Assistant Architect

Assistant Architect by Xi He Qing Ling

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Listening to Fu Xinhui’s explanation wasawe-inspiring. At first, Zhang Siyi's worries were scattered. Knowing Fu Xinhuidecadent upbringing, he didn't realize how much Fu Xinhui had to fight growingup. It's not really a brainless environment.

Jiang Hai also agrees: “You thought about itthoroughly. Indeed, the more contact you make with other people, the greaterthe chance a good opportunity will present themselves. Maybe you will make goodfriends there and you can get together and do something. Don't worry, take itstep-by-step. When you have any need, don't be embarrassed and come talk to us.We won't stop the spirit to support this ability. Right, Zhang Siyi?”

Feigning death, Zhang Siyi collapsed on the couchlike a dead fish: "It's terrible to ask for money when there is none."

Jiang Hai: “Hey!”

For a while they continued to socialize and catchup with each other's lives. It wasn't too late when Jiang Hai and Tian Yujing left.

Brushing his teeth before bed, Zhang Siyi suddenlyremembered the lie that he said in front of Gu Yu. He quickly spit the foam, shuthis mouth, pulled down his pants and sat on the toilet, took out his mobilephone and opened the high-speed rail booking app.

New Year’s Eve… and 10:30.… 10:30?

… Shit! There isn't a train at 10:30?! (#°Д°)

There was a ten o’clock and there was an eleveno’clock, but no half-passed train!

Heart racing, Zhang Siyi started panicking. If GuYu also saw the train schedule on New Year’s Eve, his poor lie would definitelybe seen! Moreover, almost all the tickets on New Year’s Eve have been sold out.Only the car at 10 o’clock in the evening is empty… But there’s no use cryingover spilled milk!

“Oh ah…” Zhang Siyi was so anxiousthat everything was bound up. This isn't a good time to be feeling constipated!

Squatting and pushing for a long time, Zhang SiYi face is red. His ideas are as bottled up as his bowels. Finally, when thingsmoved a long, he also got an idea.

He thought of a wonderful way – Zhang Siyiquickly opened WeChat and sent a message to Gu Yu: “Boss, I told you thatI have booked a ticket this evening. In fact, I was looking for a friend tohelp me book. I thought he booked it for me, but this evening when I asked, hesaid he forgot about it! So, I want to go back with you…”

Feeling smug for his excuse, Zhang Siyi wiped hisbutt and put on his trousers. Wait a minute, the tickets for New Year's Eve arerunning low. What if he has already bought a ticket? Right, he rejected Gu Yuoffer a few hours ago. The tickets were limited so normally he wouldn't delaygetting one…. He uneasily waited for Gu’s reply and began to worry again!

Fortunately, Gu Yu quickly replied: “Oh, hehe."

…… Oh, hehe, what do you mean? Why does this“hehe” feel like a taunt? (=_=)

Gu Yu: “I didn’t buy a ticket.”

Seeing his reply, Zhang Siyi's heart quieted down.He typed another message: "I just looked at the schedule and the only availabletime back to Ningcheng is at night. What should we do? Take a bus?"

Gu Yu: “No, I’ll drive back.”

Zhang Siyi: “….." You got a car?

Gu Xiao: “Hmm.”

Zhang Siyi: “…..” Shit! Gu Xiao owns acar! Then why doesn’t he drive to work? Why didn’t he drive when they went tovisit the parking lot at the Union Center?

Gu Yu didn't give him time to think: “Thetraffic on the freeway is the worst during New Year’s and in order to avoid it,we will leave very early."

Zhang Siyi: “What time?"

Gu Yu: “Half passed Three. Can you getup?”

Zhang Siyi: "……" I'm still sleeping at 3: 30! Just stay up allnight!

Gu Yu: “In order to save time, I won't cometo get you in the morning. You can either travel to my apartment atthree-thirty or stay over at my place for the night."

Zhang Siyi's heart is pounding again. What to do.… At three-thirty, there is no subway, nobus, and it's even more impossible to get a taxi on New Year's Eve. Of course,the latter proposal is more convenient, but it's going to Gu's home…. staywith him for one night…. o////o

Gu Yu: “Well?” Have you decided?

Zhang Siyi: “I’ll go to your place early.”

Gu Yu: “Good.”

Zhang Siyi: “Just the two of us?

Gu Xiao: “Who else do you wish to have?

Zhang Siyi: “No one. I was just asking….”&////&

He originally thought that Gu Yu would bring hisgirlfriend back together, but if there were only two of them, wouldn't it meanthat Gu Yu had to drive the trip twice? Although Zhang Siyi has a driver’slicense, he hasn't used it for a long time and isn't allowed to drive on thefreeway at night.

After their discussion, full of thoughts, ZhangSiyi couldn’t sleep anymore…. The place where Gu Yu lives. What is it like?Does his girlfriend live with him? What kind of car does he have? He doesn'tnormally wear designer clothing so probably like a Volkswagen or Toyota. (=_=)

Zhang Siyi remembered the time at work at nightwhen Gu Yu stood by his side and whispered in his ear. The distance was so closethat he thought Gu Yu would kiss him. Ahhhhh! What to do? Alone together in GuYu's apartment. Alone together in Gu Yu's car… Ahhhhh! He couldn't bear tothink about it any longer.

Feeling like he is no longer like a normalstraight man, Zhang Siyi hugged his pillow and rolled around on his bed,tangled and screaming. Zhang Siyi forced himself not to think about it. In thenext few days, he concentrated on his work and finally finished the initialdesign of the C-City office building before the end of the year.

Located on the most street-like location of thesite, his design is an A-shaped tower with the stairs on the left and rightsides stacked in a stepped layer. In order to ensure the height of the officebuilding, several underground floors must be hollowed and used as parking lots.Lu Qiao’s plan also uses steps, but his design has steps that make a z-shapedon the plan and the highest point reaches 15 floors.

In order to avoid possible travel delays fromholiday travelers, they took the company's car instead of booking tickets onpublic transportation. On the twenty-eighth, two days before New Year’s Eve, atseven in the morning, they left the mostly empty Borderless office and headedon their three-hour drive to C-City. They can report to the city governmentbefore ten-thirty, present their plans, have lunch, then drive back.

Shortly after leaving, Zhang Siyi fell asleep. Asthe car pulled into the outskirts of C-City, he woke up. It was less than ten o'clock.Surprised he exclaimed: “Wow! The driver is master is at driving! So good!”

The driver is a foreigner in his thirties who isalso the company's security guard. He laughed and said: “You are my lastpassengers for the year. I'm going home tomorrow for the holiday. Can you driveme? I'm thinking about my home; my heart is like an arrow!" A few people in thecar laughed.

Technically, they still have one more day of worktomorrow before the holiday officially starts. However, since many employeesare already on vacation there is less need for all services to operate andthus, unrelated personnel can go home early.

Gu Yu sat in the front passenger seat and glancedat Zhang Siyi through the rearview mirror smiling. He said: “Zhang Siyi, wewill arrive at the city government in a little bit. How about you give thepresentation?”

Zhang Siyi: “… What?"

Gu Yu reiterated once: “You and Lu Qiao’splan. You will go report it later."

Zhang Siyi felt blindsided. Isn't the reportingnormally done by Gu Yu? He was still waited to appreciate Gu Yu's presentation demeanor,so he slept for the morning without thinking. Why did he suddenly ask him to goup and talk!

Gloating, Lu Qiao quickly passed theresponsibility onto Zhang Siyi: “Great!”

Feeling uneasy, Zhang Siyi hurriedly replied:“Lu Qiao’s plan is not my doing. How can I speak for him?"

Lu Qiao: “No, no, no! You speak better thanme. I think you speak for me very well!"

Gu Yu explained: “Although these two designsare made by you two alone, Borderless is a group. Remember, a report is notabout you, but to represent all of us."

Lu Qiao echoed him: “Yes, the Boss is givingyou a good opportunity to practice presentations!"

Ignoring Zhang Siyi's awful expression, Gu Yulooked at the time and said: “We have about twenty minutes until we haveto present our designs. While you are familiar with your own design, take thistime to go over Lu Qiao 's and ask him any questions while you still can."

The pressure Zhang Siyi feels increased. Hesecretly cursed Gu Yu for abusing himself. He heard him say: "Speak well andthe project will be decided upon. Tomorrow, you can take off early, ahead ofthe holiday."

Lu Qiao grabbed Zhang Siyi's arm and looked athim urgently: "Auntie Four you have to fight! Ah! Quick! Look at my design! Iwill tell you about my ideas again! I'm counting on you to have an earlyholiday!"

Zhang Siyi: “……”

At the municipal government building, DirectorJiang received a call in advance and was waiting for them. He enthusiastically ledthem upstairs into the conference room: "I'm really so sorry this is so closeto the holiday. Sit first, I asked someone to bring tea and I'll call SecretaryWang.

Gu Yu politely replied: “Do not worry. Wewill get ready."

After a while, tea was brought to the room and LuQiao helped them connect the computer and projection equipment for thepresentation.

When Gu Yu came back from bathroom, he saw ZhangSiyi looking down at the designs. He went over and asked: “Are you nervous?”

How can Zhang Siyi not be nervous!? Although hehas made reports before, they were only at his university to present hisprojects. This is his first time giving a presentation professionally and forthe city government no less! What if it doesn't go well? He doesn't want todisgrace Gu Yu!

Gu Yu smiled and patted him on the shoulder. Heencouraged: “Don’t be afraid, I won't be idle."

Zhang Siyi: “….”

Soon, Secretary Wang came, along with anothermiddle-aged man, who is said to be the deputy director of the localconstruction bureau. Several people introduced each other with a few words ofgreeting and then the report started.

Director Wang saw that Zhang Siyi stood up andlooked at him. Gu Yu immediately said: “This is a young designer recently employeeat Borderless. He graduated from the British Architecture program C, calledZhang Siyi and met with Wang Shi last time. Because of the good meeting andpositive feedback, he offered to report to you in my place. I thought that Ishould give him a chance to practice. I humbly ask the officials to bear withme. You can rest assured that the office building design was in my fullcontrol. If you have any questions for Mr. Zhang that he doesn't know, I willanswer."

Secretary Wang listened to Gu Yu's words andlaughed happily: "So Mr. Zhang is a Western educated graduate ah? The timeshave changed! Director Gu is so good, The Apprentice is certainly not sosimple." He looked at Zhang Siyi and encouraged him: "Come Mr. Zhang, speakslowly. Don't be nervous."

In his mind Zhang Siyi spoke: "What initiativedid I take? Clearly, you forced me!". When he turned to glare at Gu Yu, he onlysaw Gu Yu's confident eyes. He gained strength from them and miraculouslycalmed down. Since he personally visited the designated renovation area anddevoted himself wholeheartedly, now, the whole design plan is like a picture onan HD TV; clearly displayed in Zhang Siyi’s mind.

He cleared his throat and said spoke firmly: “Leaders, I am honored to represent Borderless Architectural Firm today to make a preliminary plan report for the government office building in the city…”

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