且說馮君衡來至花園，忽見迎頭來了個女子。仔細看時，卻是繡紅，心中陡然疑惑起來，便問道：「你到花園來做什麼？」繡紅道：「小姐派我來掐花兒。」馮君衡道：「掐的花兒在那裡？」繡紅道：「我到那邊看了花兒，尚未開呢，因此空手回來。你查問我做什麼？這是柳家花園，又不是你們馮家的花園，用你多管閒事！好沒來由呀。」說罷，揚長去了。氣得個馮君衡直瞪瞪的一雙賊眼，再也對答不出來。心中更疑惑，急忙奔至幽齋。偏偏雨墨又進內烹茶去了。見顏生拿個字帖兒，正要開看。猛抬頭見了馮君衡，連忙讓坐，順手將字帖兒掖在書內，彼此閒談。馮君衡道：「顏大哥，可有什麼淺近的詩書，借給我看看呢？」顏生因他借書，便立起身來，向書架上找書去了。馮君衡便留神，見方才掖在書內字帖兒露著個紙角兒，他便輕輕抽出，暗暗的袖了。及至顏生找了書來，急忙接過，執手告別，回轉書房而來。
且说冯君衡来至花园，忽见迎头来了个女子。仔细看时，却是绣红，心中陡然疑惑起来，便问道：「你到花园来做什么？」绣红道：「小姐派我来掐花儿。」冯君衡道：「掐的花儿在那里？」绣红道：「我到那边看了花儿，尚未开呢，因此空手回来。你查问我做什么？这是柳家花园，又不是你们冯家的花园，用你多管闲事！好没来由呀。」说罢，扬长去了。气得个冯君衡直瞪瞪的一双贼眼，再也对答不出来。心中更疑惑，急忙奔至幽斋。偏偏雨墨又进内烹茶去了。见颜生拿个字帖儿，正要开看。猛抬头见了冯君衡，连忙让坐，顺手将字帖儿掖在书内，彼此闲谈。冯君衡道：「颜大哥，可有什么浅近的诗书，借给我看看呢？」颜生因他借书，便立起身来，向书架上找书去了。冯君衡便留神，见方才掖在书内字帖儿露着个纸角儿，他便轻轻抽出，暗暗的袖了。及至颜生找了书来，急忙接过，执手告别，回转书房而来。
Now, as Feng Junheng came into the garden, he suddenly saw a girl coming straight toward him. Looking closely, he saw it was Xiuhong, and all at once he grew suspicious. “What are you doing in the garden?” he asked. “The young lady sent me to pick some flowers,” said Xiuhong. “Then where are the flowers you picked?” said Feng Junheng. “I went over there to look at them,” said Xiuhong, “but they aren’t out yet, so I came back empty-handed. What are you questioning me for? This is the Liu family’s garden, not your Feng family’s garden. Who asked you to poke your nose in? The cheek of it!” And with that she swept off without a backward glance. Feng Junheng was so furious that his thieving eyes goggled after her, but he could not find a word to say back. More suspicious than ever, he hurried to the secluded study. As luck would have it, Yumo had gone indoors to brew tea again. Yan had a note in his hand and was just about to open it. Looking up suddenly and seeing Feng Junheng, he hastily offered him a seat, tucking the note into a book as he did so, and the two of them chatted about this and that. “Brother Yan,” said Feng Junheng, “got any easy sort of books — poems and that — you could lend me to read?” Since he wanted to borrow a book, Yan got up and went to look for one on the bookshelf. Feng Junheng was on the alert. He saw that a corner of the note Yan had just tucked into the book was poking out, so he drew it out gently and slipped it into his sleeve. When Yan came back with a book, Feng Junheng took it in a hurry, clasped his hands to Yan in farewell and went back to his own study.
進了書房，將書放下，便從袖中掏出字兒一看，只嚇得驚疑不止，暗道：「這還了得！險些兒壞了大事。」原來此字正是前次乳母與小姐商議的，定於今晚二鼓在角門相會，私贈銀兩，偏偏的被馮賊偷來了。他便暗暗想道：「今晚他們若相會了。小姐一定身許顏生，我的姻緣豈不付之流水！這便如何是好？」忽又轉念一想道：「無妨，無妨。如今字兒既落吾手，大約顏生恐我識破，他決不敢前去。我何不於二鼓時假冒顏生，倘能到手，豈不仍是我的姻緣。即便露出馬腳，他若不依，就拿著此字作個見證。就是姑爺知道，也是他開門揖盜，卻也不能奈何於我。」心中越想，此計越妙，不由得滿心歡喜，恨不得立刻就交二鼓。
进了书房，将书放下，便从袖中掏出字儿一看，只吓得惊疑不止，暗道：「这还了得！险些儿坏了大事。」原来此字正是前次乳母与小姐商议的，定于今晚二鼓在角门相会，私赠银两，偏偏的被冯贼偷来了。他便暗暗想道：「今晚他们若相会了。小姐一定身许颜生，我的姻缘岂不付之流水！这便如何是好？」忽又转念一想道：「无妨，无妨。如今字儿既落吾手，大约颜生恐我识破，他决不敢前去。我何不于二鼓时假冒颜生，倘能到手，岂不仍是我的姻缘。即便露出马脚，他若不依，就拿着此字作个见证。就是姑爷知道，也是他开门揖盗，却也不能奈何于我。」心中越想，此计越妙，不由得满心欢喜，恨不得立刻就交二鼓。
Back in his study, he put the book down, took the note out of his sleeve and read it, and he was alarmed and astonished past all measure. “This won’t do at all!” he said to himself. “That nearly ruined everything!” For this was the very note the nurse and the young lady had planned together the other day. It fixed a meeting at the side gate at the second watch that night, so that silver could be given to Yan in secret — and of all people, it was that villain Feng who had stolen it. He thought to himself: “If they meet tonight, the young lady is sure to give herself to Yan, and all my hopes of marrying her will go floating off downstream. What am I to do?” Then another thought struck him. “No matter, no matter. Now that the note has fallen into my hands, Yan will most likely be afraid I’ve seen through it, and he’ll never dare go. So why shouldn’t I pass myself off as Yan at the second watch? If I can get my hands on her, the match will be mine after all. And even if I give myself away and she won’t go along with it, I’ll hold up this note as proof. Even if Uncle finds out, she’s the one who opened the door and bowed the robber in. He won’t be able to do a thing to me.” The more he thought it over, the better the plan seemed, until his heart was brimming with glee and he could hardly wait for the drums to beat the second watch.
且說金蟬小姐雖則叫繡紅寄柬與顏生，他便暗暗打點了私蓄銀兩並首飾衣服；到了臨期，卻派了繡紅，持了包袱銀兩去贈顏生。田氏在旁勸道：「何不小姐親身一往？」小姐道：「此事已是越理之舉。再要親身前去，更失了閨閣體統。我是斷斷不肯去的。」
且说金蝉小姐虽则叫绣红寄柬与颜生，他便暗暗打点了私蓄银两并首饰衣服；到了临期，却派了绣红，持了包袱银两去赠颜生。田氏在旁劝道：「何不小姐亲身一往？」小姐道：「此事已是越理之举。再要亲身前去，更失了闺阁体统。我是断断不肯去的。」
Meanwhile Miss Jinchan, having had Xiuhong take a note to Yan, had quietly got together her own savings, along with some jewellery and clothes. But when the time came, she sent Xiuhong to take the bundle and the silver to Yan instead. Nurse Tian, at her side, urged her, “Why not go yourself, miss?” “This is improper enough already,” said the young lady. “If I went to him in person as well, it would be a far worse breach of a young lady’s proprieties. I will not go, not on any account.”