Orphaned Niu Lang lived with his brother and sister-in-law. His sister-in-law was mean and often mistreated him, so he was forced to leave home and live on his own with an old ox. This old ox was very intelligent. One day, the Weaver Girl and other fairies came down to play and bathe in the river. The old ox advised Niu Lang to go and meet them, and told him that if the fairies could not return to heaven before dawn, they would have to stay on earth.
Niu Lang waited by the river and saw the seven fairies. He found the youngest one very beautiful and fell in love. Remembering what the old ox had said, Niu Lang secretly took away the young fairy's clothes. When the fairies finished bathing and were about to return to heaven, the young fairy discovered her clothes were missing and had to stay behind. Niu Lang then met the Weaver Girl, and they got along well, understanding each other's hardships. The Weaver Girl became Niu Lang's wife.
After marriage, they worked together, he plowing the fields and she weaving cloth, and they had two children. Their life was very happy and fulfilling. However, the Jade Emperor learned of this and ordered the Queen Mother to bring the Weaver Girl back to heaven for trial. The old ox could not bear to see them separated, so it broke off its horn and turned into a small boat, allowing Niu Lang to take his children and chase after the Weaver Girl. As he was about to catch up with her, the Queen Mother suddenly pulled out her golden hairpin and drew a roaring river across the sky. Niu Lang could not cross the river and could only weep helplessly by the riverbank, looking at the Weaver Girl from afar.

Their steadfast love moved the magpies, and countless magpies flew over to form a colorful bridge across the Milky Way, allowing the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl to meet on the river. Unable to stop them, the Jade Emperor finally allowed the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl to meet once a year on the Qixi Festival, with the magpies by their side. Since then, every year on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month, the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl would meet.
The story of the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl contains romantic elements within classical literature, reflecting the precious and winding love. We believe that on both sides of the Milky Way, the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl have been quietly guarding each other, witnessing the valuable spirit of "Life is precious, but love is more precious," inspiring young people to pursue their ideals of love with determination and courage!