"the box would pop open like a roasted chestnut"
Spring Moon describes a dream that she had had the night before. In this dream, bearers brought her a box as a present that would open in three days and nights. The bearers compared how the box would as if it were "a roasted chestnut" to help the reader understand that the box would crack open.
"Rushing in like a gust of wind"
Spring Moon hurries into a room filled with her relatives to find Plum Blossom. Fragrant Snow scolds her for "rushing in like a gust of wind" because it is disrespectful. This simile compares how fast Spring Moon enters the room to a gust of wind to display how much of a rush she was in to find Plum Blossom.
"small as a sesame seed"
In her rush to find Plum Blossom, Spring Moon forgot to wash her face after her nap. After being told this, she runs into her grandmother. Her grandmother always makes her feel "small as a sesame seed" because of the authority she had over her.
"as though a ghost had spoken"
Spring Moon relays to her grandmother that she was unable to find Plum Blossom. Her grandmother along with all of the other women stopped their activities and stared at her "as though a ghost had spoken." The frightening idea that Plum Blossom was missing silenced the women and brought their attention to Spring Moon.
"as if she herself had been swallowed"
Spring Moon compares herself to the tea that her grandmother had been drinking due to her frightened state by saying that she felt "as if she herself had been swallowed." Her grandmother had told her to look in her room. However, she had already looked in her room and knew that Plum Blossom was not there. Her grandmother's response made Spring Moon even more frightened which is why she compared herself to the tea.
