Zhu Yingtai, a woman from Shangyu County (now Shaoxing) in Yuezhou, likes to read poetry and wants to study abroad. However, the woman at that time could not show herself in front of everyone, so she disguised herself as a man with the girl Yin Xin and went to Yuezhou to study.
On the way, they met Liang Shanbo and Shi Jiuan, scholars from Yinxian County (now Ningbo), and they were also going to study in Yuezhou. Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai hit it off and went to Yuezhou together.
During the three years in Yuezhou, Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai were inseparable, reading together during the day and sleeping in the same bed at night. Zhu Yingtai secretly admired Liang Shanbo, but Liang Shanbo's character remained unchanged. He never knew that Zhu Yingtai was a woman, let alone her mind.
On one occasion, when Tomb-Sweeping Day had a holiday, they went to visit Jinghu Lake. Zhu Yingtai hinted at the scenery to Liang Shanbo many times, but Liang Shanbo didn't understand it at all, and even made fun of Zhu Yingtai for comparing himself to a woman. Finally, Zhu Yingtai had to tell Liang Shanbo directly that Liang Shanbo had an epiphany.
But all this was known by Ma Wencai who was watching, and Ma Wencai also knew that Zhu Yingtai turned out to be a woman. Later, his family wrote to urge Zhu Yingtai to go home. Before leaving, Zhu Yingtai left a letter telling Liang Shanbo that "the decision will be made on 28th, 37th and 46th", which means that Liang Shanbo will go to Zhu Fu to propose marriage in 10 days.
But Liang Shanbo thought it was three days together, so he didn't propose until a month later. When Liang Shanbo came to Zhujiajian happily, he knew that Ma Wencai had proposed first and got a dowry. Liang Shanbo left heartbroken, and Zhu Yingtai sent him on his way.
After Liang Shanbo returned to China, Acacia was seriously ill. He wrote to Zhu Yingtai asking for some prescriptions that he couldn't find or get, expressing his despair. At the same time, he hoped that Zhu Yingtai would visit him. Zhu Yingtai wrote back to tell Liang Shanbo that he had no chance in his life and only hoped that they could be buried in Nanshan after their death.
Later, she died of illness and promised Ma's marriage for a pretence, but asked the wedding procession to pass through Nanshan and let her get off the sedan chair.
When Zhu Yingtai got off the sedan chair to sweep the grave, it was stormy for a while and the evil wind was piercing. Liang Shanbo's tomb is actually cracked. When Zhu Yingtai saw it, he jumped in desperately and the grave was closed again. Soon, a pair of butterflies flew out of the grave.