Wan Fu, courtesy name Zixiang, hailed from Boxing. He devoted his early years to studying the classics, yet despite his family being moderately well-off, fortune eluded him; by the age of twenty, he had yet to pass the imperial examinations.

In his village, the burden of corvée labor was frequently shifted onto the wealthy, often leading virtuous men to financial ruin. That year, the mandatory service fell upon Wan Fu. Fearing the obligation, he fled, eventually settling in an inn within Jinan.

Late one night, a strikingly beautiful woman secretly arrived. Wan Fu was greatly pleased and they shared an intimate night. When he asked her name, she confessed, "I am a fox spirit. But I mean you no harm, Master." Her frankness delighted Wan Fu, and he trusted her completely. The woman then cautioned him, "Master must not share his quarters with any guest." Wan Fu readily agreed.

From then on, the woman visited nightly, their affection intense and inseparable, like glue and lacquer. All his daily necessities were supplied through the fox-maiden's provisions.

Not long after settling in, two or three acquaintances visited. Each time friends arrived, they stayed until dawn. Wan Fu grew increasingly annoyed but felt too awkward to refuse, leaving him no choice but to reveal the truth. His friends all insisted, "We wish to see the visage of the Fox Immortal." Wan Fu pleaded with the fox-maiden, who replied, "Why do you wish to see me? I am but human, with the same five features and face as any other." Her voice seemed clearly present before him, yet searching everywhere, he could perceive no figure.

One friend, surnamed Sun and named Deyan, was fond of joking. He persistently requested an audience, saying, "Your voice is enchantingly melodious, enough to captivate the soul. Why begrudge us your appearance, hiding away and refusing to be seen, causing me such longing?" The fox-maiden laughed, "Silly boy, what do you want with me? Do you wish to commission a picture of your grandmother in her amorous pursuits?" All the guests burst into laughter.

The fox-maiden then said, "Since I am a fox, allow me to relate an anecdote concerning foxes. Are you willing to listen?" The assembly murmured assent. The fox-maiden began, "Once, in the inn of a certain village, the establishment was infested with foxes that roamed the halls, beguiling the travelers. The guests learned of this and mutually warned each other away from lodging there. Within half a year, business withered. The landlord was deeply distressed and considered mentioning the word 'fox' an absolute taboo. One day, a guest from a distant land arrived seeking shelter, claiming to be a foreigner. He hesitated at the door. The landlord was overjoyed and, just as he invited the guest inside, a passerby offered a warning: 'There are foxes in this establishment.' The guest grew terrified and turned to leave, but the landlord desperately argued, 'Where are the fox spirits? That is utterly untrue.' The guest, half-believing and half-doubting, still requested a superior room. Upon entering and preparing for sleep, he saw a swarm of mice scurrying beneath the bed, let out a startled cry, and bolted out, urgently shouting, 'There are foxes!' The landlord asked the reason in alarm. The guest complained, 'The fox den is clearly here; why deceive me with falsehoods?' The landlord pressed further, 'You repeatedly claim to have seen a fox; what was its appearance?' The guest replied, 'It was thin and small; it was not a fox cub, but surely a fox kit!'"

When the story concluded, the room erupted in laughter. Sun Deyan remarked, "Foreigners lack discernment, unable to distinguish between a fox and a mouse. Since the lady refuses to grace us with her presence, forgive my rudeness, but I shall shamelessly remain." The fox-maiden responded, "Staying is no matter, but I must declare first: fox spirits delight in playing tricks. If I cause any offense, please do not be angry." The guests, worried about her mischief, reluctantly dispersed.

Thereafter, the friends would visit every few days, seeking out the fox for intellectual sparring, exchanging jests and mock insults. The fox-maiden was remarkably witty, often turning the tables on her guests with her entertaining remarks; her eloquence was unmatched. Everyone affectionately dubbed her "Mistress Fox."

One day, a banquet was prepared. Wan Fu occupied the seat of honor, with Sun Deyan and two other guests flanking him. The uppermost seat was left deliberately empty, awaiting Mistress Fox. She initially declined, citing her aversion to drinking, but the company insisted she sit and converse. After several rounds of wine, the guests entertained themselves with dice and the guānmàn drinking ritual. One guest drew a specific melon sign and was punished by having to drink, so he half-jokingly pushed his cup toward the head seat, saying, "Mistress Fox is perfectly sober; drink this cup for me."

The fox-maiden smiled, "I never touch wine. Instead, I shall offer you an anecdote to accompany your drinks." Sun Deyan covered his ears, unwilling to listen. The others insisted, "An anecdote is fine, but you must not insult anyone, or you shall be punished." The fox-maiden chuckled, "If I must not curse people, what about cursing foxes?" The guests agreed, "Very well," and leaned in to listen.

The fox-maiden began, "Once, a high minister was sent on an envoy mission to the Red-Haired Country, wearing a hat made of fox fur when he paid respects to the King. The King, unaccustomed to such things, asked, 'What manner of fur is this, so wonderfully warm?' The minister replied, 'Fox fur.' The King declared, 'I have never heard of this thing. How is the character hú (fox) written?' The minister extended his finger, sketching in the air, and reported, 'On the right side is a large melon, and on the left side is a small dog.'" The host and guests burst into uproarious laughter. Only Sun Deyan was displeased. Sitting on the left, he perceived a veiled insult in the fox-maiden's words—was she calling him a little dog?

Two of the guests, the Chen brothers, one witnessing and one overhearing, noticed Sun Deyan's distressed expression. They spoke in unison, "Where is the male fox? Why allow the female fox to run wild?" As they spoke, they glanced at Wan Fu, a subtle smile playing on their lips, implying, "Shouldn't you control your own woman?"

The fox-maiden laughed, "I haven't finished my story. Do not bark incessantly and interrupt my train of thought. Now, the King saw the minister riding a mule and was greatly amazed. He inquired, 'What is this creature?' The minister replied, 'This is called a mule, born from a horse.' The King became even more curious. The minister explained, 'In our China, a horse begets a mule, and a mule begets a foal.' When the King sought further details, the envoy clarified: 'The horse begetting the mule is what 'I have seen' (chén suǒ jiàn); the mule begetting the foal is 'what I have heard' (chén suǒ wén).'" The entire assembly smiled warmly. The Chen brothers, however, felt their faces burn red.

Alas, they had been tricked again.

Having all been played with, the company knew they were no match for Mistress Fox. They made a pact: whoever joked about insulting someone again would be penalized by having to host the next gathering. Soon, warmed by the wine, Sun Deyan turned to Wan Fu and said, "I have an upper couplet, Master Wan Fu, please provide the matching lower one." Wan Fu replied, "Please speak it." Sun Deyan recited, "A courtesan leaves home to visit her lover: arriving, she is 'Wan Fu' (ten thousand blessings); leaving, she is 'Wan Fu' (ten thousand blessings)." The hall fell silent in thought; no one could match it.

The fox-maiden laughed, "I have the lower line: The Dragon King issues a decree seeking honest counsel; the soft-shelled turtle is 'Deyan' (to be spoken of), and the turtle is also 'Deyan' (to be spoken of)." Everyone laughed heartily and collapsed in mirth. Sun Deyan flew into a rage, "We explicitly agreed earlier not to insult anyone; how have you violated the rule?" The fox-maiden laughed, "It was my fault, but without doing so, I could not complete the couplet. I will host a banquet tomorrow evening and personally apologize to you." The others laughed it off. This anecdote perfectly illustrates the wit of the fox-maiden.

Several months later, the fox-maiden and Wan Fu journeyed back to his home village. Passing through Boxing, the fox-maiden remarked, "I have a distant relative here whom I haven't visited in ages. Since we are passing by, we must pay a call. The hour is late; let us lodge here for the night and depart tomorrow morning." Wan Fu inquired, "Where?" The fox-maiden pointed ahead, saying, "Not far."

The surroundings were desolate, and Wan Fu suspected no village existed. Carrying a spirit of investigation, he walked about two li, and indeed, he spotted a village with structures of an eccentric design he had never witnessed before. The fox-maiden approached and knocked on a door. An old servant answered and led the pair into the compound. They saw layers of gates and courtyards, clearly the estate of a prominent family. Soon, they were presented to the masters—an elderly couple. After exchanging courtesies, the hosts invited Wan Fu to sit, laying out a feast laden with rich dishes, treating him with great hospitality as if he were a son-in-law.

After one night's stay, the two bid farewell to return home. The fox-maiden said, "If I return with you directly, your family has never seen me, and it might cause a great stir. Master, return first, and I shall follow shortly." Wan Fu agreed and went home ahead of her, briefing his parents beforehand. Before long, the fox-maiden arrived, conversing and laughing with Wan Fu, her voice heard but her form unseen.

A year later, Wan Fu had business requiring a trip to Jinan, and the fox-maiden accompanied him. Suddenly, several people arrived and engaged the fox-maiden in animated conversation, exchanging warm greetings. The fox-maiden then told Wan Fu, "I am originally from Shaanxi. Fate brought us together, Master, and I have been with you for a long time. Now my brothers have come to summon me home. I can no longer serve you."

Wan Fu pleaded repeatedly for her to stay, but the fox-maiden would not listen and departed on her own.