Chapter Two: Person Not Found

At 8:40 the next morning, Gu Yan’s own company refused to let him in. He tapped his badge seven times. The glass gate answered each attempt with a polite red light. At last the receptionist looked up. “Sir, who are you here to see?” “Ye, it’s Gu Yan.” “From which company?” There was no joke in her face. His photograph remained on the plastic badge, but the name field was blank, an unloaded template. The door opened from inside. Su Qiao emerged carrying two coffees and nearly collided with him. “Did you work all night again?” she asked. Relief loosened his chest. “You remember me.” “Who else owes me three dinners?” She looked at the receptionist. “He works in Design.”