189 Severing Ties
The two cloaks, though different in color, shared the same design. Zhao Zhitong's was red, lined with fluffy fox fur that complemented her fair complexion. As she hopped about, she looked as adorable as the cherubic children in New Year paintings.
Zhao Ya's cloak was a pale yellow. Beneath it, she wore a rose-red satin jacket trimmed with rabbit fur. Her face, too, was fair and clear, and her smile was gentle.
Even Zhao Cheng and Zhao Yu wore satin jackets—Zhao Cheng's in a bamboo-leaf green and Zhao Yu's in a light blue—making them both appear quite spirited.
The three siblings, walking side-by-side, resembled the Good Fortune Children from traditional New Year paintings.
As the saying goes, comparisons can be cruel. Xiao Wang's family was bedecked in gold and silver; Xiao Wang herself had five or six ornaments on her head alone.
