海州劉子固，十五歲時，至蓋省其舅。見雜貨肆中一女子，姣麗無雙，心愛好之。潛至其肆，託言買扇。女子便呼父。父出，劉意沮，故折閱之而退。遙睹其父他往，又詣之。女將覓父。劉止之曰：「無須，但言其價，我不靳直耳。」女如言，故昂之。劉不忍爭，脫貫竟去。明日復往，又如之。行數武，女追呼曰：「返來！適偽言耳，價奢過當。」因以半價返之。劉益感其誠，蹈隙輒往，由是日熟。女問：「郎居何所？」以實對。轉詰之，自言：「姚氏。」臨行，所市物，女以紙代裹完好，已而以舌舐黏之。劉懷歸不敢復動，恐亂其舌痕也。積半月，為僕所窺，陰與舅力要之歸。意惓惓不自得。以所市香帕脂粉等類，密置一篋，無人時，輒闔戶自撿一過，觸類凝思。次年，復至蓋，裝甫解，即趨女所；至則肆宇闔焉，失望而返。猶意偶出未返，蚤又詣之，闔如故。問諸鄰，始知姚原廣寧人，以貿易無重息，故暫歸去；又不審何時可復來。神志乖喪。居數日，怏怏而歸。母為議婚，屢梗之，母怪且怒。僕私以曩事告母，母益防閑之，蓋之途由是絕。劉忽忽遂減眠食。母憂思無計，念不如從其志。於是刻日辦裝，使如蓋，轉寄語舅，媒合之。舅即承命詣姚。踰時而返，謂劉曰：「事不諧矣！阿繡已字廣寧人。」劉低頭喪氣，心灰絕望。既歸，捧篋啜泣，而徘徊顧念，冀天下有似之者。適媒來，豔稱復州黃氏女。劉恐不確，命駕至復。入西門，見北向一家，兩扉半開，內一女郎，怪似阿繡。再屬目之，且行且盼而入，真是無訛。劉大動，因僦其東鄰居，細詰知為李氏。反復凝念：天下寧有如此相似者耶？居數日，莫可夤緣，惟日眈眈伺候其門，以冀女或復出。一日，日方西，女果出。忽見劉，即返身走，以手指其後；又復掌及額，乃入。劉喜極，但不能解。凝思移時，信步詣舍後，見荒園寥廓，西有短垣，略可及肩。豁然頓悟，遂蹲伏露草中。久之，有人自牆上露其首，小語曰：「來乎？」劉諾而起。細視，真阿繡也。因大恫，涕墮如綆。女隔堵探身，以巾拭其淚，深慰之。劉曰：「百計不遂，自謂今生已矣，何期復有今夕？顧卿何以至此？」曰：「李氏，妾表叔也。」劉請踰垣。女曰：「君先歸，遣從人他宿，妾當自至。」劉如言，坐伺之。少間，女悄然入，妝飾不甚炫麗，袍袴猶昔。劉挽坐，備道艱苦。因問：「卿已字，何未醮也？」女曰：「言妾受聘者妄也。家君以道里賒遠，不願附公子婚，此或託舅氏詭詞，以絕君望耳。」既就枕席，宛轉萬態，款接之歡，不可言喻。四更遽起，過牆而去。劉自是不復措意黃氏矣。旅居忘返，經月不歸。
海州的劉子固十五歲時，到蓋縣探望舅舅。他在一家雜貨店裡看見一個女子，容貌美麗無比，心裡十分愛慕。他悄悄來到店裡，藉口買扇子。女子隨即叫父親出來。父親一出來，劉子固便洩了氣，故意把價錢壓得很低，隨後離開。他遠遠看見女子的父親去了別處，又來到店裡。女子正要去找父親，劉子固攔住她說：「不用了，你只管說價錢，我不會捨不得付錢。」女子聽了，故意把價錢說得很高。劉子固不忍心爭價，解下錢串付了錢就走。第二天他又去，情形還是一樣。他才走出幾步，女子便追著喊道：「回來！剛才我是騙你的，價錢說得太高了。」於是退給他一半的錢。劉子固越發感動於她的誠實，一有機會便去，兩人因此一天比一天熟悉。女子問：「你住在哪裡？」他如實回答，又反過來問她，她說：「我姓姚。」臨走時，女子替他把買來的東西用紙包得整整齊齊，又用舌頭舔溼紙邊，把它粘好。劉子固把紙包揣在懷裡帶回去，再也不敢碰，怕弄亂了她舌頭留下的痕跡。過了半個月，僕人發現了這件事，暗中和舅舅一起，極力催他回家。劉子固戀戀不捨，心裡怎麼也不舒暢。他把買來的香帕、脂粉之類悄悄放在一個箱子裡，沒人的時候，便關上門，獨自把東西一件件看過，見到哪一樣，都會凝神思念她。第二年，他又來到蓋縣，行裝剛放下，就趕到女子那裡。到了才發現店門關著，只好失望地回來。他還以為店裡的人只是偶然外出，尚未回來，第二天一早又去，店門依舊緊閉。他向鄰居打聽，這才知道姚家原是廣寧人，因為做生意沒有多少利潤，暫時回鄉去了，也不知道什麼時候再來。劉子固失魂落魄，住了幾天，便悶悶不樂地回家。母親替他議婚，他一再阻撓，母親又奇怪又生氣。僕人私下把先前的事情告訴了母親，母親便管束得更加嚴密，從此不讓他去蓋縣了。劉子固整日恍恍惚惚，睡得少，吃得也少。母親憂慮不已，卻想不出辦法，覺得不如順從他的心願。於是定下日子，備好行裝，讓他去蓋縣，又託人捎話給舅舅，請他撮合這樁婚事。舅舅立刻照辦，去拜訪姚家。過了一陣回來，對劉子固說：「事情辦不成了！阿繡已經許給廣寧人了。」劉子固低下頭，垂頭喪氣，心灰意冷，再也沒有指望。回家以後，他捧著箱子抽泣，徘徊思念，盼著天下還能有個像她的人。恰好有媒人來，極力稱讚復州黃家女子的美貌。劉子固怕她說得不實，便叫人備車前往復州。他從西門進城，看見一家朝北的宅子，兩扇門半開著，裡面有個年輕女子，像極了阿繡。他又仔細看去，女子一邊往裡走，一邊回頭張望，果真就是阿繡，沒有看錯。劉子固心裡十分激動，便租下她家東鄰的房子，仔細打聽，得知那家姓李。他反覆思量：天下難道真有這樣相像的人嗎？住了幾天，也找不到接近她的機會，只能每天緊盯著她家的門，盼著女子再出來。一天，太陽剛往西落，女子果然出來了。她忽然看見劉子固，便轉身往回走，用手指了指身後，又把手掌貼到額頭上，隨後進了門。劉子固歡喜極了，卻不明白她的意思。他凝神想了一陣，信步走到住處後面，看見一片空曠的荒園，西邊有一道矮牆，大約齊肩高。他忽然明白過來，便蹲伏在沾著露水的草叢裡。過了很久，有人從牆上探出頭來，低聲問：「來了嗎？」劉子固應了一聲，站起身來。仔細一看，果然是阿繡。他一下子悲痛難禁，眼淚接連不斷地流下來。女子隔著牆探過身子，用手帕替他擦淚，溫柔地安慰他。劉子固說：「我想盡辦法都沒能如願，以為這輩子已經沒有指望了，哪裡想到還會有今晚！不過，你怎麼會來到這裡？」她說：「李家是我表叔家。」劉子固請求翻牆過去。女子說：「你先回去，讓隨從到別處過夜，我會自己過去。」劉子固照她說的做了，坐著等她。不久，女子悄悄進來，打扮並不十分豔麗，袍子和褲子還是從前的。他拉她坐下，把自己的苦楚全都說了出來，又問：「你已經訂了親，怎麼還沒有出嫁？」女子說：「說我已經受聘，是騙人的。父親嫌兩家路途太遠，不願把我嫁給你，這大概是托你舅舅編個說法，好讓你斷了念想。」隨後兩人一起就寢，她百般溫柔，兩人親密相伴的歡喜，難以用言語形容。四更時，她忽然起來，翻過牆回去了。從此，劉子固再也不把黃家女子放在心上。他住在外面，忘了回家，過了一個月還沒有回去。
海州刘子固，十五岁时，至盖省其舅。见杂货肆中一女子，姣丽无双，心爱好之。潜至其肆，托言买扇。女子便呼父。父出，刘意沮，故折阅之而退。遥睹其父他往，又诣之。女将觅父。刘止之曰：「无须，但言其价，我不靳直耳。」女如言，故昂之。刘不忍争，脱贯竟去。明日复往，又如之。行数武，女追呼曰：「返来！适伪言耳，价奢过当。」因以半价返之。刘益感其诚，蹈隙辄往，由是日熟。女问：「郎居何所？」以实对。转诘之，自言：「姚氏。」临行，所市物，女以纸代裹完好，已而以舌舐黏之。刘怀归不敢复动，恐乱其舌痕也。积半月，为仆所窥，阴与舅力要之归。意惓惓不自得。以所市香帕脂粉等类，密置一箧，无人时，辄阖户自捡一过，触类凝思。次年，复至盖，装甫解，即趋女所；至则肆宇阖焉，失望而返。犹意偶出未返，蚤又诣之，阖如故。问诸邻，始知姚原广宁人，以贸易无重息，故暂归去；又不审何时可复来。神志乖丧。居数日，怏怏而归。母为议婚，屡梗之，母怪且怒。仆私以曩事告母，母益防闲之，盖之途由是绝。刘忽忽遂减眠食。母忧思无计，念不如从其志。于是刻日办装，使如盖，转寄语舅，媒合之。舅即承命诣姚。逾时而返，谓刘曰：「事不谐矣！阿绣已字广宁人。」刘低头丧气，心灰绝望。既归，捧箧啜泣，而徘徊顾念，冀天下有似之者。适媒来，艳称复州黄氏女。刘恐不确，命驾至复。入西门，见北向一家，两扉半开，内一女郎，怪似阿绣。再属目之，且行且盼而入，真是无讹。刘大动，因僦其东邻居，细诘知为李氏。反复凝念：天下宁有如此相似者耶？居数日，莫可夤缘，惟日眈眈伺候其门，以冀女或复出。一日，日方西，女果出。忽见刘，即返身走，以手指其后；又复掌及额，乃入。刘喜极，但不能解。凝思移时，信步诣舍后，见荒园寥廓，西有短垣，略可及肩。豁然顿悟，遂蹲伏露草中。久之，有人自墙上露其首，小语曰：「来乎？」刘诺而起。细视，真阿绣也。因大恫，涕堕如绠。女隔堵探身，以巾拭其泪，深慰之。刘曰：「百计不遂，自谓今生已矣，何期复有今夕？顾卿何以至此？」曰：「李氏，妾表叔也。」刘请逾垣。女曰：「君先归，遣从人他宿，妾当自至。」刘如言，坐伺之。少间，女悄然入，妆饰不甚炫丽，袍袴犹昔。刘挽坐，备道艰苦。因问：「卿已字，何未醮也？」女曰：「言妾受聘者妄也。家君以道里赊远，不愿附公子婚，此或托舅氏诡词，以绝君望耳。」既就枕席，宛转万态，款接之欢，不可言喻。四更遽起，过墙而去。刘自是不复措意黄氏矣。旅居忘返，经月不归。
海州的刘子固十五岁时，到盖县探望舅舅。他在一家杂货店里看见一个女子，容貌美丽无比，心里十分爱慕。他悄悄来到店里，借口买扇子。女子随即叫父亲出来。父亲一出来，刘子固便泄了气，故意把价钱压得很低，随后离开。他远远看见女子的父亲去了别处，又来到店里。女子正要去找父亲，刘子固拦住她说：“不用了，你只管说价钱，我不会舍不得付钱。”女子听了，故意把价钱说得很高。刘子固不忍心争价，解下钱串付了钱就走。第二天他又去，情形还是一样。他才走出几步，女子便追着喊道：“回来！刚才我是骗你的，价钱说得太高了。”于是退给他一半的钱。刘子固越发感动于她的诚实，一有机会便去，两人因此一天比一天熟悉。女子问：“你住在哪里？”他如实回答，又反过来问她，她说：“我姓姚。”临走时，女子替他把买来的东西用纸包得整整齐齐，又用舌头舔湿纸边，把它粘好。刘子固把纸包揣在怀里带回去，再也不敢碰，怕弄乱了她舌头留下的痕迹。过了半个月，仆人发现了这件事，暗中和舅舅一起，极力催他回家。刘子固恋恋不舍，心里怎么也不舒畅。他把买来的香帕、脂粉之类悄悄放在一个箱子里，没人的时候，便关上门，独自把东西一件件看过，见到哪一样，都会凝神思念她。第二年，他又来到盖县，行装刚放下，就赶到女子那里。到了才发现店门关着，只好失望地回来。他还以为店里的人只是偶然外出，尚未回来，第二天一早又去，店门依旧紧闭。他向邻居打听，这才知道姚家原是广宁人，因为做生意没有多少利润，暂时回乡去了，也不知道什么时候再来。刘子固失魂落魄，住了几天，便闷闷不乐地回家。母亲替他议婚，他一再阻挠，母亲又奇怪又生气。仆人私下把先前的事情告诉了母亲，母亲便管束得更加严密，从此不让他去盖县了。刘子固整日恍恍惚惚，睡得少，吃得也少。母亲忧虑不已，却想不出办法，觉得不如顺从他的心愿。于是定下日子，备好行装，让他去盖县，又托人捎话给舅舅，请他撮合这桩婚事。舅舅立刻照办，去拜访姚家。过了一阵回来，对刘子固说：“事情办不成了！阿绣已经许给广宁人了。”刘子固低下头，垂头丧气，心灰意冷，再也没有指望。回家以后，他捧着箱子抽泣，徘徊思念，盼着天下还能有个像她的人。恰好有媒人来，极力称赞复州黄家女子的美貌。刘子固怕她说得不实，便叫人备车前往复州。他从西门进城，看见一家朝北的宅子，两扇门半开着，里面有个年轻女子，像极了阿绣。他又仔细看去，女子一边往里走，一边回头张望，果真就是阿绣，没有看错。刘子固心里十分激动，便租下她家东邻的房子，仔细打听，得知那家姓李。他反复思量：天下难道真有这样相像的人吗？住了几天，也找不到接近她的机会，只能每天紧盯着她家的门，盼着女子再出来。一天，太阳刚往西落，女子果然出来了。她忽然看见刘子固，便转身往回走，用手指了指身后，又把手掌贴到额头上，随后进了门。刘子固欢喜极了，却不明白她的意思。他凝神想了一阵，信步走到住处后面，看见一片空旷的荒园，西边有一道矮墙，大约齐肩高。他忽然明白过来，便蹲伏在沾着露水的草丛里。过了很久，有人从墙上探出头来，低声问：“来了吗？”刘子固应了一声，站起身来。仔细一看，果然是阿绣。他一下子悲痛难禁，眼泪接连不断地流下来。女子隔着墙探过身子，用手帕替他擦泪，温柔地安慰他。刘子固说：“我想尽办法都没能如愿，以为这辈子已经没有指望了，哪里想到还会有今晚！不过，你怎么会来到这里？”她说：“李家是我表叔家。”刘子固请求翻墙过去。女子说：“你先回去，让随从到别处过夜，我会自己过去。”刘子固照她说的做了，坐着等她。不久，女子悄悄进来，打扮并不十分艳丽，袍子和裤子还是从前的。他拉她坐下，把自己的苦楚全都说了出来，又问：“你已经订了亲，怎么还没有出嫁？”女子说：“说我已经受聘，是骗人的。父亲嫌两家路途太远，不愿把我嫁给你，这大概是托你舅舅编个说法，好让你断了念想。”随后两人一起就寝，她百般温柔，两人亲密相伴的欢喜，难以用言语形容。四更时，她忽然起来，翻过墙回去了。从此，刘子固再也不把黄家女子放在心上。他住在外面，忘了回家，过了一个月还没有回去。
Liu Zigu of Haizhou, at the age of fifteen, went to Gai to visit his mother’s brother. In a general store there he saw a girl of matchless beauty, and his heart went out to her. He slipped into the shop on the pretext of buying a fan. The girl called her father. When the father came out, Liu lost heart; he deliberately offered too little and backed out. Seeing from a distance that her father had gone off somewhere, he went back. The girl was about to fetch her father. Liu stopped her. “No need. Just tell me the price. I won’t haggle.” She did as he said, and named a high price on purpose. Liu could not bear to argue; he set down his string of cash and left. The next day he went again and did the same. He had gone only a few steps when she ran after him, calling, “Come back! I was lying just now. The price was too high.” And she gave him back half. Liu was all the more moved by her honesty. He went whenever he could slip away, and they grew more familiar day by day. “Where do you live?” she asked. He told her the truth. When he asked her in turn, she said, “Our name is Yao.” As he was leaving, she wrapped his purchases neatly in paper for him, then licked the edge with her tongue to seal it. Liu carried the packet home inside his robe and dared not touch it again, for fear of spoiling the mark of her tongue. After half a month of this, a servant found him out, and secretly joined with the uncle in pressing him to go home. Liu went, heavy-hearted and restless. He put the scented handkerchiefs, rouge, powder and other things he had bought into a box, and whenever no one was about he shut the door and went through them one by one, each thing setting him dreaming. The next year he went to Gai again. He had barely unpacked when he hurried to her shop, only to find it shut up. He came away disappointed. Thinking she might just be out, he went again early the next morning; it was shut as before. He asked the neighbours, and learned that Yao was really from Guangning; trade had brought him little profit, so he had gone home for a while, and no one knew when he would be back. Liu was quite lost. After a few days he went home, dejected. His mother began arranging a marriage for him, but he blocked it again and again, and she was puzzled and angry. The servant privately told her what had happened before. She watched her son all the more closely, and his trips to Gai came to an end. Liu fell into a daze, and slept and ate less and less. His mother worried and could think of nothing to do, and decided she had better let him have his way. So she set a day, had his things packed and sent him to Gai, with word to his uncle to arrange the match. The uncle went to the Yaos at once. After a while he came back and said to Liu, “It’s no good. A Xiu is already promised to a man in Guangning.” Liu hung his head; his heart turned to ashes. Back home, he would hold the box and weep, and as he brooded he kept hoping that somewhere in the world there might be a girl like her. Just then a matchmaker came singing the praises of a Miss Huang of Fuzhou. Afraid the woman was not to be trusted, Liu set out for Fuzhou to see for himself. Entering by the west gate, he saw a house facing north with its double doors half open, and inside a young woman who looked uncannily like A Xiu. He looked again: she was walking in, glancing back as she went. It was she, no mistake. Liu was deeply stirred. He rented the house next door on the east side, and by careful asking found that the family were named Li. He turned it over and over: could there be anyone in the world so alike? Several days passed with no way to approach her; he could only watch her gate hungrily all day, hoping she might come out again. One day, as the sun went west, she did come out. Catching sight of Liu, she turned back at once and pointed behind her; then she put her palm to her forehead and went in. Liu was overjoyed, but could not make it out. After thinking it over for a while, he wandered round behind his house and found a wide, overgrown garden, with a low wall on the west side about shoulder high. Suddenly he understood, and crouched down in the dewy grass. After a long while a head appeared over the wall and a low voice said, “Are you there?” Liu answered and stood up. He looked closely: it really was A Xiu. He was so overcome that his tears ran down in long strings. She leaned over the wall, wiped his tears with her kerchief, and comforted him tenderly. “I tried everything and nothing worked,” said Liu. “I told myself this life was over for me. Who could have hoped for tonight? But how do you come to be here?” “Mr. Li is my uncle,” she said. Liu asked if he might climb over. “Go back first,” she said, “and send your servant to sleep somewhere else. I will come to you.” Liu did so, and sat waiting. Soon she slipped quietly in, not much made up, in the same gown and trousers as before. Liu drew her down beside him and told her all he had suffered. Then he asked, “You were promised. Why aren’t you married?” “Whoever said I was betrothed lied,” she said. “My father didn’t want to marry me to you because you live so far away. Perhaps he gave your uncle that story to put an end to your hopes.” Then they went to bed, and she was pliant and endlessly winning; the joy of it was past words. At the fourth watch she rose abruptly and went back over the wall. From then on Liu gave no more thought to Miss Huang. He stayed on in his lodgings and forgot about going home; a month went by and he did not return.