The next morning, it was past nine, and Fang Qingqin still hadn't arrived.
Feng Dema sat on the steps by the entrance, his eyes fixed on the side street. With no sign of her, he asked Lu Ming,
"Why isn't she here yet?"
Lu Ming was crouched by the counter, doing the accounts. He didn't look up.
"Who?"
"Fang Qingqin."
Lu Ming glanced up at the clock on the wall. A quarter past nine.
"Maybe she's stuck in traffic, or something came up at school. Maybe she isn't coming."
Lovesick Dema went back to sit at the entrance.
"Why don't you go out and look?"
Lu Ming said it offhandedly, a teasing note in his voice.
"Look at you. Don't tell me you've actually fallen for her."
It had only been a joke.
Feng Dema took it seriously.
He set the cleaning rag on the counter, turned, and headed for the door.
Lu Ming froze for a moment, then called out.
"Hey, where are you going?"
"I'm going to look for her."
"I was just saying. You really took that seriously?"
But Feng Dema was already outside, his footsteps pounding as he ran down the alley.
Lu Ming opened his mouth, then glanced at Wen Ning beside him. Wen Ning was sorting some forms and looked up at him.
"You told him to go?"
"I was only joking."
Wen Ning set down his pen and thought for a moment.
"Let's follow him."
Lu Ming went after him. Wen Ning put his work aside too and followed at an unhurried pace.
The three of them left the alley and turned onto the main street. Feng Dema stood at the curb, looking everywhere, his head swiveling back and forth like a rattle drum.
"Over there."
Wen Ning pointed to the left.
Without