The Goose Cackles in Great Tang

"Number 307, do you have all your documents?" she asked, clicking through the ticketing system without looking up. The highlighter in her hand left a pale pink streak across the queueing guide. The air smelled of photocopy paper and instant coffee, and the line outside the window curled like a listless snake all the way to the far end of the hall. As a queue management clerk at the municipal service center, Zhuge Da'e's job was to keep that snake in order. She had to mediate when people cut in line, guide those who filled out forms incorrectly, and greet anyone cursing the application process with a smile as she offered them a mint. "Take a breath. The process is a bit complicated, but we'll go through it one step at a time. It'll be quick."