淮上貢士周天儀，年五旬，止一子，名克昌，愛暱之。至十三四歲，丰姿益秀；而性不喜讀，輒逃塾，從群兒戲，恆終日不返。周亦聽之。一日，既暮不歸，始尋之，殊竟烏有。夫妻號咷，幾不欲生。年餘，昌忽自至。言：「為道士迷去，幸不見害。值其他出，得逃而歸。」周喜極，亦不追問。及教以讀，慧悟倍於疇曩。踰年，文思大進，既入郡庠試，遂知名。世族爭婚，昌頗不願。趙進士女有姿，周強為娶之。既入門，夫妻調笑甚懽；而昌恆獨宿，若無所私。逾年，秋戰而捷。周益慰。然年漸暮，日望抱孫，故嘗隱諷昌。昌漠若不解。母不能忍，朝夕多絮語。昌變色，出曰：「我久欲亡去，所不遽捨者，顧復之情耳。實不能探討房帷，以慰所望。請仍去，彼順志者且復來矣。」媼追曳之，已踣，衣冠如蛻。大駭，疑昌已死，是必其鬼也。悲嘆而已。次日，昌忽僕馬而至，舉家惶駭。近詰之，亦言：為惡人略賣於富商之家；商無子，子焉。得昌後，忽生一子。昌思家，遂送之歸。問所學，則頑鈍如昔。乃知此為真昌；其入泮鄉捷者，鬼之假也。然竊喜其事未泄，即使襲孝廉之名。入房，婦甚狎熟；而昌靦然有愧色，似新婚者。甫周年，生子矣。
淮上有位貢士周天儀，年紀五十歲，只有一個兒子，名叫克昌，十分疼愛他。到了十三四歲，克昌的容貌越發俊秀，可他不喜歡讀書，常常逃出學堂，跟一群孩子玩耍，一整天都不回家。周天儀也由著他。一天，天已經黑了，克昌還沒回來，周天儀這才出去尋找，卻怎麼也找不到。夫妻倆放聲痛哭，幾乎不想再活下去。過了一年多，克昌忽然自己回來了，說：「我被一個道士迷惑，帶了去，幸好沒有受到傷害。趁他外出，我逃了回來。」周天儀高興極了，也沒有追問。等到讓他讀書時，發現他的領悟能力比從前強了一倍。又過了一年，他寫文章的本領大有長進，考進郡學後，便出了名。世家大族爭著要把女兒嫁給他，克昌卻很不願意。趙進士的女兒容貌美麗，周天儀硬讓兒子娶了她。新娘進門後，夫妻倆說笑逗趣，十分歡樂；可克昌總是獨自睡覺，彷彿沒有與妻子親近的意思。又過了一年，他參加秋天的鄉試，考中了。周天儀更加欣慰。不過，他年紀越來越大，每天盼著抱孫子，因此常常含蓄地提醒克昌。克昌卻神情冷淡，好像不明白。母親忍不住，早晚不停地嘮叨。克昌臉色一變，往外走去，說：「我早就想離開了，一直沒有馬上舍棄這裡，只是念著你們養育疼愛的恩情。我實在不能與妻子同房，滿足你們的期望。請讓我走吧，那個能順你們心意的人，很快就會回來了。」母親追上去拉住他，他隨即倒下，身體卻不見了，只留下衣帽，像蛻下的皮殼。夫妻倆大驚，懷疑克昌早已死去，這一定是他的鬼魂，只能悲傷嘆息。第二天，克昌忽然騎著馬，帶著僕人回來了，全家又驚又怕。走近詢問，他也說了一番遭遇：自己被壞人拐走，賣到一個富商家裡。富商沒有兒子，就認他做了兒子。收下克昌後，富商忽然生了一個親生兒子。克昌想家，富商便送他回來。問起他的學業，他還是像從前一樣頑劣遲鈍。這才知道，眼前的才是真克昌，那個考進郡學、考中鄉試的，是鬼假扮的。不過，他們暗自慶幸事情沒有洩露，就讓克昌承接了孝廉的名號。進了臥房，妻子待他十分親暱，一點也不生疏；克昌卻靦腆羞澀，像個剛成婚的人。剛滿一年，妻子便生了兒子。
淮上贡士周天仪，年五旬，止一子，名克昌，爱暱之。至十三四岁，丰姿益秀；而性不喜读，辄逃塾，从群儿戏，恒终日不返。周亦听之。一日，既暮不归，始寻之，殊竟乌有。夫妻号咷，几不欲生。年余，昌忽自至。言：「为道士迷去，幸不见害。值其他出，得逃而归。」周喜极，亦不追问。及教以读，慧悟倍于畴曩。逾年，文思大进，既入郡庠试，遂知名。世族争婚，昌颇不愿。赵进士女有姿，周强为娶之。既入门，夫妻调笑甚懽；而昌恒独宿，若无所私。逾年，秋战而捷。周益慰。然年渐暮，日望抱孙，故尝隐讽昌。昌漠若不解。母不能忍，朝夕多絮语。昌变色，出曰：「我久欲亡去，所不遽舍者，顾复之情耳。实不能探讨房帷，以慰所望。请仍去，彼顺志者且复来矣。」媪追曳之，已踣，衣冠如蜕。大骇，疑昌已死，是必其鬼也。悲叹而已。次日，昌忽仆马而至，举家惶骇。近诘之，亦言：为恶人略卖于富商之家；商无子，子焉。得昌后，忽生一子。昌思家，遂送之归。问所学，则顽钝如昔。乃知此为真昌；其入泮乡捷者，鬼之假也。然窃喜其事未泄，即使袭孝廉之名。入房，妇甚狎熟；而昌腼然有愧色，似新婚者。甫周年，生子矣。
淮上有位贡士周天仪，年纪五十岁，只有一个儿子，名叫克昌，十分疼爱他。到了十三四岁，克昌的容貌越发俊秀，可他不喜欢读书，常常逃出学堂，跟一群孩子玩耍，一整天都不回家。周天仪也由着他。一天，天已经黑了，克昌还没回来，周天仪这才出去寻找，却怎么也找不到。夫妻俩放声痛哭，几乎不想再活下去。过了一年多，克昌忽然自己回来了，说：“我被一个道士迷惑，带了去，幸好没有受到伤害。趁他外出，我逃了回来。”周天仪高兴极了，也没有追问。等到让他读书时，发现他的领悟能力比从前强了一倍。又过了一年，他写文章的本领大有长进，考进郡学后，便出了名。世家大族争着要把女儿嫁给他，克昌却很不愿意。赵进士的女儿容貌美丽，周天仪硬让儿子娶了她。新娘进门后，夫妻俩说笑逗趣，十分欢乐；可克昌总是独自睡觉，仿佛没有与妻子亲近的意思。又过了一年，他参加秋天的乡试，考中了。周天仪更加欣慰。不过，他年纪越来越大，每天盼着抱孙子，因此常常含蓄地提醒克昌。克昌却神情冷淡，好像不明白。母亲忍不住，早晚不停地唠叨。克昌脸色一变，往外走去，说：“我早就想离开了，一直没有马上舍弃这里，只是念着你们养育疼爱的恩情。我实在不能与妻子同房，满足你们的期望。请让我走吧，那个能顺你们心意的人，很快就会回来了。”母亲追上去拉住他，他随即倒下，身体却不见了，只留下衣帽，像蜕下的皮壳。夫妻俩大惊，怀疑克昌早已死去，这一定是他的鬼魂，只能悲伤叹息。第二天，克昌忽然骑着马，带着仆人回来了，全家又惊又怕。走近询问，他也说了一番遭遇：自己被坏人拐走，卖到一个富商家里。富商没有儿子，就认他做了儿子。收下克昌后，富商忽然生了一个亲生儿子。克昌想家，富商便送他回来。问起他的学业，他还是像从前一样顽劣迟钝。这才知道，眼前的才是真克昌，那个考进郡学、考中乡试的，是鬼假扮的。不过，他们暗自庆幸事情没有泄露，就让克昌承接了孝廉的名号。进了卧房，妻子待他十分亲昵，一点也不生疏；克昌却腼腆羞涩，像个刚成婚的人。刚满一年，妻子便生了儿子。
Zhou Tianyi, a tribute student from the banks of the Huai, was fifty years old and had only one son, named Kechang, whom he doted on. By thirteen or fourteen the boy was growing handsomer every year; but he had no taste for books. He kept running off from school to play with a crowd of other boys, and often stayed away all day. Zhou let him be. One day the boy did not come home after dark. They went to look for him at last, but he was nowhere to be found. Husband and wife wailed and wept, and hardly wished to live. More than a year later Kechang suddenly came home on his own. “A Daoist bewitched me and led me away,” he said. “Luckily he did me no harm. When he happened to be out, I managed to escape and come home.” Zhou was overjoyed and asked no more. When the boy was set to his books, he proved twice as quick and clever as before. A year later his writing had come on greatly; he entered the prefectural school, and at the examinations made a name for himself. Old families vied to marry their daughters to him, but Kechang was most unwilling. A jinshi named Zhao had a beautiful daughter, and Zhou made his son marry her. Once she had come into the house, husband and wife joked and flirted together very happily; yet Kechang always slept alone, as though he had no desire for her. The next year he sat the autumn examination and passed. Zhou was all the more content. But he was growing old and longed every day for a grandson to hold, so he would drop hints to Kechang. Kechang was cold and seemed not to understand. His mother could not bear it, and nagged him morning and night. Kechang’s face changed. He went out, saying, “I have long wanted to go away. What kept me from leaving at once was only your loving care of me. I truly cannot go prying behind the bed curtains to give you what you hope for. Let me go now; the one who will do as you wish will soon be back.” His mother ran after him and caught hold of him. He fell, and there lay his clothes and cap like a cast-off skin. They were terrified. They thought Kechang must have died long ago and this had been his ghost. There was nothing to do but grieve. The next day Kechang suddenly arrived with a servant and a horse, and the whole household was struck with dread. When they came close and questioned him, he too had a story: villains had kidnapped him and sold him to a rich merchant’s family. The merchant had no son and took him as his own. After he got Kechang, the merchant suddenly had a son of his own. Kechang missed his home, so the merchant sent him back. When they asked about his studies, he was as dull and stubborn as ever. Then they knew that this was the real Kechang; the one who had entered the school and passed the provincial examination had been a ghost in disguise. But they were secretly glad that the matter had not got out, and had him simply take over the title of provincial graduate. In the bedroom his wife was very familiar with him, while Kechang blushed and looked abashed, like a new bridegroom. Barely a year later, a son was born.