Yan found Gu in the archive room, returning the shrine ledger to its shelf. He had meant to let the question go until Qinghe was ready to speak. It remained in his mind, and he wanted to know how to approach it without turning worry into an accusation.
“Can I ask you something about the meditation?”
Gu put away the book. “If it’s about what Qinghe thinks, the answer is no.”
Yan blinked. “You don’t even know the question.”
“I know the look. You have made a list of clues and want me to tell you what they mean.”
Yan set down the copied notes. “She has worked late several nights and missed meals. She has also been tired and short with me.”
“Those are things you saw. What have you concluded?”
“That she might be avoiding me because we’ve become close.”
