Pictures from a devoted couple, now two of the missing

Date

March 13, 2014

It is a catalogue of a parent's love and joy, a proud mother sharing an endless stream of photos of her two ''princesses'' online.

Gu Naijun's microblog account on Weibo - a popular Chinese social media website - shows her young daughters in the simplest and happiest of times: going to lunch, swimming at the pool, or dressing up in frilly costumes.

But more than just a proud parent showing off, Ms Gu, 31, used her microblog to share her daughters' day with her husband, Li Yuan, 32, who often travelled for work.

''Dad, I'm playing on the slide now,'' reads the caption to one photograph taken at a playground.

''You'll be rolling all over the floor,'' came the loving reply.

For each of the 239 passengers and crew onboard the ill-fated Malaysia Airlines flight bound for Beijing, there are families and friends increasingly in despair.

Almost five days gone with no trace of the plane found has been compounded by apparent disarray and confusion with the investigation co-ordinated by Malaysian authorities.

At the Beijing Lido Hotel, where authorities have directed the relatives of 153 Chinese passengers to await information, haunting scenes are playing out, with distressed families transfixed by news reports on television screens and their mobile phones.

Among the hundreds of desperate relatives are about seven China-based family members of the missing Sydney couple.

One relative, who declined to be identified, acknowledged the support and goodwill of Australians back home, but said the families were not ready to comment.

Friends and co-workers of the pair, who met and fell in love in Sydney, have painted a picture of two devoted parents who worked hard and sacrificed in the hope of providing the best life possible for their children.

Like many naturalised Australians from China, the pair straddled both countries, with family and business interests in both Beijing and Sydney.

In Beijing, Mr Li, who also goes by the name Carlos, is a partner in a startup software firm, Beijing Landysoft Technology, with its modern 18th-floor office in a new industrial development area in the capital's south-west, home to conglomerates such as Lotte and Tetra Pak.

One long-term employee, who gave his name as Jiang, said the dozens of staff at the company were shocked at the news but were concentrating on keeping the company operating as normal.

''I'm very upset, definitely. He's a good boss, kind, and extremely hard-working,'' he said.

Already spending most of their time in China, the couple had recently sold their Sylvania home and put their Metro petrol station at Miranda on the market after it was placed into liquidation by administrators last week.

An electrician died at the petrol station in October 2012, which is still under investigation by WorkCover NSW. Peter Wahhab, 24, suffered a fatal electric shock while installing an air conditioner.

A high-school classmate of Ms Gu said she remained in touch even after her friend went to study university in Sydney.

''I only hope she can safely return,'' the friend, who only wanted to be identified as Shelly, said. ''If not, it's just too sad for her children and parents.''