English Original
This is an episode from the novel Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio. Wang Zifu lost his father at a young age and was raised with great care by his mother. When he came of age, his mother arranged a marriage for him, but the chosen bride died before the wedding.
On the Lantern Festival, Zifu's cousin, Wu Sheng, invited him on an outing. Wu had to return home early, leaving Zifu alone. In the crowd, Zifu suddenly spotted a girl with bright eyes. She was carrying a twig of plum blossoms and walking gracefully. Zifu could not take his eyes off her. Noticing his gaze, the girl dropped the blossom twig on the ground and walked away, smiling.
Zifu picked up the flower and returned home, placing it under his pillow. He missed the girl so intensely that he stopped eating and drinking, soon becoming too weak to get out of bed. When Wu Sheng learned of this, he came to inquire. Zifu told him the truth. To comfort him, Wu Sheng lied, claiming the girl was a cousin living in the mountains about fifteen kilometers to the southwest. He promised they would search for her once Zifu recovered. Heartened by this news, Zifu quickly regained his health. Knowing his lie would be exposed, Wu Sheng avoided Zifu afterward.
Wu Sheng made excuses whenever Zifu asked for help finding the girl. Unable to wait, Zifu set out alone based on Wu's vague description. In the mountains, he found a young woman named Ying Ning. He stayed at her home for a few days before bringing her back to marry her. After marriage, they loved each other dearly and lived happily. One day, Ying Ning revealed that she was the daughter of a fox immortal, raised by a ghost mother. Zifu was not at all troubled by this revelation.
中文翻译
这是小说《聊斋志异》中的一个故事。王子服幼年丧父，由母亲悉心抚养长大。成年后，母亲为他定下一门亲事，但选定的新娘在过门前就去世了。
元宵节那天，子服的表兄吴生邀他出游。吴生因事提前回家，留下子服一人。在人群中，子服忽然看见一位明眸善睐的少女。她手拈一枝梅花，步履轻盈。子服情不自禁地凝视着她。少女察觉后，将梅枝丢在地上，含笑离去。
子服拾起花枝回家，将其置于枕下。他对少女思念成疾，以致茶饭不思，很快虚弱得无法起身。吴生得知后前来探问缘由，子服如实相告。为了安慰子服，吴生谎称那少女是子服的一位表妹，住在西南方向约十五公里的山中，并承诺等子服病愈就一同去寻找。听到这番话，子服心中欢喜，病体很快康复。吴生自知撒谎，此后便刻意回避子服。
每当子服请求帮忙寻找那位持梅少女时，吴生总是借故推脱。子服等不及，便依据吴生模糊的描述独自进山寻找。在山中，他找到了一位名叫婴宁的女子。他在婴宁家小住几日后，便带她回家成亲。婚后，夫妻恩爱，生活美满幸福。一日，婴宁告诉子服，自己原是狐仙之女，由鬼母抚养成人。子服得知她的身世后，毫不介意。