Her fortunes couldn't have changed more dramatically. Upon making a sudden move to Taipei, she meets old friends ensconced in lives of pomp and circumstance. In contrast, she still wears a dark green Hangzhou silk chipao she brought from Shanghai. Under the light it looks well the worse for wear.
乍然回到冠蓋京華的台北，她眼見當年姐妹們個個飛黃騰達，而自己身上穿著這件由上海帶來的墨綠杭綢旗袍在燈光下一照，「竟有點發烏」。