The winter nights are always long, with early darkness and late dawn.
When Susu woke up, the courtyard was already bustling with the sounds of servants going about their tasks. The warmth in the bed was long gone, and the fire basin in the room had burnt to ashes, leaving the room quite cool!
Fortunately, Susu had a thick mattress beneath her and two quilts above her, so she wasn't entirely cold!
Feeling her way in the dark, she got out of bed, found her customary gray squirrel coat on the clothes rack nearby, and put it on. Once her eyes adjusted to the darkness, she moved past the screen to the table under the window and lit a candle. The room was instantly brightened as she covered it with a glass lamp cover, and picked up the golden pocket watch on the table to see that it was only a few minutes to five.
