Assistant Architect

Assistant Architect by Xi He Qing Ling

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Although there wasn't specific work for him to do, he was happy helping hiscolleagues, but now he was denied the opportunity. He didn't like feelingunneeded. He understood the consequences if the knowledge he spreads has, so itmakes sense to go back home, but being directly told by Gu Yu to leave made himfeel abandoned.

Zhang Siyi is already exhausted from his lack of sleep. Being bombarded bythis emotional onslaught makes him feel even more uncomfortable. He can't thinkanymore! Zhang Siyi angrily shut the computer and left!

On his way home, he was feeling so desperate that when he got to his room,he simply collapsed on his bed and slept for the afternoon. After waking up, hefelt empty.

The feeling was like winning a big prize in a dream. He cheered andscreamed, jumped up and down, exuberant in his feelings. It consumed all hisenergy and physical strength. Then waking up, there was nothing.

Zhang Siyi, who has calmed down, recalls the heated questions he asked GuYu while in the bathroom and his nothingness turned to fear. Fuck! He dares confronthis Boss! Did he have his head down? Is he the one to blame? He felt that Gu Yucould be so stingy he would find faults. Maybe he would find a reason to firehim? His churning thoughts became worrisome. Did Gu Yu tell him to go restbecause it's a disguised repatriation? Will he be unemployed? Zhang Siyi was soscared that he quickly called the company’s front desk and asked if he hadvacation days.

The younger girl at the front desk told him that he has vacation timeavailable. Overtime work is not paid for, however, if you work overtime formore than five hours a day, you can change for a half-day holiday. For morethan eight hours, one can exchange the time for one day. Also, time can be accumulatedup to six months and be used on a later date.

This half-month was busier than usual, so his overtime hours added up to afull five-and-a-half-day holiday. In order to go on vacation leave, one needsto fill out paperwork in advance and get the leadership to sign them.

Zhang Siyi came back without doing any formalities. He could not help butrush: “So I have to go back to the company to make a vacation leavenow?”

Front desk girl replied: “No, Director Gu has spoken with thepersonnel department already. The paperwork has been signed to allow anyone onyour project team that wants to, to be able to take a vacation starting thisafternoon."

Zhang Siyi breathed a sigh of relief. Anyway, potentially seeing Gu Yuagain in the short term will certainly be very embarrassing, and he has notbeen able to rest well since he started working. Enough!

However, hanging up the phone and lying on the bed, Zhang Siyi thought ofGu Yu’s pale face and felt a little guilty. He knows now what Gu Yu knows aboutthe project and yet, he left. Gu Yu doesn't have that option. He still mustpush to the very last minute, bid, fail, then face everyone else knowing theloss was inevitable. What kind of mentality and willpower is that?

In the evening he got up and went to find something to eat. Being so busyat the office with overtime, Fu Xinhui was a bit surprised to see his sluggishfigure. "You were like a small energy robot moving around like clockwork forthe past few days, what happened today?"

Zhang Siyi glanced over at him: “Oh… our bidding project isdone.”

Fu Xinhui glared at him: "Isn't that a good thing? Are you hurting becauseyou don't have work? Why does it look like you got dumped?"

“…” Zhang Siyi felt helpless. The subject matter of his officewasn't something Fu Xinhui was part of, so it wasn't something for him to know.If he started speaking his thoughts, he was afraid he would suffer internalinjuries.

Fu Xinhui did not express sympathy, but instead advised him: “I havetold you long ago. Don't invest so much emotion into your job. It's just a job.Look at how you are now - lost three souls! There are so many variables in the world,so you can't predict everything. You are going to burn out with these extremeups and downs that you won't be able to live past thirty!"

Zhang Siyi was said to be poor, and FuXinhui's persuasion was not unreasonable. In fact, to some extent, what he saidwas very similar to Gu's phrase "Importance is not the result, it is theprocess".

That’s right. He is a genuine ordinaryman, but he’s not fine. How can he go to work in a sullen way and be happy inthe blink of an eye? He did not care for the quiet and steady manner that istypical of Fu Xinhui’s red-blooded indifference. Interrupting Zhang Siyi'scranky thoughts, Jiang Hai came over with his girlfriend. Not having a goodmeal together for half a month, Fu Xinhui called Jiang Hai in advance whileZhang Siyi was resting earlier.

Currently, Jiang Hai is in a period oflove. Every day, he and his girlfriend are together, so Fu Xinhui told him tobring his girlfriend too. His friend suggested going out to eat. Since FuXinhui and Zhang Siyi had no reason to refuse, they booked a restaurant andordered a table of good food. Jiang Hai's girlfriend looks different from SuYuan and Ren Mengyu and is different from Zhang Siyi's ex-girlfriend.

Su Yuan is the mature intellectual typewhile Ren Mengyu is a white rich beauty and delicate female. Zhang Siyi’sex-girlfriend is beautiful, but a hot-tempered miss. Jiang Hai's girlfriendlooks gentle and petite. Although not particularly beautiful, her looks makeone feel comfortable and welcoming.

“What is your name?” Zhang Siyiasked with a bright smile.

Jiang Hai gave Zhang Siyi a slap at backof the head: “don’t mess with my girlfriend!"

Zhang Siyi "……"

Fu Xinhuiburst out laughing then said: "It's the first time I saw Jiang Hai so jealous!"He glanced at Zhang Siyi innocently on the floor and felt a little distressed.

Hisgirlfriend also laughed with a smile and replied: “Call me Tian Jing. Pleasedto meet you. Jiang Hai has mentioned you several times. I am in your care."

Courteous andcheerful, points! Listen and speak, add points! Sweet voice, extra points!

As they werewaiting for their food, their conversation was naturally about the recentevents in their lives. They learned that Tian Jing graduated from thearchitecture department of a normal university in China and entered the companywhere Jiang Hai worked. Since Jiang Hai was a good friend and his family is ingood condition, it didn't take long for them to hook up.

Jiang Haiintroduced his girlfriend to Zhang Siyi and Fu Xinhui. Tian Jing was a little envious:"you three have a good friendship. After graduation, I separated from mycollege classmates. They went back home, and I am the only one in Haicheng. Irented a house with my ex-boyfriend, but now I'm left alone.”

Jiang Haiimmediately took hold of her hand and said, “But you have me now.”

Tian Yu Jingturned to Jiang Hai and sweetly said: "I mean before I met you.”

Over dinnerthere were many other times the couple sweetly expressed their feelings;kisses, being close, holding hands… Oncewhen Tian Jing got up to use the restroom, Jian Hair frequently turned his headto look her way. For Zhang Siyi and Fu Xinhui, the look of obsessive love wassimply unbearable, however for the young couple, their words and deeds weren'texcessive at all. It is quite normal to express love when you are in love!

Under suchdisplay of affection, Zhang Siyi felt lonely and he wants to fall in love too.Maybe he should find a girlfriend to enrich his private life so that he canrelieve some pressure from work.

However,Zhang Siyi soon remembered his last break-up. The relationship seemed to begoing well, although it was hard to truly tell because of the distance betweenthe two. It wasn't until he moved back to China that they argued about allkinds of things. Especially in recent months when he was looking for a job. Hewas so stressed about his life that it effected his relationship. After aperiod of separation, he felt so much better and more relaxed. Hey, it's noteasy to talk about a love, after all, the right girlfriend is not easy to find.

Afterdinner, Jiang Hai graciously bought movie tickets, so the group could go seesomething together. It was a chance to show some goodwill in front of hisgirlfriend, and besides, Fu Xinhui and Zhang Siyi certainly don’t mind watchinga free movie. They took a taxi over to the theater. Fu Xinhui offered to buy coffeeand called Zhang Siyi to help him.

Zhang Siyifollowed him and said: “Ha-ha, free movies and coffee. I'm takingadvantage of it today!”

Fu Xinhuismiled: “Sooner or later you will owe me!”

In fact, ZhangSiyi remembered. He still owed Fu Xinhui rent. Ah, the life of eating dirt. Hefelt a little embarrassed.

At the cafe,Zhang Siyi ordered a cup of Mocha. Fu Xinhui said: “Why are you orderingthat. You always complain it's too sweet."

Zhang Siyi replied:“I'm tired of regular coffee. It's all I've had at the company these lastfew days, so I want a change of taste." In fact, Zhang Siyi wants to drinksomething sweet, to fill up on his own high blood sugar and drown his innerbitterness.

With theircoffee in hand, Fu Xinhui and Zhang Siyi walked back to meet Jiang Hai who gotthe movie tickets ready. Zhang Siyi took two sips of his mocha and couldn'tstand it. He stared at Fu Xinhui's latte. "Hey, I told you so…" Fu Xinhuisnorted, but he still changed drinks with Zhang Siyi. "Jerk"

Tian Jing watchedthe two bickers like a married couple and then exchange drinks. Holding ontoJiang Hai's arm, she sniffled a laugh.

Jiang Haiasked her what she was laughing about. She whispered something in Jiang Hai'sear. Jiang Hai also followed Fu Xinhui and Zhang Siyi and couldn't help butsmile.

Zhang Siyi:“Hey, why are you so smiling at us?”

“Nothing.Nothing….” Jiang Hai shook his shoulders and turned his back.

Zhang Siyi:“…”

Fu Xinhui:“…”

Due to ZhangSiyi accumulated overtime and general lack of rest, he fell asleep in thecinema with a crooked neck and mouth slightly open. Fu Xin-Hui looked at himseveral times but could not bear to wake him up. Seeing him sleep in such anawkward position, he tried to help correct his posture several times.

Tian Jinghappened to sit between him and Jiang Hai and quietly asked him: “Hey, doyou like him?”

Fu Xinhui:“…”

At the endof the movie, Zhang Siyi woke up for the last few minutes at the end. He had toguess what the movie was about. Out of the cinema, Zhang Siyi was about to askJiang Hai how her girlfriend planned to go back, when he smiled and said:“I will send her back, you should take a taxi home.”

Zhang Siyi smirkedwith a "I understand" expression. Be leisurely at night, huh? Unexpectedly,Tian Jing on the side also smiled at him in an "I understand" way and said:“You too”

Zhang Siyithought that this girl was simply not understanding. When he got on the bus, heasked Fu Xinhui afterwards: “Uh, is Jiang Hai's girlfriend misunderstandingsomething?”

Fu Xinhuispread his hand: “God knows what these women are thinking right now.”

" ZhangSiyi: “…”

Zhang Siyiwas silent for a while and said: “Well, according to this pattern, what ifJiang Hai goes to live with his girlfriend next year?”

Fu Xinhuidoesn’t care: “Then it will just be the two of us.”

Zhang Siyi:“That 10,002, rent. I can’t carry it evenly!"

Fu Xinhui:“Don't worry. You still pay four thousand. If Jiang Hai intends to moveout, I will raise a dog. I've always liked Golden Retrievers. When I let thebig dog live in the Jiang Hai room, I will pay the rent for two people.”

Zhang Siyi:“………”

There are somany things wrong with this statement, Zhang Siyi brain hurts. One-third of therent is for a dog? What would Jiang Hai think after he moved out that a dogmoved into his room? Also, it won't be three classmates living together, buttwo guys and a dog. He is always getting misunderstood. Why are things movingin an even more ambiguous direction?

Irritated, ZhangSiyi squinted at Fu Xinhui: “Why don’t you find a girlfriend?"

Fu Xinhui:“Why? Are you looking for a girlfriend?"

Zhang Siyi:“Don’t you envy Jiang Hai? With a girlfriend you can live together andhave sweet honey every day. It's like winning life!"

Fu Xinhui asif to see through everything, said: “That they did not fight? It's notalways so. Arguing is tiring. I think it's nice of us to be like this rightnow."

Zhang Siyi:“…” us? Why are you taking me with you?

Fu Xinhuifelt his chin and planned for the future: “After I get a dog it will bebetter, I tell you. That kind of big dog is particularly loyal. When its raisedaround you, it will wait daily for you to get home. Then it will eat with you,sleep with you, and will be happy to accompany you everywhere…. And I’m not going to lose my temper with you… What else do you want a girlfriend for?"

Zhang Siyipowerless spit out. Damn it, you and the dog after a lifetime to forget it!

Fu Xinhuisaid, suddenly said: “Eh, your birthday is coming, isn’t it?"

Zhang Siyi almostforgot. His birthday is next Sunday, November 23: “Well, it's comingsoon.”

He was toobusy to forget, I did not expect Fu Xinhui to remember.

Fu Xinhuisaid: “When the time comes, everyone will gather again.”

Zhang Siyisorry: "Well, it's been a month since the last get together. I think everyoneis busy. I've been working overtime, so I don't know when I'll have theopportunity to ask and even if I ask, will they even have time to make plans? Idon't even like cake."

Fu Xinhui:“anyway, I am free. If they can't come, I'll accompany you."

Zhang Siyifelt a touch of emotion in his heart. He was absolutely lucky to have a friendlike him.

The next dayZhang Siyi woke up and remembered that this day is the bidding day.

Has Gu Yutaken the team members to Z City already? Has the bid started? If the bidfails, will they come back that night? He hesitated for a long time but couldnot resist knowing the news. He asked Zhu Hongzhen for Bi Lele WeChat then addedeach other as a friend and sent a message: “Lele, I am Zhang Si Yi….”

Bi Lele:“Aunt Four Ah, what?"

Bi Lele:“We arrived last night. Presentation started at eight in the morning andthey are now in the city hall. One by one they present their designs. It's notour turn yet, but soon."

Zhang Siyi:“Ah? It’s almost the turn! Then why are you still free to return my news?"

Bi Lele:“The bidding is the speech of the boss. We don't do that much other thananswer any questions asked. I could take a nap."

Zhang Siyi:“Oh…” Thinking of Gu Yu getting up to make his presentation speech,Zhang Siyi thinks about how overbearing he could be. Normally, one might feel insignificantand irritated, but instead he simply feels the eloquence with which Gu Yu debatesis magnetic and handsome. He suddenly wishes he was there to watch Gu Yu makehis presentation in person.

Zhang Siyialso asked: “How many are there with you?”

Bi Lele:“There are not many people just 5 totals; 2 from the landscape group, JiFeiyu, Yuan Zhicheng, and me. Tong Heyi didn't come. It's strange. Normally onbig bidding projects there are more people to increase the firm's image andmomentum." Zhang Si Yi kept his mouth shut.

He is bothanxious and annoyed. If that bathroom event didn't happen at noon yesterday, wouldGu Yu have taken him to Z-City? Even if he is just patch worker, can't he alsoadd momentum to the team? But instead of supporting him behind his back, heconfronted him hard.…… Is Gu Yu going to feel disappointed? Is he going to befrustrated? How much has it affected him?

Bi Lele:“Are you worried about the result? Ha-ha, Piggy and Xuan Xuan also sent a memessage. Rest assured, you will be the first to know!"

Zhang Siyiis very sorrowful, he is not worried about the results, he is worried abouttheir emotions!

After that BiLele had no further news, Zhang Si Yi still feeling a bit mad at Gu Yu, he senthim a text. “status?" Gu Yu did not reply, and he also knew that he wouldnot reply. He is under pressure now. The other possibility is that he does notwant to care about Zhang Siyi at all.

Zhang Siyipassed the afternoon leisurely and at 7 pm, the phone vibrated again, and hisheart followed.

Knowing what the result would be, he didn't want to face it. He was trying to figure out what words of comforting he needed to say for Bi Lele sake.

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