Chapter One: The Fixed Diet

“Everday is hiring a nutrition consultant,” Zhiwei said. “Hemera just acquired forty percent of the restaurant. I applied.” “Without discussing it with me.” “We are discussing it now.” “This is notification, not discussion.” He sat down. “Gu's identity is impossibly clean. His household record says thirty-two, created ten years ago. But the restaurant was registered in 1987 to an owner with the same name. He looks identical in the old photographs. Once you're inside, you observe. You touch nothing and eat nothing.” Zhiwei looked at the frozen image. Gu's eyes faced the camera, black as glass that reflected no light. “All right,” she said. At the time, she thought it would be an easy promise to keep.