On baoyu's birthday the young ladies held a drinking party in which they composed poems and much fun. Their service maids started a game of their own. Xiang Ling， Xue Fan's concubine， collected some flower and grass and began a grass game with the other. "This one is bodhisattva willow，" one said. And another one would say， "I have arhat pine." Suddenly， Dou Guan said she had a sisters flower. Xiang Ling said， "I have a husband and-wife flower." "Never heard of that，" the previous girl protested. "why，" Xiang Ling explained. "One flower on a stem is called lan， and several flower on a stem make hui. Two on one stem， one up and one down， is a brother flower， and two flowers side is certainly a spouses one." The other girl， however， did not easily give up. Laughing， she challenged， "Well， then if one flower is big and the other one small， then it's a father and son flower； and if two flowers face different ways it's probably an enemies flower. Is that rather？ Xue Fan is gone for over half a year. I guess because you miss him you made up that husband and wife flower." Blushed， Xiang Ling rushed up meaning to pinch the sharp-tongued girl， who laughed and begged for the other's help. At the sight of the girls' laughing， poking and punching each other in a friendly manner， Baoyu came to join their excitement with grass in hand.
宝玉生日那天，众姐妹们忙忙碌碌安席饮酒做诗。各屋的丫头也随主子取乐，薛蟠的妾香菱和几个丫头各采了些花草，斗草取乐。这个说，我有观音柳；那个说我又罗汉松。突然豆官说，我有姐妹花，这下把大家难住了，香菱说，我有夫妻穗。豆官见香菱答上了不服气地说："从来没有什么夫妻穗！"香菱争辩道："一枝一个花叫'兰'，一枝几个花叫'穗'.上下结花为'兄弟穗'，并头结花叫'夫妻穗'，我这个是并头结花，怎么不叫'夫妻穗'呢？"豆官一时被问住，便笑着说："依你说，一大一小叫：'老子儿子穗'，若两朵花背着开可叫'仇人穗'了。薛蟠刚外出半年，你心里想他，把花儿草儿拉扯成夫妻穗了，真不害臊！"说得香菱满面通红，笑着跑过来拧豆官的嘴，于是两个人扭滚在地上。众丫鬟嬉戏打闹，非常开心。这时，宝玉也采了些草来凑热闹。
