紅了櫻桃碎了心

名樂師趙珠璣早年喪偶，育有一子趙繼珠(乳名細珠)。一天他遇上棄婦蕭桃紅，認為她聲線不俗，是可造之材，故願意教她詩書禮樂和儀態表情，並說將來可令她成為一名歌台紅星。一年後，桃紅憑著趙氏的培養，一夜成名。她重遇前夫孔桂芬，在他的真情打動及父親的勸導下，答允重返夫家。趙氏深感被騙，大受刺激，吐血殘喘，臨終時請桃紅照顧細珠，使他有出頭之日。桃紅在珠璣臨終時答允將繼珠培育成名，誰料辛苦多年，繼珠並未能繼承父親的音樂造詣，更以人代奏，希望可瞞天過海，欺騙桃紅。桃紅感歎多年心血竟付諸流水，自殺身亡。她死時手執信箋，上無一字，只有片片櫻桃似的血點。

Red Cherries and a Broken Heart

Famous musician Zhao Zhuji is widowed early in life. He raises his son, Jizhu, alone. One day, he meets an abandoned woman, Xiao, and finds that she has a good singing voice and is quite talented. Xiao soon becomes famous thanks to Zhao’s care and his teaching in literature, etiquette, music and performing art. A year later, the woman encounters her ex-husband, Guifen. Moved by his love and her father’s persuasion,Xiao returns to her husband.

Shocked by a sense of betrayal, Zhao spits blood. On his deathbed, he entrusts his son Jizhu to Xiao, who promises to bring the son up as a successful musician. Many years pass, and the son’s musical skills do not improve. He has not inherited any gift of musical talent from his father, and he often performed with stand-in doubles. Grieved by her futile efforts, Xiao commits suicide, leaving behind a letter empty except for sprinkles of blood in the shape of cherry petals.