虞小思，東昌人。居積為業。妻夏，歸寧返，見門外一嫗，偕少女哭甚哀。夏詰之，嫗揮淚相告。乃知其夫王心齋，亦宦裔也。家中落，無衣食業，浼中保貸富室黃氏金，作賈。中途遭寇，喪貲，幸不死。至家，黃索償，計子母不下三十金，實無可準抵。黃窺其女紉針美，將謀作妾。使中保質告之：如肯可，折債外，仍以廿金壓券。王謀諸妻。妻泣曰：「我雖貧，固簪纓之冑。彼以執鞭發蹟，何敢遂媵吾女！況紉針固自有婿，汝烏得擅作主！」先是，同邑傅孝廉之子，與王投契，生男阿卯，與褓中論婚。後孝廉官於閩，年餘而卒。妻子不能歸，音耗俱絕。以故紉針十五，尚未字也。妻言及此，遂無詞，但謀所以為計。妻曰：「不得已，其試謀諸兩弟。」──蓋妻范氏，其祖曾任京職，兩孫田產尚多也。次日，妻攜女歸告兩弟，兩弟任其涕淚，並無一詞肯為設處。范乃號啼而歸。適逢夏詰，且訴且哭。夏憐之。視其女，綽約可愛，益為哀楚。因邀入其家，款以酒食。慰之曰：「母子勿戚，妾當竭力。」范未遑謝，女已哭伏在地，益加惋惜。籌思曰：「雖有薄蓄，然三十金亦復大難。當典質相付。」母子拜謝。夏以三日為約。別後，百計為之營謀，亦未敢告諸其夫。三日，未滿其數；又使人假諸其母。范母女已至，因以實告。又訂次日。抵暮，假金至，合裹並置床頭。至夜，有盜穴壁，以火入。夏覺，睨之，見一人臂跨短刀，狀貌凶惡。大懼，不敢作聲，偽為睡者。盜近箱，意將發扃。回顧夏枕邊有裹物，探身攫去，就燈解視；乃入腰橐，不復胠篋而去。夏乃起呼。家中惟一小婢，隔牆呼鄰，鄰人集而盜已遠。夏乃對燈啜泣。見婢睡熟，乃引帶自經於櫺間。天曙婢覺，呼人解救，四肢冰冷。虞聞奔至，詰婢始得其由，驚涕營葬。時方夏，尸不僵，亦不腐。過七日，乃殮之。既葬。紉針潛出，哭於其墓。暴雨忽集，霹靂大作，發墓，紉針震死。虞聞，奔驗，則棺木已啟，妻呻嘶其中，抱出之。見女尸，不知為誰。夏審視，始辨之。方相駭怪。未幾，范至，見女已死，哭曰：「固疑其在此，今果然矣！聞夫人自縊，日夜不絕聲。今夜語我，欲哭於殯宮，我未之應也。」夏感其義，遂與夫言，即以所葬材穴葬之。范拜謝。虞負妻歸，范亦歸告其夫。聞村北一人被雷擊死於途，身有字云：「偷夏氏金賊。」俄聞鄰婦哭聲，乃知雷擊者即其夫馬大也。村人白於官，拘婦械鞫，則范氏以夏之措金贖女，對人感泣，馬大賭博無賴，聞之而盜心遂生也。官押婦搜贓，則止存二十數；又檢馬尸得四數。官判賣婦償補責還虞。夏益喜，全金悉仍付范，俾償債主。葬女三日，夜大雷電以風，墳復發，女亦頓活。不歸其家，往扣夏氏之門，蓋認其墓，疑其復生也。夏驚起，隔扉問之。女曰：「夫人果生耶！我紉針耳。」夏駭為鬼，呼鄰媼詰之，知其復活，喜內入室。女自言：「願從夫人服役，不復歸矣。」夏曰：「得無謂我損金為買婢耶？汝葬後，債已代償，可勿見猜。」女益感泣，願以母事。夏不允。女曰：「兒能操作，亦不坐食。」天明，告范。范喜，急至。亦從女意，即以屬夏。范去，夏強送女歸。女啼思夏。王心齋自負女來，委諸門內而去。夏見，驚問，始知其故，遂亦安之。女見虞至，急下拜，呼以父。虞固無子女，又見女依依憐人，頗以為懽。女紡績縫紉，勤勞臻至。夏偶病劇，女晝夜給役。見夏不食，亦不食，面上時有啼痕。向人曰：「母有萬一，我誓不復生！」夏少瘳，始解顏為歡。夏聞流涕，曰：「我四十無子，但得生一女如紉針亦足矣。」夏從不育；逾年忽生一男，人以為行善之報。居二年，女益長。虞與王謀，不能堅守舊盟。王曰：「女在君家，婚姻惟君所命。」女十七，惠美無雙。此言出，問名者趾錯於門，夫妻為揀。富室黃某亦遣媒來。虞惡其為富不仁，力卻之。為擇於馮氏。馮，邑名士，子慧而能文。將告於王；王出負販未歸，遂逕諾之。黃以不得於虞，亦託作賈，跡王所在，設饌相邀，更復助以資本，漸漬習洽。因自言其子慧以自媒。王感其情，又仰其富，遂與訂盟。既歸，詣虞，則虞昨日已受馮氏婿書。聞王所言，不悅，呼女出，告以情。女佛然曰：「債主，吾仇也！以我事仇，但有一死！」王無顏，託人告黃以馮氏之盟。黃怒曰：「女姓王，不姓虞。我約在先，彼約在後，何得背盟！」遂控於邑宰，宰意以先約判歸黃。馮曰：「王某以女付虞，固言婚嫁不復預聞，且某有定婚書，彼不過杯酒之談耳。」宰不能斷，將惟女願從之。黃又以金賂官，求其左袒，以此月餘不決。一日，有孝廉北上，公車過東昌，使人問王心齋。適問於虞，虞轉詰之，蓋孝廉姓傅，即阿卯也。入閩籍，十八已鄉薦矣。以前約未婚。其母囑令便道訪王，問女曾否另字也。虞大喜，邀傅至家，歷述所遭。然婿遠來數千里，患無憑據。傅啟篋出王當日允婚書。虞招王至，驗之果真，乃共喜。是日當官覆審，傅投刺謁宰，其案始銷。涓吉約期乃去。會試後，市幣帛而還，居其舊第，行親迎禮。進士報已到閩，又報至東，傅又捷南宮。復入都觀政而返。女不樂南渡，傅亦以廬墓在，遂獨往扶父柩，載母俱歸。又數年，虞卒，子纔七八歲，女撫之過於其弟。使讀書，得入邑庠，家稱素封，皆傅力也。
虞小思是東昌人，以囤積貨物、轉賣獲利為生。他的妻子夏氏回孃家探望後回來，看見門外有個老婦人，帶著一個少女，哭得十分悲傷。夏氏詢問緣由，老婦人擦著眼淚告訴了她。這才知道，老婦人的丈夫叫王心齋，也是官宦人家的後代。家道衰落後，沒有謀生的辦法，他請中間人擔保，向富戶黃家借錢做生意。途中遭遇強盜，錢財全丟了，幸而保住了性命。回家後，黃家催他還錢，連本帶利不少於三十兩銀子，他實在沒有東西可以抵償。黃某看上了他女兒紉針的美貌，打算納她為妾，便讓中間人明白告訴他：如果肯答應，除了抵清債務，還另給二十兩銀子，立下契約。王心齋與妻子商量。妻子哭著說：「我雖然窮，本來也是官宦人家的後代。他是靠給人趕車發家的，怎麼敢把我女兒納為妾！況且紉針本來已有定下的丈夫，你怎麼能擅自作主！」早先，同縣傅孝廉的兒子與王心齋十分投契，他生了兒子阿卯，兩家在孩子還在襁褓中時就議定了婚事。後來傅孝廉到福建做官，一年多後去世，妻子兒女無法回來，音信也全斷了。因此，紉針已經十五歲，還沒有另行許配人家。妻子說到這裡，王心齋便無話可說，只能再想辦法。妻子說：「實在沒有辦法，就試著找我的兩個弟弟商量吧。」王心齋的妻子姓範，她的祖父曾在京城做官，兩個孫子至今還有不少田產。第二天，范氏帶著女兒回去，把事情告訴兩個弟弟。兩個弟弟任憑她流淚，卻沒有一句話表示肯替她想辦法。范氏便號哭著回來，恰好遇上夏氏詢問，一面訴說，一面哭泣。夏氏很同情她，又看見她女兒姿態秀美，惹人憐愛，更加難過，便邀請母女進屋，用酒飯招待，安慰她們說：「你們母女不要傷心，我一定盡力。」范氏還沒來得及道謝，女兒已經哭著伏在地上，夏氏越發憐惜。她盤算後說：「我雖然有一點積蓄，可三十兩銀子還是很難湊齊。我會典當東西，把錢交給你們。」母女兩人拜謝。夏氏約定三天後給錢。分別後，她想盡辦法籌措，卻還不敢告訴丈夫。到了第三天，仍沒湊足，便又派人向自己母親借錢。范氏母女已經來了，她把實情告訴她們，又約定次日來取。傍晚，借來的銀子送到了，夏氏把所有銀子合在一起，包好放在床頭。夜裡，有個盜賊在牆上挖洞，拿著火進屋。夏氏醒來，斜眼看去，見那人手臂上綁著短刀，面貌兇惡，十分害怕，不敢出聲，假裝仍在睡覺。盜賊走近箱子，正要開鎖，回頭看見夏氏枕邊的包裹，便探身搶走，在燈下解開檢視，隨後裝進腰間的錢袋，沒有再撬箱子就走了。夏氏這才起身呼喊。家裡只有一個小婢女，隔著牆喊鄰居。等鄰居們趕來，盜賊已經跑遠了。夏氏對著燈哭泣，見婢女睡熟，便用衣帶在窗欞上吊死了。天亮後，婢女醒來，喊人解下搶救，夏氏的四肢已經冰冷。虞小思聽說後奔來，詢問婢女，才知道緣由，驚痛流淚，安排喪葬。當時正是夏天，屍體卻不僵硬，也不腐爛。過了七天，才裝入棺材，隨後下葬。紉針偷偷出門，到夏氏墓前哭泣。忽然暴雨降下，雷聲大作，墳墓被劈開，紉針也被雷擊死了。虞小思聽說後，趕去檢視，發現棺材已經打開，妻子正在裡面呻吟，便把她抱了出來。他看見少女的屍體，卻不知道是誰。夏氏仔細看過，才認出是紉針。兩人正驚駭不已，不久范氏趕到，看見女兒已經死了，哭著說：「我本來就猜她在這裡，現在果然如此！聽說夫人上吊後，她日夜哭個不停。今晚她對我說，想來您的墓前哭祭，我沒有答應。」夏氏感動於她的情義，便與丈夫商量，用自己原先下葬的棺材和墓穴把她埋葬了。范氏拜謝。虞小思揹著妻子回家，范氏也回去告訴丈夫。隨後聽說村北有個人在路上被雷劈死，身上有字，寫著：「偷夏氏銀子的賊。」不久又聽見鄰家婦人的哭聲，才知道被雷劈死的正是她丈夫馬大。村裡人報告官府，官府把婦人抓來，戴上刑具審問。原來范氏因為夏氏籌錢救女兒，常感激得流著淚向人說起。馬大是個賭博的無賴，聽說後便起了偷盜的念頭。官府押著婦人去搜查贓款，只剩下二十兩，又從馬大的屍體上搜出四兩。官府判定賣掉婦人，補足贓款，責令歸還虞小思。夏氏更加高興，把全部銀子仍交給范氏，讓她償還債主。紉針下葬三天後，夜裡又起了大風，雷電交加，墳墓再次被劈開，她也一下子活了過來。她沒有回自己家，而去敲夏氏家的門，因為認出那是夏氏的墓，猜想夏氏已經復活。夏氏驚醒起來，隔著門詢問。少女說：「夫人果然活過來了麼！我是紉針。」夏氏驚恐，以為是鬼，叫來鄰家的老婦人詢問，知道紉針確實復活了，便高興地把她接進屋。紉針說：「我願意跟著夫人，服侍您，不再回家了。」夏氏說：「你該不會以為我花錢是為了買個婢女吧？你下葬後，我已經替你家還清了債，不要誤會我的心意。」紉針越發感動，流著淚，願意把夏氏當母親侍奉。夏氏不肯答應。紉針說：「我會幹活，也不會白吃飯。」天亮後，她們把訊息告訴范氏。范氏大喜，急忙趕來，也順從女兒的意思，把她託付給夏氏。范氏走後，夏氏堅持把紉針送回家。紉針哭著想念夏氏，王心齋便親自揹著女兒過來，把她放在門裡就走了。夏氏看見，驚訝地詢問，才知道緣故，便也讓她安心留下。紉針見虞小思回來，趕忙跪拜，叫他父親。虞小思本來沒有兒女，又見她親切依戀，很惹人疼愛，也十分高興。紉針紡線、織布、縫衣，樣樣勤快，十分盡心。有一次夏氏病得很重，紉針晝夜服侍，見夏氏不吃飯，自己也不吃，臉上常有淚痕。她對人說：「母親若有個萬一，我發誓也不再活了！」等夏氏稍有好轉，她才重新露出笑容。夏氏聽說後，流著淚說：「我四十歲了，沒有孩子，只要能生一個像紉針這樣的女兒，也就滿足了。」夏氏從來沒有生育過，一年後卻忽然生了個男孩，人們認為這是她行善的報答。過了兩年，紉針越發長大，虞小思與王心齋商量，不能一直守著舊日的婚約等下去。王心齋說：「女兒在你家，她的婚事全由你決定。」紉針十七歲時，聰慧美麗，無人可比。這話傳出去，來求親的人擠滿了門前，虞小思夫妻便為她挑選。富戶黃某也派媒人來，虞小思厭惡他有錢卻不仁義，堅決拒絕了，替紉針選中了馮家。馮某是本縣的名士，兒子聰明，擅長文章。虞小思正想告訴王心齋，王卻外出販貨，還沒有回來，他便直接答應了。黃某在虞小思那裡沒能說成婚事，也藉口做生意，找到王心齋所在的地方，設下酒飯邀請他，還拿出本錢資助，兩人漸漸熟悉親近起來。黃某於是誇說自己的兒子聰明，親自替兒子求親。王心齋感激他的情意，又羨慕他的富有，便與他訂下婚約。回家後，王心齋去見虞小思，才知道虞昨天已經收下馮家的婚書。虞小思聽到王心齋的話，很不高興，叫紉針出來，把事情告訴她。紉針氣憤地說：「債主是我的仇人！讓我去侍奉仇人，只有一死！」王心齋羞愧無地，託人把與馮家訂婚的事告訴黃某。黃某怒道：「女兒姓王，不姓虞。我訂約在先，他訂約在後，怎麼能背棄婚約！」便告到縣令那裡。縣令打算依據先訂婚約，把紉針判給黃家。馮某說：「王某把女兒交給虞家，明明說過不再過問她的婚事。而且我有正式的婚書，他不過是酒席間說說罷了。」縣令無法決斷，打算依從紉針自己的意願。黃某又拿錢賄賂縣令，求他偏袒自己，因此一個多月都沒有判決。有一天，一個孝廉北上赴京應試，經過東昌，派人打聽王心齋。來人恰好問到了虞小思，虞小思又細問他的情況，才知道那位孝廉姓傅，正是阿卯。他入了福建籍，十八歲就考中了舉人，因為先前的婚約，一直沒有娶妻。母親囑咐他順路找王家，問問女兒是否已經另許人家。虞小思大喜，邀請傅阿卯到家裡，把這些年來的遭遇一一告訴他。不過，這位女婿遠道而來，走了幾千里，他們擔心沒有憑據。傅阿卯打開箱子，取出王心齋當年答應婚事的婚書。虞小思請王心齋過來，查驗後確認是真的，大家都很高興。這一天正好是官府複審的日子，傅阿卯遞上名帖，拜見縣令，這件婚姻訴訟才撤銷了。他們選好吉日，約定婚期，傅阿卯才離開。會試後，他買了聘禮用的絲帛回來，住在自家的舊宅，舉行了親自迎娶的婚禮。他考中進士的喜報已經送到福建，又送到東昌，傅阿卯會試也考中了。他再次進京觀政，隨後回來。紉針不願南下，傅阿卯也因為這裡有祖居和祖墳，便獨自去迎回父親的靈柩，帶著母親一同回來。又過了幾年，虞小思去世，兒子才七八歲。紉針照料他，比照料自己的親弟弟還要盡心，讓他讀書，後來進了縣學。虞家成了當地的富戶，這全靠傅阿卯的幫助。
虞小思，东昌人。居积为业。妻夏，归宁返，见门外一妪，偕少女哭甚哀。夏诘之，妪挥泪相告。乃知其夫王心斋，亦宦裔也。家中落，无衣食业，浼中保贷富室黄氏金，作贾。中途遭寇，丧赀，幸不死。至家，黄索偿，计子母不下三十金，实无可准抵。黄窥其女纫针美，将谋作妾。使中保质告之：如肯可，折债外，仍以廿金压券。王谋诸妻。妻泣曰：「我虽贫，固簪缨之胄。彼以执鞭发迹，何敢遂媵吾女！况纫针固自有婿，汝乌得擅作主！」先是，同邑傅孝廉之子，与王投契，生男阿卯，与褓中论婚。后孝廉官于闽，年余而卒。妻子不能归，音耗俱绝。以故纫针十五，尚未字也。妻言及此，遂无词，但谋所以为计。妻曰：「不得已，其试谋诸两弟。」──盖妻范氏，其祖曾任京职，两孙田产尚多也。次日，妻携女归告两弟，两弟任其涕泪，并无一词肯为设处。范乃号啼而归。适逢夏诘，且诉且哭。夏怜之。视其女，绰约可爱，益为哀楚。因邀入其家，款以酒食。慰之曰：「母子勿戚，妾当竭力。」范未遑谢，女已哭伏在地，益加惋惜。筹思曰：「虽有薄蓄，然三十金亦复大难。当典质相付。」母子拜谢。夏以三日为约。别后，百计为之营谋，亦未敢告诸其夫。三日，未满其数；又使人假诸其母。范母女已至，因以实告。又订次日。抵暮，假金至，合裹并置床头。至夜，有盗穴壁，以火入。夏觉，睨之，见一人臂跨短刀，状貌凶恶。大惧，不敢作声，伪为睡者。盗近箱，意将发扃。回顾夏枕边有裹物，探身攫去，就灯解视；乃入腰橐，不复胠箧而去。夏乃起呼。家中惟一小婢，隔墙呼邻，邻人集而盗已远。夏乃对灯啜泣。见婢睡熟，乃引带自经于櫺间。天曙婢觉，呼人解救，四肢冰冷。虞闻奔至，诘婢始得其由，惊涕营葬。时方夏，尸不僵，亦不腐。过七日，乃殓之。既葬。纫针潜出，哭于其墓。暴雨忽集，霹雳大作，发墓，纫针震死。虞闻，奔验，则棺木已启，妻呻嘶其中，抱出之。见女尸，不知为谁。夏审视，始辨之。方相骇怪。未几，范至，见女已死，哭曰：「固疑其在此，今果然矣！闻夫人自缢，日夜不绝声。今夜语我，欲哭于殡宫，我未之应也。」夏感其义，遂与夫言，即以所葬材穴葬之。范拜谢。虞负妻归，范亦归告其夫。闻村北一人被雷击死于途，身有字云：「偷夏氏金贼。」俄闻邻妇哭声，乃知雷击者即其夫马大也。村人白于官，拘妇械鞫，则范氏以夏之措金赎女，对人感泣，马大赌博无赖，闻之而盗心遂生也。官押妇搜赃，则止存二十数；又检马尸得四数。官判卖妇偿补责还虞。夏益喜，全金悉仍付范，俾偿债主。葬女三日，夜大雷电以风，坟复发，女亦顿活。不归其家，往扣夏氏之门，盖认其墓，疑其复生也。夏惊起，隔扉问之。女曰：「夫人果生耶！我纫针耳。」夏骇为鬼，呼邻媪诘之，知其复活，喜内入室。女自言：「愿从夫人服役，不复归矣。」夏曰：「得无谓我损金为买婢耶？汝葬后，债已代偿，可勿见猜。」女益感泣，愿以母事。夏不允。女曰：「儿能操作，亦不坐食。」天明，告范。范喜，急至。亦从女意，即以属夏。范去，夏强送女归。女啼思夏。王心斋自负女来，委诸门内而去。夏见，惊问，始知其故，遂亦安之。女见虞至，急下拜，呼以父。虞固无子女，又见女依依怜人，颇以为懽。女纺绩缝纫，勤劳臻至。夏偶病剧，女昼夜给役。见夏不食，亦不食，面上时有啼痕。向人曰：「母有万一，我誓不复生！」夏少瘳，始解颜为欢。夏闻流涕，曰：「我四十无子，但得生一女如纫针亦足矣。」夏从不育；逾年忽生一男，人以为行善之报。居二年，女益长。虞与王谋，不能坚守旧盟。王曰：「女在君家，婚姻惟君所命。」女十七，惠美无双。此言出，问名者趾错于门，夫妻为拣。富室黄某亦遣媒来。虞恶其为富不仁，力却之。为择于冯氏。冯，邑名士，子慧而能文。将告于王；王出负贩未归，遂径诺之。黄以不得于虞，亦托作贾，迹王所在，设馔相邀，更复助以资本，渐渍习洽。因自言其子慧以自媒。王感其情，又仰其富，遂与订盟。既归，诣虞，则虞昨日已受冯氏婿书。闻王所言，不悦，呼女出，告以情。女佛然曰：「债主，吾仇也！以我事仇，但有一死！」王无颜，托人告黄以冯氏之盟。黄怒曰：「女姓王，不姓虞。我约在先，彼约在后，何得背盟！」遂控於邑宰，宰意以先约判归黄。冯曰：「王某以女付虞，固言婚嫁不复预闻，且某有定婚书，彼不过杯酒之谈耳。」宰不能断，将惟女愿从之。黄又以金赂官，求其左袒，以此月余不决。一日，有孝廉北上，公车过东昌，使人问王心斋。适问于虞，虞转诘之，盖孝廉姓傅，即阿卯也。入闽籍，十八已乡荐矣。以前约未婚。其母嘱令便道访王，问女曾否另字也。虞大喜，邀傅至家，历述所遭。然婿远来数千里，患无凭据。傅启箧出王当日允婚书。虞招王至，验之果真，乃共喜。是日当官覆审，傅投刺谒宰，其案始销。涓吉约期乃去。会试后，市币帛而还，居其旧第，行亲迎礼。进士报已到闽，又报至东，傅又捷南宫。复入都观政而返。女不乐南渡，傅亦以庐墓在，遂独往扶父柩，载母俱归。又数年，虞卒，子才七八岁，女抚之过于其弟。使读书，得入邑庠，家称素封，皆傅力也。
虞小思是东昌人，以囤积货物、转卖获利为生。他的妻子夏氏回娘家探望后回来，看见门外有个老妇人，带着一个少女，哭得十分悲伤。夏氏询问缘由，老妇人擦着眼泪告诉了她。这才知道，老妇人的丈夫叫王心斋，也是官宦人家的后代。家道衰落后，没有谋生的办法，他请中间人担保，向富户黄家借钱做生意。途中遭遇强盗，钱财全丢了，幸而保住了性命。回家后，黄家催他还钱，连本带利不少于三十两银子，他实在没有东西可以抵偿。黄某看上了他女儿纫针的美貌，打算纳她为妾，便让中间人明白告诉他：如果肯答应，除了抵清债务，还另给二十两银子，立下契约。王心斋与妻子商量。妻子哭着说：“我虽然穷，本来也是官宦人家的后代。他是靠给人赶车发家的，怎么敢把我女儿纳为妾！况且纫针本来已有定下的丈夫，你怎么能擅自作主！”早先，同县傅孝廉的儿子与王心斋十分投契，他生了儿子阿卯，两家在孩子还在襁褓中时就议定了婚事。后来傅孝廉到福建做官，一年多后去世，妻子儿女无法回来，音信也全断了。因此，纫针已经十五岁，还没有另行许配人家。妻子说到这里，王心斋便无话可说，只能再想办法。妻子说：“实在没有办法，就试着找我的两个弟弟商量吧。”王心斋的妻子姓范，她的祖父曾在京城做官，两个孙子至今还有不少田产。第二天，范氏带着女儿回去，把事情告诉两个弟弟。两个弟弟任凭她流泪，却没有一句话表示肯替她想办法。范氏便号哭着回来，恰好遇上夏氏询问，一面诉说，一面哭泣。夏氏很同情她，又看见她女儿姿态秀美，惹人怜爱，更加难过，便邀请母女进屋，用酒饭招待，安慰她们说：“你们母女不要伤心，我一定尽力。”范氏还没来得及道谢，女儿已经哭着伏在地上，夏氏越发怜惜。她盘算后说：“我虽然有一点积蓄，可三十两银子还是很难凑齐。我会典当东西，把钱交给你们。”母女两人拜谢。夏氏约定三天后给钱。分别后，她想尽办法筹措，却还不敢告诉丈夫。到了第三天，仍没凑足，便又派人向自己母亲借钱。范氏母女已经来了，她把实情告诉她们，又约定次日来取。傍晚，借来的银子送到了，夏氏把所有银子合在一起，包好放在床头。夜里，有个盗贼在墙上挖洞，拿着火进屋。夏氏醒来，斜眼看去，见那人手臂上绑着短刀，面貌凶恶，十分害怕，不敢出声，假装仍在睡觉。盗贼走近箱子，正要开锁，回头看见夏氏枕边的包裹，便探身抢走，在灯下解开查看，随后装进腰间的钱袋，没有再撬箱子就走了。夏氏这才起身呼喊。家里只有一个小婢女，隔着墙喊邻居。等邻居们赶来，盗贼已经跑远了。夏氏对着灯哭泣，见婢女睡熟，便用衣带在窗棂上吊死了。天亮后，婢女醒来，喊人解下抢救，夏氏的四肢已经冰冷。虞小思听说后奔来，询问婢女，才知道缘由，惊痛流泪，安排丧葬。当时正是夏天，尸体却不僵硬，也不腐烂。过了七天，才装入棺材，随后下葬。纫针偷偷出门，到夏氏墓前哭泣。忽然暴雨降下，雷声大作，坟墓被劈开，纫针也被雷击死了。虞小思听说后，赶去查看，发现棺材已经打开，妻子正在里面呻吟，便把她抱了出来。他看见少女的尸体，却不知道是谁。夏氏仔细看过，才认出是纫针。两人正惊骇不已，不久范氏赶到，看见女儿已经死了，哭着说：“我本来就猜她在这里，现在果然如此！听说夫人上吊后，她日夜哭个不停。今晚她对我说，想来您的墓前哭祭，我没有答应。”夏氏感动于她的情义，便与丈夫商量，用自己原先下葬的棺材和墓穴把她埋葬了。范氏拜谢。虞小思背着妻子回家，范氏也回去告诉丈夫。随后听说村北有个人在路上被雷劈死，身上有字，写着：“偷夏氏银子的贼。”不久又听见邻家妇人的哭声，才知道被雷劈死的正是她丈夫马大。村里人报告官府，官府把妇人抓来，戴上刑具审问。原来范氏因为夏氏筹钱救女儿，常感激得流着泪向人说起。马大是个赌博的无赖，听说后便起了偷盗的念头。官府押着妇人去搜查赃款，只剩下二十两，又从马大的尸体上搜出四两。官府判定卖掉妇人，补足赃款，责令归还虞小思。夏氏更加高兴，把全部银子仍交给范氏，让她偿还债主。纫针下葬三天后，夜里又起了大风，雷电交加，坟墓再次被劈开，她也一下子活了过来。她没有回自己家，而去敲夏氏家的门，因为认出那是夏氏的墓，猜想夏氏已经复活。夏氏惊醒起来，隔着门询问。少女说：“夫人果然活过来了么！我是纫针。”夏氏惊恐，以为是鬼，叫来邻家的老妇人询问，知道纫针确实复活了，便高兴地把她接进屋。纫针说：“我愿意跟着夫人，服侍您，不再回家了。”夏氏说：“你该不会以为我花钱是为了买个婢女吧？你下葬后，我已经替你家还清了债，不要误会我的心意。”纫针越发感动，流着泪，愿意把夏氏当母亲侍奉。夏氏不肯答应。纫针说：“我会干活，也不会白吃饭。”天亮后，她们把消息告诉范氏。范氏大喜，急忙赶来，也顺从女儿的意思，把她托付给夏氏。范氏走后，夏氏坚持把纫针送回家。纫针哭着想念夏氏，王心斋便亲自背着女儿过来，把她放在门里就走了。夏氏看见，惊讶地询问，才知道缘故，便也让她安心留下。纫针见虞小思回来，赶忙跪拜，叫他父亲。虞小思本来没有儿女，又见她亲切依恋，很惹人疼爱，也十分高兴。纫针纺线、织布、缝衣，样样勤快，十分尽心。有一次夏氏病得很重，纫针昼夜服侍，见夏氏不吃饭，自己也不吃，脸上常有泪痕。她对人说：“母亲若有个万一，我发誓也不再活了！”等夏氏稍有好转，她才重新露出笑容。夏氏听说后，流着泪说：“我四十岁了，没有孩子，只要能生一个像纫针这样的女儿，也就满足了。”夏氏从来没有生育过，一年后却忽然生了个男孩，人们认为这是她行善的报答。过了两年，纫针越发长大，虞小思与王心斋商量，不能一直守着旧日的婚约等下去。王心斋说：“女儿在你家，她的婚事全由你决定。”纫针十七岁时，聪慧美丽，无人可比。这话传出去，来求亲的人挤满了门前，虞小思夫妻便为她挑选。富户黄某也派媒人来，虞小思厌恶他有钱却不仁义，坚决拒绝了，替纫针选中了冯家。冯某是本县的名士，儿子聪明，擅长文章。虞小思正想告诉王心斋，王却外出贩货，还没有回来，他便直接答应了。黄某在虞小思那里没能说成婚事，也借口做生意，找到王心斋所在的地方，设下酒饭邀请他，还拿出本钱资助，两人渐渐熟悉亲近起来。黄某于是夸说自己的儿子聪明，亲自替儿子求亲。王心斋感激他的情意，又羡慕他的富有，便与他订下婚约。回家后，王心斋去见虞小思，才知道虞昨天已经收下冯家的婚书。虞小思听到王心斋的话，很不高兴，叫纫针出来，把事情告诉她。纫针气愤地说：“债主是我的仇人！让我去侍奉仇人，只有一死！”王心斋羞愧无地，托人把与冯家订婚的事告诉黄某。黄某怒道：“女儿姓王，不姓虞。我订约在先，他订约在后，怎么能背弃婚约！”便告到县令那里。县令打算依据先订婚约，把纫针判给黄家。冯某说：“王某把女儿交给虞家，明明说过不再过问她的婚事。而且我有正式的婚书，他不过是酒席间说说罢了。”县令无法决断，打算依从纫针自己的意愿。黄某又拿钱贿赂县令，求他偏袒自己，因此一个多月都没有判决。有一天，一个孝廉北上赴京应试，经过东昌，派人打听王心斋。来人恰好问到了虞小思，虞小思又细问他的情况，才知道那位孝廉姓傅，正是阿卯。他入了福建籍，十八岁就考中了举人，因为先前的婚约，一直没有娶妻。母亲嘱咐他顺路找王家，问问女儿是否已经另许人家。虞小思大喜，邀请傅阿卯到家里，把这些年来的遭遇一一告诉他。不过，这位女婿远道而来，走了几千里，他们担心没有凭据。傅阿卯打开箱子，取出王心斋当年答应婚事的婚书。虞小思请王心斋过来，查验后确认是真的，大家都很高兴。这一天正好是官府复审的日子，傅阿卯递上名帖，拜见县令，这件婚姻诉讼才撤销了。他们选好吉日，约定婚期，傅阿卯才离开。会试后，他买了聘礼用的丝帛回来，住在自家的旧宅，举行了亲自迎娶的婚礼。他考中进士的喜报已经送到福建，又送到东昌，傅阿卯会试也考中了。他再次进京观政，随后回来。纫针不愿南下，傅阿卯也因为这里有祖居和祖坟，便独自去迎回父亲的灵柩，带着母亲一同回来。又过了几年，虞小思去世，儿子才七八岁。纫针照料他，比照料自己的亲弟弟还要尽心，让他读书，后来进了县学。虞家成了当地的富户，这全靠傅阿卯的帮助。
Yu Xiaosi was a man of Dongchang who made his living by buying up goods and holding them for sale. His wife, Mrs. Xia, was coming home from a visit to her parents when she saw an old woman outside the gate, weeping bitterly with a young girl. Mrs. Xia asked what was wrong, and the old woman, wiping away her tears, told her. Her husband was Wang Xinzhai, who also came of an official family. The family had come down in the world and had no way to keep itself in food and clothes, so through a guarantor he had borrowed money from a rich man named Huang to go into trade. On the road he was set upon by bandits and lost the money, though he was lucky to escape with his life. When he got home, Huang demanded repayment. Principal and interest came to no less than thirty taels, and Wang truly had nothing to pay it with. Huang had caught sight of Wang’s daughter Renzhen and seen that she was beautiful, and he schemed to make her his concubine. He sent the guarantor to put it to them plainly: if they agreed, he would not only cancel the debt but add twenty taels to seal the bond. Wang talked it over with his wife. She wept. “Poor as we are, we come of a family of caps and tassels. That man got his start holding a carter’s whip. How dare he take my daughter as a secondary wife! Besides, Renzhen already has a husband promised. What right have you to decide on your own?” Years before, a son of the Fu family, a provincial graduate of the same county, had become fast friends with Wang. When he had a son, A-Mao, he and Wang matched the two babies while they were still in swaddling clothes. Later the provincial graduate took office in Fujian and died a year or so after. His wife and son could not come home, and all news of them was cut off. That was why Renzhen was fifteen and still not given to anyone. When his wife brought this up, Wang had nothing to say; they could only try to think what to do. “There is nothing for it,” said his wife. “Let me try my two brothers.” For she was a Fan; her grandfather had held office in the capital, and his two grandsons still had a good deal of land. The next day she took her daughter to her brothers and told them. They let her weep and wail, and not one word did they offer toward finding a way out. Mrs. Fan went home crying aloud. Just then Mrs. Xia asked her what was wrong, and she told her story through her tears. Mrs. Xia pitied her. And looking at the daughter, so graceful and lovely, she was sadder still. She invited them into the house and gave them wine and food. “Don’t grieve, the two of you,” she said to comfort them. “I will do all I can.” Before Mrs. Fan could thank her, the girl had thrown herself weeping on the ground, and Mrs. Xia was more moved than ever. She thought it over. “I have a little put by, but thirty taels is a great deal. I will pawn things and give it to you.” Mother and daughter bowed their thanks. Mrs. Xia promised it in three days. After they parted she tried every way she could think of to raise the money, but she did not dare tell her husband. By the third day she still did not have the full sum, so she sent to borrow from her own mother. Mrs. Fan and her daughter had already arrived; Mrs. Xia told them the truth and set the next day instead. Toward evening the borrowed money came. She wrapped it all in one bundle and put it at the head of her bed. In the night a thief dug through the wall and came in with a light. Mrs. Xia woke and looked out of the corner of her eye. It was a man with a short knife strapped to his arm, fierce of face. She was terrified. She dared not make a sound, and pretended to be asleep. The thief went to the chest, meaning to force the lock. Then he looked round and saw the bundle beside her pillow. He leaned over, snatched it, and undid it by the lamp. He put it in the pouch at his waist and left without bothering with the chest. Only then did Mrs. Xia get up and cry out. There was no one in the house but a little maid, who called over the wall to the neighbours; by the time they gathered, the thief was long gone. Mrs. Xia sat weeping by the lamp. When she saw that the maid was fast asleep, she took her sash and hanged herself from the window lattice. At dawn the maid woke and called for help to cut her down, but her limbs were ice cold. Yu heard and came running. Only by questioning the maid did he learn why. Shocked and weeping, he saw to the burial. It was summer, yet the body did not stiffen, nor did it rot. After seven days she was laid in her coffin, and then buried. Renzhen slipped out and wept at her grave. A storm gathered of a sudden, thunder crashed, the grave burst open, and Renzhen was struck dead. Yu heard and ran to look. The coffin had opened, and his wife was moaning inside. He lifted her out. He saw the girl’s body and did not know who she was; Mrs. Xia looked closely and knew her. They were still staring at each other in amazement when Mrs. Fan arrived. Seeing her daughter dead, she wept: “I thought she’d be here, and so she is! Ever since she heard you had hanged yourself, ma’am, she has cried day and night without stopping. Tonight she told me she wanted to go and weep at your grave, and I said no.” Mrs. Xia was moved by the girl’s devotion. She spoke to her husband, and they buried Renzhen in the very coffin and grave that had been Mrs. Xia’s. Mrs. Fan bowed her thanks. Yu carried his wife home on his back, and Mrs. Fan went home to tell her husband. Then they heard that north of the village a man had been struck dead by lightning on the road, and there were words on his body: “Thief who stole Mrs. Xia’s money.” Soon came the sound of a neighbour woman wailing, and they learned that the man struck was her husband, Ma Da. The villagers reported it to the magistrate, who had the woman arrested, put in irons and questioned. It came out that Mrs. Fan had gone about telling people, with grateful tears, how Mrs. Xia was raising money to redeem her daughter; Ma Da, a gambler and good-for-nothing, heard of it, and that was when he thought of stealing it. The magistrate sent the woman under guard to search for the loot, but only twenty-odd taels were left; some four more were found on Ma’s body. The magistrate ordered the woman sold to make up the rest and the money returned to Yu. Mrs. Xia was gladder than ever, and gave the whole sum to Mrs. Fan to pay off the creditor. Three days after the girl was buried there was a great storm in the night, thunder and lightning and wind. The grave burst open again, and the girl came back to life at once. She did not go home but went and knocked at Mrs. Xia’s door, for she knew whose grave it had been and supposed that Mrs. Xia had come back to life. Mrs. Xia started up and asked through the door who it was. “So you really are alive, ma’am!” said the girl. “It’s me, Renzhen.” Mrs. Xia was frightened, taking her for a ghost. She called the old woman next door to question her, and when she learned the girl had come back to life, she gladly let her in. The girl said, “I want to stay and serve you, ma’am. I won’t go home again.” “You don’t think I gave that money to buy you for a maid?” said Mrs. Xia. “After you were buried, the debt was paid for you. You need not suspect that.” The girl wept all the more and begged to serve her as a mother. Mrs. Xia would not agree. “I can work,” said the girl. “I won’t sit and eat for nothing.” At daybreak they told Mrs. Fan. She was overjoyed and hurried over. She too went along with her daughter’s wish and gave her into Mrs. Xia’s care. When Mrs. Fan had gone, Mrs. Xia made the girl go home. The girl cried for Mrs. Xia. Wang Xinzhai carried her over on his own back, set her down inside the gate, and left. Mrs. Xia was startled to see her, asked, and learned how it was, and after that she let her stay. When the girl saw Yu come in, she quickly knelt and called him Father. Yu had no children, and seeing how fondly the girl clung to them, he was delighted. She spun and wove and sewed, and worked tirelessly. Once Mrs. Xia fell gravely ill, and the girl waited on her day and night. When Mrs. Xia would not eat, she would not eat either, and her face was often stained with tears. She told people, “If anything happens to Mother, I swear I won’t go on living!” Only when Mrs. Xia was a little better did she smile again. Mrs. Xia heard of this and wept. “I am forty and childless,” she said. “If only I could bear a daughter like Renzhen, it would be enough.” Mrs. Xia had never borne a child; a year later she suddenly gave birth to a son. People said it was the reward for her good deeds. Two years passed, and the girl grew up. Yu talked it over with Wang: they could not hold to the old betrothal forever. “The girl is in your house,” said Wang. “Her marriage is yours to decide.” At seventeen she was clever and beautiful beyond compare. Once this was known, those asking for her hand crowded the doorway, and Yu and his wife chose among them. The rich man Huang sent a go-between too. Yu loathed him as a man grown rich by being heartless, and turned him down flat. He chose the Feng family instead. Feng was a gentleman of note in the county, and his son was bright and wrote well. Yu meant to tell Wang, but Wang was away peddling and had not come back, so Yu went ahead and agreed. Huang, having failed with Yu, also made out that he was going into trade, tracked Wang down, invited him to dinner, and even gave him capital, and little by little the two became close. Then Huang spoke of how bright his own son was, making the match himself. Wang was grateful for his kindness and dazzled by his wealth, and he agreed to the betrothal. When he got home and went to see Yu, he found that Yu had accepted the Feng family’s betrothal letter the day before. Yu was displeased to hear what Wang said. He called the girl out and told her. She flared up. “The creditor is my enemy! If you give me to my enemy, I will die first!” Wang, ashamed, had someone tell Huang of the Feng betrothal. Huang was furious. “The girl’s name is Wang, not Yu. My agreement came first, theirs after. How can he go back on his word!” He brought a suit before the county magistrate, who was inclined to award her to Huang on the earlier agreement. Feng said, “Wang gave his daughter over to Yu and said plainly he would have no more say in her marriage. And I have a betrothal letter; his was nothing but talk over a cup of wine.” The magistrate could not decide, and was going to leave it to the girl to choose. Then Huang bribed him to take his side, and so for more than a month the case went undecided. One day a provincial graduate travelling north to the examinations in the capital passed through Dongchang and sent someone to ask for Wang Xinzhai. As it happened, the man asked Yu, and Yu questioned him in turn. The graduate’s name was Fu: it was A-Mao. He had been registered in Fujian and had passed the provincial examination at eighteen. Because of the old betrothal he had not married, and his mother had told him to call on Wang on his way and ask whether the girl had been promised to anyone else. Yu was overjoyed. He invited Fu to his house and told him all that had happened. But the son-in-law had come thousands of li, and they worried there was no proof. Fu opened his case and brought out the letter in which Wang had agreed to the match all those years ago. Yu sent for Wang; he looked at it and it was genuine, and they all rejoiced. That was the very day set for the case to be heard again. Fu sent in his card and called on the magistrate, and the case was dropped. A lucky day was chosen and the date fixed, and then he left. After the metropolitan examination he bought silks for the wedding gifts and came back, lived in his family’s old house, and went through the rite of fetching the bride. The news of his success as a jinshi had already gone to Fujian; then it came to Dongchang too: Fu had passed the metropolitan examination. He went back to the capital to serve his probation in the ministries, and then returned. The girl did not want to move south, and Fu too had his family’s house and graves here, so he went alone to bring home his father’s coffin and his mother with it. Some years later Yu died, when his son was only seven or eight. The girl looked after the boy better than if he had been her own brother. She had him study, and he got into the county school. The family came to be counted among the wealthy, and all of it was Fu’s doing.