Sang Xiao, a native of Yizhou, was solitary from childhood, residing in Honghuabu, a place of breathtaking scenery.

Sang Xiao was solemn in demeanor, preferring stillness to activity. Aside from foraging for meals at his neighbor’s house, he spent all his remaining time reading in his bedroom. The scholar next door jokingly asked, "Living all alone like this, aren't you afraid of ghosts or foxes?" Sang Xiao laughed, "What is there to fear from ghosts or foxes? If a male spirit dares to come, I have a sharp sword ready. If a female one arrives, I welcome her with open arms and invite her in."

The scholar knew Sang Xiao was merely boasting and decided to play a trick on him. Colluding with a friend, they used a ladder to scale the wall late at night, delivering a courtesan to his study. The woman knocked with a flick of her fingers, and Sang Xiao peered through the crack in the door, asking, "Who is there?"

The courtesan replied, "I am a female ghost."

Hearing this, Sang Xiao was gripped by terror. His teeth chattered audibly, the rattling sound unmistakable. After lingering for a long while, the woman slowly departed. The next day, the scholar visited, and upon meeting, Sang Xiao looked pale and declared, "I saw a ghost last night. This place is too unsafe; I must move immediately."

The scholar laughed, "Why didn't you open the door and welcome your guest?"

Sang Xiao instantly understood that the scholar had engineered the whole thing. A faint smile touched his lips; he wasn't angry.

Six months later, a woman knocked on his door again one evening. Sang Xiao assumed it was the scholar up to his old tricks. This time, he vowed not to be scared witless again, so he opened the door. Standing there was a young woman of unparalleled, breathtaking beauty. He asked, "Where does the young lady hail from?"

The woman replied, "This humble one is Lian Xiang, a courtesan from the West House." There were many pleasure houses in the district, and Sang Xiao felt no suspicion whatsoever upon hearing this. He immediately invited her inside. They extinguished the lamps and retired to bed for an intimate interlude.

From then on, Lian Xiang visited every three to five days.

One night, as Sang Xiao sat deep in contemplation, a woman drifted in gracefully. Thinking it was Lian Xiang, Sang Xiao was startled upon seeing her face. She appeared to be about fifteen or sixteen, with flowing black hair veiled by thin gauze, and a seductive, elusive gait that made him suspect she was a fox demon.

The woman said, "This humble one is from a respectable family, named Li. I have long admired the young master’s refined character and have come to share tenderness with you."

Sang Xiao was overjoyed, taking her hand, which felt cold as ice. "Why are your hands so frigid?" he asked. The woman replied, "This humble one has been frail and sickly since childhood, and I was just standing outside in the cold wind all night; naturally, my hands are cold."

Sang Xiao nodded, asking no further questions. They then proceeded to undress, indulging in ecstatic pleasure. The woman's lower parts

Fox’er was intelligent and cherished by Miss Li, who cared for her meticulously, treating her as her own daughter. Every year during the Qingming Festival, the family of three would journey to the mountain to tend to Lianxiang’s grave.

Later, when Sang Xiao achieved the title of Juren and their family’s fortunes grew, Miss Li remained barren, causing her growing anxiety, which led her to gently urge her husband to take a concubine. One day, an old woman came to their door offering her daughter for sale. Miss Li invited her in, and upon gazing at the young woman, she saw features so delicate and exquisite that she gasped in shock and joy, crying out, "Sister Lianxiang has been reborn!"

Hearing the exclamation, Sang Xiao came out to see. He looked upon the maiden whose face was like flawless jade and murmured, "Indeed, she is the spitting image of Lianxiang." He asked the old woman, "How old is the child?" The crone replied, "Fourteen." Sang Xiao then inquired, "What is the asking price for the betrothal?" The old woman stated, "I have only this piece of flesh left; I only hope my daughter can marry into a respectable household. If the young master is pleased, three hundred taels of silver will suffice."

Sang Xiao bristled, "Is Lianxiang worth only three hundred taels? It should be at least three thousand." He produced three thousand taels in bank notes, pressed them into the old woman’s hand, and sent her on her way. The old woman thanked him profusely, departing with joyous steps.

Miss Li led the girl inside the house and asked with a smile, "Do you remember me?"

The girl shook her head. "I do not know you."

Miss Li felt a pang of disappointment and asked again, "Then, what is your name?"

The girl replied, "My surname is Wei. My father was a wine seller; he passed away three years ago."

Miss Li observed the girl closely, noting how her demeanor and bearing were startlingly similar to Lianxiang’s. To find an old friend who did not recognize her distressed her so much that her brow furrowed repeatedly. Suddenly remembering something, she promptly struck the top of the girl’s head sharply with her hand and cried out, "Sister Lian, Sister Lian, do you not recall the pact of fourteen years?"

The girl awoke as if from a deep dream, letting out an "Eh!" sound. "Are you Sister Li?" Then she looked at Sang Xiao, her eyes brimming with tears, and choked out, "Master, I think of you every single day."

Sang Xiao patted her shoulder, comforting her. "Don't cry, don't cry. The reunion of the three of us is truly like 'the familiar swallow returns to its old perch'—this is a joyous occasion! Why are you starting to weep? Look at the tears streaming everywhere; if you continue to cry, you won't look beautiful anymore."

The girl managed a faint smile, wiping away her tears, and began to recount her experience of rebirth: "Mother told me that I could speak as soon as I was born. My family thought it an ill omen, so they made me drink a bowl of black dog’s blood. That washed away all memory of my past life and karma, which is why I didn't recognize you just now. Fortunately, Sister hit my head a few times, and only then did my memories return." The three then shared reminiscences of their former lives, a mingling of sorrow and joy.

It was the day of the Hanshi Festival. Miss Li remarked, "At this time every year, my husband and I would go up the mountain to pay respects to Elder Sister." Lianxiang said, "Where is my grave located? Take me to see it."

The three arrived at the burial site. Seeing the wild grass growing thick and long, Lianxiang sighed, "The events of the past seem as fleeting as a dream." Miss Li declared, "Sister Lian and I shared friendship across two lifetimes; I cannot bear to be parted. Why don't we have our remains buried together?"

Sang Xiao nodded in agreement. He exhumed Miss Li's grave from her previous burial site, removed the bones, and laid them to rest within Lianxiang’s tomb.