The autumn rain of the third year in Chongning was more urgent than in previous years. The old locust tree outside the Hubu Yamen of Kaifeng Prefecture was soaked through the rain, and the shadows of the trees swayed into a blur of ink in the dusk. When Huyan Dae stuffed the last attendance book into the iron cabinet, a red mark appeared on her fingertips from the rust on the edge of the cabinet - this was her third year as a human resources assistant, and she dealt with salary sheets and leave forms every day, and the gaps between her fingernails...
