"A Zi, are you ready?"
"We need to hurry, or we'll be late."
"A Zi, A Zi—"
Lin Feng had changed out of her usual simple clothes. She wore a little jacket in overlapping shades of amber and pale yellow, with a long skirt embroidered with emerald butterflies beneath it. A soft sash dotted with little ornaments was tied around her waist. Her hair was styled in a dainty, intricate double-ringed snake bun, secured with a long pearl cord.
She held a graceful little round fan in one hand.
Every so often, she peered into the room and urged her along.
Inside, Yu Zi poked her head out, fidgeting.
She stammered, "Does this look all right?"
Lin Feng grabbed Yu Zi's hand and tugged her outside as she said, "Why wouldn't it? You look lovely."
She had grown too quickly.
In keeping with their thrifty habits, they had taken apart all the old clothes and patched and altered them. The fabric was all good quality, after all; it had been part of Lin Feng's luggage when she left home. Anything that was too difficult to alter had been stowed away in a trunk.
But Yu Zi was slender and petite, so the clothes fit her well.
For today's Fugu celebration, the two of them had rummaged through their clothes and picked out the best outfits—festive without being too cheerful, and not in violation of mourning taboos. Lin Feng's teacher, Chu Yao, had reserved seats for them. But the two of them had been so busy that they'd lost track of time, and now they were rushing out in a fluster.
"I don't even know if we'll make it in time—"
Lin Feng forgot all about decorum and lifted her skirt to jog.
Outside, the two guards accompanying them had already