Lily and Snow Flower maintain an intimately close relationship throughout their young adulthood, getting together as often as possible for different festivals and celebrations, sleeping together, reciting poetry, touching and soothing one another and discussing the trials and tribulations of marriage and parenthood. Snow Flower is portrayed to Lily as someone who comes from a high-ranking family; however, it is not until much later that Lily learns that Snow Flower's family is in a state of ruin. Lily holds resentment toward Snow Flower and toward her own mother for keeping this truth from her for so long.