English Original
On Baoyu's birthday, the young ladies held a drinking party where they composed poems and enjoyed themselves. Their maids started a game of their own.
Xiangling, Xue Pan's concubine, gathered some flowers and grasses and began a grass-naming game with the others. "This one is a bodhisattva willow," one said. Another added, "I have an arhat pine."
Suddenly, Douguan claimed she had a "sisters' flower." Xiangling countered, "I have a 'husband-and-wife flower.'"
"Never heard of that," Douguan protested.
"Why?" Xiangling explained. "One flower on a stem is called 'lan'; several on one stem make 'hui.' Two on one stem, one above the other, is a 'brother flower.' Two side by side are certainly a 'spouses' flower.'"
Doubtful, Douguan laughed and challenged her: "Well then, if one is big and the other small, it must be a 'father-and-son flower.' And if they face opposite ways, it's probably an 'enemies flower.' Isn't that right? Xue Pan has been gone for over half a year. I suppose you made up the 'husband-and-wife flower' because you miss him."
Blushing, Xiangling rushed to pinch the sharp-tongued girl, who laughed and begged for help. The scene dissolved into friendly laughter, poking, and playful punches among the maids.
中文翻译
宝玉生日那天，小姐们设宴饮酒、作诗取乐。她们的丫鬟们也开始了自己的游戏。
薛蟠的妾室香菱采了些花草，和其他人玩起了斗草游戏。一个说：“我这是‘菩萨柳’。”另一个接着说：“我有‘罗汉松’。”
突然，豆官说她有“姐妹花”。香菱则说：“我有‘夫妻蕙’。”
“从没听说过，”豆官反驳道。
“怎么没有？”香菱解释道，“一枝一个花叫‘兰’，一枝几朵花叫‘蕙’。上下结花的叫‘兄弟蕙’，并头结花的自然是‘夫妻蕙’了。”
豆官却不服，笑着打趣道：“照你这么说，要是大的配小的，就是‘父子蕙’了；要是背对着开，那大概是‘仇人蕙’了。对不对？薛蟠出门大半年了，想必是你想他，才编出个‘夫妻蕙’来。”
香菱听了，羞得满脸通红，冲上去要捏豆官的嘴。豆官笑着讨饶，向旁人求救。丫鬟们笑作一团，你推我搡，嬉闹起来。