Assistant Architect

Assistant Architect by Xi He Qing Ling

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The autumn rain fell in the night and the morning was coolagain. Out of the door, Zhang Siyi was chilled by the oncoming cold wind.Shivering, he shrunk his neck down for warmth.

When he arrived at the company, he bought two hot buns atthe convenience store downstairs. He couldn't wait to go upstairs, so he startedeating it. While taking a bite, Zhang Siyi looked up and saw a familiar figure andfollowed him with his eyes.

Surrounded by the same scarf as the day of the businesstrip, Gu Yu was sitting alone by the side of the flower bed not far away,holding a cup of coffee in his hand, looking at the ground motionless. He lookslike a statue in its environment. Zhang Siyi couldn’t see his expression, butthe gesture made him feel that Gu Yu was lonely.

He can’t help but think of what happened yesterday. Yes,Gu Yu, as their boss, leads a team of ten people. Naturally, they can’t showreal emotions in front of them, but if they encounter such a result, anyonewill feel depressed, right? With his calmness and maturity, it's easy to forgethow young Gu Yu is. He is only twenty-eight years old which is two yearsyounger than Child Labor. In the group of architects, he is very young.

For an outsider, perhaps he didn't seem so stoic andinstead would see his dazed, fragile state.

——Just like now.

This kind of Gu Yu is even more heartwarming and exciting.

To change his inexplicable mood, Zhang Siyi shook hishead and took a bite of his hot bun then went to go upstairs to his desk.

After about five or six minutes, Gu Yu also came up. Hisface is still so calm, how can he pack away his emotions? Near his desk, he sawhim encountered Child Laborer who was going to pour hot water. The two alsolaughed and said hello, as if nothing happened. Thinking of this morning'sscene, Zhang Siyi had mixed feelings. When he was finished with his parkinglot, he went to get it approved.

In Gu Yu's office, Zhang Siyi saw him looking over theDaffodil plan with a furrowed brow. He was probably thinking about ways toimplement B Group's plan.

“Boss, doyou really think Child Labor group’s plan is okay?” Zhang Siyi could nothelp but speak.

Gu Yu looked up at him, set down the design plans andsaid indifferently: "Some things can't be judged by good or bad. They can onlysay that their group's plan to bid for the project is more likely to win andthus will more likely bring benefits to the company."

Zhang Siyi muttered: “But I do not think the projectcan be built after winning.”"

Gu Yu glanced at his first draft of the plan, said:“Then wait for the time to find a way, and strive to make the impossiblepossible.”

" Zhang Siyi: “…”

Gu Yu smiled and said: “This is the first time youhave participated in such a large project. Its natural to have some mixedfeelings in your heart but remember that the members of B Group aren't ourenemies. Even though our plan wasn't chosen, B Group is representing Borderlessand their design can win the honor."

When Gu Yu says something so concise, Zhang Siyi cannotrefute his manner. However, who was that guy downstairs in a daze? He can'tbelieve Gu Yu is acting like nothing is wrong.

Gu Yu saw the picture he had drawn. This time he didn'thave much to say about it. He made a few comments then arranged for Zhang Siyito draw something else.

Before sending him out, Gu Yu suddenly smiled and said toZhang Siyi: ” I am quite happy that you are thinking about the actualconstruction of the project in the city of Z. It seems the business trip was asuccess.”

Zhang Siyi: “…”

Is this a compliment? Was he praised by Gu Yu? Seeing himsmile dispelled the gloom in Zhang Siyi’s mood. Oh, well, he will admit thatthe Daffodil is also pretty good.

It happened to be the last day of October. At threeo’clock in the afternoon, the company’s security guard came in suddenly carryinga large box shouting: “Everyone come and get one!" The office is buzzing,and everyone is asking what kind of festival it is today and what activities arethere to engage in. Zhang Siyi reacts: “Isn’t it Halloween?”

Sure enough, after a while, Gu Yu sent a message toeveryone: “Halloween activities for two hours. Everyone in the designdepartment can take a break and make a jack-o-lantern. The best three pumpkins willreceive a 1000 cash bonus each".

Zhang Siyi: “I am going! Is there such a good thingas free money?”

Eager to get started, people got up to grab a goodpumpkin to carve. Zhu Hongzhen joyfully took a big pumpkin and brought it backto the seat. Zhang Siyi quickly grabbed a well-proportioned, small, round pumpkin.

Even though B Group has a lot of work to do on theirflower plan, they couldn't resist in the activities and grabbed pumpkins. WhileA group missed out on yesterdays' design plan, they don't want to lose to BGroup pumpkin carving skills. They are eager to redeem themselves.

Zhang Siyi glanced around at his competition. To hisleft, Zhu Hongzhen was wasting so much time digging out such a large pumpkin hehad to spend time walking back and forth to the trash bin to throw out pumpkinguts. Looking across, Bi Lele's pumpkin with a fatter top then the bottom, isgoing to be hard to carve. Diagonally, Yuan Zhicheng is carving out a boringface on the pumpkin. Spending time abroad, Zhang Siyi celebrated Halloween withfriends thus making him a veteran of pumpkin carving!

He opened the top of the pumpkin first then carefullyemptied the pumpkin guts. After. He used a pencil to draw the outline of theface on the pumpkin skin. To stand out from among everyone else, Zhang Siyi didnot do a traditional jack-o-lantern. Instead, he created a face that lookedcrazy and violent. Then cut out your eyes and mouth in detail … Finally putin the candle, finish!

In less than an hour, Zhang Siyi’s breathed a sign ofsatisfaction, then got up to see what the others are doing. Zhu Hongzhen's pumpkinwas so big, his arm was tired from pulling out the pumpkin insides. A lot oftime had passed, so he wasn't sure he would be able to finish in the 2-hourtime limit. Yuan Zhicheng looked pissed. He accidentally cut off a fang on thepumpkin, leaving the mouth looking like it was leaking. It was rather funny. Itseems his talent to draw didn't extend beyond paper. He pinched the brokentooth, and even planned to use double-sided tape to stick it. Zhang Siyi calledout: “Look for a toothpick!”

Yuan Zhicheng: “…”

Zhang Siyi went around again and saw some people stillsearching for tutorials on the Internet. Some people did not know how to carveit properly so the whole pumpkin had been broken. Zhang Siyi secretly laughedand laughed. Hahaha what!? It seems he will get a thousand dollars in prizemoney tonight!

Walking back to his seat, Zhang Siyi caught a glimpse ofGu Yu standing at his desk, holding the pumpkin lantern he has already done, and inspectingit with great interest.

Seeing him coming back, GuYu also smiled and praised: “It is very cute. It's well crafted.”

For the second time today,Gu Yu praised him. Zhang Siyi felt elated: "You aren't making one?"

Gu Yu: “I don't want totake the 1000 bonus away from everyone else. Besides by the looks of it, I mayhave not won it anyway."

Oh, my God, did Zhang Siyijust hear Gu Yu admission that he isn't all powerful!? …… Although, it isjust making a jack-o- lantern. Zhang Siyi feels that this is more than athousand dollars in prize money!

There is still time, ZhangSiyi also carved a few words on the bottom of the pumpkin –

Zsy

2014.10.31

Soon two hours passed,everyone took their pumpkins to the conference room where they were assigned anumber for the content then lit the candle.

When the lights were turnedoff, thirty pumpkin faces reveal strange expressions. Some of thejack-o-lanterns had angry faces, some were smiling, some were crazy. There werepumpkin faces whose expression were so funny, people laughed out loud.

Out of all the pumpkins,Zhang Si Yi was most conspicuous. His carving really had a genuine life-likeexpression. Bi Lele pointed at Zhang Siyi’s pumpkin and laughed wildly:“Ah Bahahaha! Is this your inner feelings?"

Zhang Siyi: "…… Hey!"

Bi Lele pointed to ZhuHongzhen and asked: “pig, why did you only dig two eyes? "At first glance,I thought a pig’s nose!" (oo)

Zhu Hongzhen wants to crywithout tears: “My pumpkin was too big! I didn't have enough time tofinish!”

Seeing Yuan Zhicheng'spumpkin, Bi Lele laughed again: “Ha ha, leaking teeth! Good!”

Yuan Zhicheng repliedfaintly: “You are not what you are, a face of zombies.”

Bi Lele:“………”

In the final vote, ZhangSiyi undoubtedly was one of the top three. Gu Yu held three red envelopes withthe prize money in his hand and gave them to the three winners.

In Group A, two people wonthe prize and the crowd around them noisily asked for a treat: “How aboutOden! At least KFC! KFC is too cheap! Pizza Hut Pizza Hut! Want Seafood SupremePizza! Why don’t you go out and eat? I want to eat Chongqing hotpot!"

Unexpected wealth has notbeen in the palm of Zhang Siyi's hand for long. After the awards were givenout, people started to deal with their pumpkins. Some jack-o-lanterns weretrashed, while others were brought back to their respective desks.

Zhang Siyi had done thisbefore, and he didn’t put it in his heart. He wanted to deal with it. He saw GuYu standing there, bending his waist and taking a cell phone photo of thepumpkin lantern he made.

“… Do you like it?"Zhang Siyi walked over and blurted out: "Do you want it? I'll give it to you!"

Gu Yu froze stunned, raisedhis head to look at him. For a moment Zhang Siyi felt silly for offering it tohim. A pumpkin isn't rare and won't last more then another week. Maybe he justwanted a picture since a jack-o-lantern isn't really something to collect. Hefelt embarrassed.

But Gu Xiao looked at himfor a moment, unexpectedly smiled: “Hmmm.” for a while, and then said:“Okay.” He reached out for it and held the pumpkin in his hand. Hesaid, “I will accept it.”

Zhang Siyi:“………”

Just when everyone waspreparing to go to the restaurant, the Chief suddenly appeared and signaled toGu Yu and Child Labor with a serious expression. The Chief is a man who lookslike he is fifty years old. His hair is completely white. He seems to be aperson who is not angry and self-defeating. Usually, the dragon is not seen atthe end. Everyone was quiet, and they dared not make a restaurant trip in frontof their leader. They went back to their seats.

Zhang Siyi asked Bi Lele:“Is there another big project?”

Bi Lele shrugged: “Idon’t know.”

After a while Gu Yu andChild Labor returned and called everyone in their groups for a project meetingabout the Z City new district plan.

Zhang Siyi thoughtnervously, did something happen again?

Everyone gathered in theconference room. Child labor got up to speak but instead suddenly sighedlooking helpless and turned to Gu Yu: "You address them. I need to go out for awhile."

Gu Xiao nodded, when sheleft the conference room, he calmly said "The Board of Directors received someinformation pertaining to the project and learned that the Design Institute andone other firm are also doing a flower themed design so now an urgent decisionis being made to reelect the representative of Borderless for furtherrefinement." It was all rather unbelievable. Everyone started talking at once.

If the proposals are toosimilar, the unique factor for creative plans cease to exist then it weakensthe initial design plan and therefore will less likely be chosen to build. Ifthe collision of ideas is an accident then it isn't an issue, but if it wasn'tthen they could pull out plagiarism and disqualify another's proposal. Theyhave to wonder if the information was leaked somehow. After all, they weren'tworking in a closed environment. In this age of network information and withsuch a large project team, its not hard to wonder.

In any case, with theconcept of a flower as the dominant creative design works, once there is asimilar appearance, the two in the bidding and competition must kill both, notto mention that there are now three of them are using the “CityFlower” element. In this way, the reelection of Group A’s proposal willhighlight the advantages of value and implementation instead of a fancysolution.

However, before the generalbidding, the plans of the design institutes or design companies are supposed tobe in a confidential state. Zhang Siyi whispered to Bi Lele: “How do the higher-upsknow what other companies have done?”

Bi Lele: “It may bethat our means of learning is deeper. It's mysterious…”

Zhang Siyi's eyes twitchedand asked: "Which design institute holds the most weight?"

Bi Lele: “The biggestdesign institute in Beijing. The firm's strength is crushing. Borderless hasencountered them three times and failed all three."

Zhu Hongzhen sighed: “Nowonder they have to scrap B group's plan. It's a pity.”

Zhang Siyi pinched the faton Zhu Hongzhen’s arm: “Are you not one of our Group A!

Zhu Hongzhen:"…… Auntie,don't be so fierce. “

Although it is a pity, in ZhangSiyi’s heart he is very excited. After all, he has always recognized the planof Group A.

Gu Xiao waited for them todiscuss and quite down before continuing: “We were all caught off guardbuy this news. Tong Heyi needs a few minutes, so I am here to announce thismatter. Let's acknowledge the efforts of B Group staff. You have done a greatjob with the plan. I hope you can cheer up as soon as possible and give the newplan your time and effort. With some adjustments and refinement, we can moveforward. Gu Yu's tone also carries a hint of pity, and the people in group bare also silent, and Zhang Siyi is embarrassed to be happy.

Gu Yu looked at the membersof group a and said seriously: “The next step is your mission. Althoughthis opportunity has come, I don’t want you to have doubts about the plan. Ifyou do, you must believe that It's the best of our own. Of course, no matterwhat kind of results we produce, we couldn't have done it without the efforts ofthe competitive stimulus with B Group. No matter who's the plan it is, we are allrepresenting Borderless together. Since there is not much time, everyone mustwork overtime starting this evening.”

Just after being temporarilycalled away by the director, Zhang Siyi didn't have time to give Gu Yu thepumpkin, but now the pumpkin lantern is placed in Gu Yu's hand. To some extentthe fierce mood that they both exude seem similar.

Peng nodded: “Boss Gurest assured, we understand. Let's take a moment to let the members readjust.The job will be handed over and new arrangements will be made." After themeeting, Zhang Siyi clenched his fist. He had never looked forward to overtimework as he did today! Ji Feiyu used the fastest speed possible to transfer theplan and assign the various tasks among the members. He was given 100,000square meters of residential blocks to design.

How the fuck does one dothat? (#°Д°) Stunned, he heard a voice calling:“Zhang Siyi, you come over.”

Zhang Siyi took the drawing and went into the office of Gu Yu and sat down.

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