” he asked. “Not far at all,” she said. So she left early, and sure enough came back at night, and their love was very deep. A few days later she said to Jing, “Happy as we are together, this is still an illicit match. My father holds office out on the western frontier, and tomorrow I go to him with my mother. I will find a chance to ask his consent, and then I can be with you for good.” “How long will we be apart?” he asked. She promised to come back at the end of ten days.