Gu’s old research box sat in a locked cabinet at the library annex. He had kept it under a stack of ordinary survey papers, not hidden so much as left where no one was likely to ask for it.
“I haven’t opened it in years,” he said.
“Then we’ll see what survived,” Yan replied.
Bai cleared the table and laid out a clean cloth. Qinghe brought the ink blotter and a pair of paper weights. Gu unlocked the cabinet and drew out a narrow wooden box with a broken corner.
Inside were folded plans, a stub of graphite, and a packet wrapped in faded blue paper. Gu did not touch the packet at once. He read the label, then set it down.
“What is it?” Yan asked.
“A memorandum I sent to my supervisor. I objected to an earlier draft of the ruin plan.”
“About the central archive?”
