Assistant Architect

Assistant Architect by Xi He Qing Ling

__________

Gu Yao listened and pursed her lips together and unexpectedly complained: "Whatintelligence and talent? With a genius brother, you do not know what it waslike as a child growing up! When you score high on a test, maybe in anotherfamily, there will be a reward, but in ours, with my brother scoring first oneverything, my scores meant nothing! No matter what my grades were, there willalways be someone better. Even when I got into F University, my Dad just said "good"…. My college entrance examination score was a lot worse than my brother's.Anyway, don't praise me, it makes me feel uncomfortable."

Thinking in Gu Yao's point of view, Zhang Siyi thought it was pitiful, but he was also curious: "Gu Yu is your older brother so didn't he encourage you and help you with your studies like homework?"

"Ha! What encouragement!? He was only helpful when he wasn't ridiculing me!"Gu Yao remembered: "When I was in high school and he was in college, one year Itried my best to make it to the top at the school. He was home for holidaybreak and saw my paper, scoffed and asked me, 'you only needed this level toscore first?'. It was so exasperating."

Nodding energetically, Zhang Siyi fully understoodthe suffering Gu Yu causes. He used his own experience to comfort her: “GuYu is also very strict in the company. On the first day of work he had me stayand work overtime fixing every drawing mistake. When he finally approved, I wantedto dig a hole for myself. Well, it's not just me. He’s totally unapologetic towardsthe female colleagues in the company.

Gu Yao was surprised: “Really!? I thought heonly did this to me!"

Zhang Siyi laughed: “Ha-ha-ha. I alsothought his behavior would be different towards his family, but it appears likehe acts this way to everyone!”

Gu Yao snorted: “Yes, his seeminglyarbitrary contempt towards others is really hateful!"

Zhang Siyi clenched his fist and in depressed waysaid: “I know. Every time I am in front of him feeling insecure, he makesme feel like a complete idiot."

Gu Yao said: “This kind of high-IQ animalthat destroys social harmony and stability should be pulled out and chopped todeath!”

Zhang Siyi: “That's right! Hack it todeath!"

…… Wait, that's too ruthless!

Thinking he said something very pervasive, hecovered his mouth then looked timidly at Gu Yao and found that she also had coveredher mouth.

Realizing they have found a special confidant, thetwo looked at each other and suddenly laughed. Their revolutionary friendshipbecame more and more profound, and together they continued to gossip inwhispers. Originally, Zhang Siyi thought Gu Yu would be gentler towards hissister. He did not expect the source of Gu Yu's persecution to be his sister.Everything she has relayed, she was distraught and gnashed her teeth. ZhangSiyi estimated the area of the shadow of her brother looming over her exceedsthe whole Pacific Ocean….

Zhang Siyi felt sympathetic and tried to encourageher: "You were so much better than I. My college entrance exam was very competitiveand missed the mark by 20 points. But how did you do in high school? Did youalso go to Ning? Maybe you are my school sister!"

Gu Yao wrinkled her nose and said: "To escape mybrother's shadow, I didn't test for Ning. I went to the same elementary andmiddle school as my brother and what teacher does not know of my brothers' achievements?If I continued to Ning, every teacher will compare me with him, and I'll end upat Blue Xiang Technical School. I'd go crazy!"

Zhang Siyi laughed out loud. This girl is toohumorous: “Is it better for you now?”

Gu Yao said with joy: “Of course it is muchbetter! At least, most people don’t know that I have a brother.” …… Itseems that Gu Yao did spend a relatively easy three years in a school withoutGu Yu's influence.

She continued: "Since my brother's reputation is farreaching, there has been some trouble. Not only did he score the highest schoolentrance examination, but he also placed first in many city activities that heparticipated in like the badminton competition and computer competition. Thus,many people outside of Ningcheng also know him. From time to time, girls atschool come to find me and ask me about my brother. They want me to give him alove letter." Gu Yao stuck out her tongue and blew a raspberry in Gu Yu's direction.

Zhang Siyi sighed. Gu Yu really is a stalwartcharacter. A heavenly son…. "The letters… Did you give them to him?" Zhang Siyiasked without thinking.

“How could I? My brother has never accepteda girl’s love letter since he was a child. If I stamped and posted the letter,he would call, and I tell me I didn’t have a brain. Hey, I'll tell yousomething more embarrassing! When I was in junior high school, I had few verygood girlfriends. At that time, girls were a little obsessive about love, youknow!” Gu Yao squinted her eyes at him.

Zhang Siyi: "???" Why would I understand?

"At one point, I brought them home, and as soonas they saw my brother, they made a fool of themselves …,” Gu Yaocontinued without stopping. "A classmate of mine stood there motionless staringat him. When he smiled at her she literally got a nosebleed! Super awkward!After that, she was like a zombie wondering around in a daze with her soulsucked out. She was always pestering me about my brother and even though I toldher about my brother's black belly, she never listened and only replied with likinghis type. Can you imagine the situation when your best friend masturbates toyour brother? She was delusional and thought she was going to be my sister-in-law.Then she turned jealous and thought my brother might be in love with me."

“Ha-ha-ha…” Zhang Siyi was caught offguard. Thinking she was a simple playful girl, he was really impressed at herfrank and open discussion. Even talking to a boy about forbidden love, is surprising.He really liked her unpretentious nature.

Zhang Siyi isn't a girl and doesn't really understandhow to relate to Gu Yao's experience. However, Zhang Siyi imagined what itwould be like in her shoes and thought about Gu Yu's potential relationshipswith girls. The more he thought about it, the more uncomfortable he felt. Hereally didn't want anybody to pursue Gu Yu and he didn't want Gu Yu to likeanyone. As the feeling grew, Zhang Siyi felt even more uncomfortable as thestrong desire to monopolize Gu Yu scared him. He shook his head and madehimself push away whatever special feelings he had for Gu Yu.

Fortunately, Gu Yao went on to say: “Ithought maybe she was joking, but then she told me that if my brother didn't excepther lover letter, she was going to stop being friends with me. I asked her why,and she told me that, I would remind her of her failed first love and she didn'twant to feel heartbroken all the time, so she had to sever our connection.”Slumping, Gu Yao held her head and sighed.

Hearing her story, Zhang Siyi felt goosebumps allover. He tried to comfort her: “Hey, people who can so easily dismiss a friendmay not be suitable for being friends…”

In distress, Gu Yao continued: "I had a reallyclose relationship with her for some time. We would help each other with homeworkor study, walk together to school, we shared many meals…… But just becauseshe met my brother, she ended it! He is a curse!"

Zhang Siyi hesitated for a moment then lifted hishand to pat her on the shoulder, showing comfort.

Gu Yao thought of something else and continued ventingher past frustrations: "Oh, and another thing… My brother is so selfish. Forhis convenience, every time I go out with him, he takes my hand and pretends I amhis girlfriend. He never considers my feelings or how it will affect myexperience. How am I supposed to find a boyfriend!?!"

Vexed, Zhang Siyi asked: "Why does he want you tobe his girlfriend?"

Gu Yao explained: "He said he didn't want to beharassed. When I don't cooperate with him, there are usually a lot of girlsthat approach him. I don't understand it. How can a nearly thirty-year-old mannot want to find a girlfriend? Does he want to die alone?!"

Zhang Siyi: “……”

Thinking thus, Gu Yao glanced at the kitchen andsaw her brother still busy in the kitchen then leaned in close to Zhang Siyiand whispered in his ear: "Hey, do you know if my brother has someone he likesin the company?”

Zhang Siyi's heart nearly jumped out of his chest:“Ah? I-I don’t know. Why?"

Gu Yao touched her chin in thought and said:“Recently, he has been acting strange. I think he has a secretrelationship with someone."

Feeling nervous, Zhang Siyi asked: “How didyou find out?”

Gu Yao whispered: “He often checks his mobilephone and smiles. His baffling behavior is obviously because he is in love!"

Zhang Siyi: “Is that how it is?"

Gu Yao pouted: “When I asked him, he didn'tsay anything about it and I never see him call anyone. It's mysterious."

Her comments prompted Zhang Siyi memory to recallthe night of Truth or Dare and Gu Yu's admission to having someone he likes.Recalling the moment, laying in bed with his magnetic voice close to his ear…. Thatsweet feeling rising… No. No. No. Don't freak out! It's nothing to do with me! (&////&)

Gu Yao voice stopped Zhang Siyi train of thought:"Whether it is a man or a woman, I have to meet the person who has the abilityto make my brother act like that!"

Starting to feel alarmed, Zhang Siyi timidlyasked: “A man can cause that too?”

Gu Yao was silent for a moment. She turned tolook directly at Zhang Siyi and said:" To tell you the truth, I think mybrother is gay."

Zhang Siyi stifled his breath and nearly chokedon his saliva. To hear Gu Yao, talk about her brother like that was moreshocking then hearing Gu Yu saying he liked someone.

"…… Why do you think that?"

Just when Zhang Siyi asked her to explainherself, Gu Yu came out of the kitchen, grabbed two paper towels from thetable, and walked over to them: "You two are very talkative."

Zhang Siyi and Gu Yao were silenced at the sametime; a pair of frightened chickens.

“I can hear you two chatty-kathys from thekitchen." Gu Yu smiled and stood in between them. They consciously separatedand scooted over to make room for Gu Yu to sit down. "What are you guys talkingso happily about? Make me happy too."

Zhang Siyi Gu Yao: “……”

Even though Gu Yu didn't use a particularly serioustone, a heavy invisible pressure exuded from his body. Obviously, there is noway they could repeat a word! Zhang Siyi glanced over at Gu Yao and noticed herdemeanor instantly changed when her brother arrived. Her previous upright, buoyantand chatty figure is shrinking back into the sofa diminutively. The contrast inpersonalities between the two siblings is striking. He thinks it's both funnyand sad.

With a sullen tone Gu Yu asked: “Why aren'tyou saying anything? Did you just say something bad about me?” He narrowedhis eyes and looked at the two of them coldly as if a cold wind blew threw them,chilling to the bone. They both trembled.

With great courage Zhang Siyi said: “No, no,we were talking about things in high school."

Gu Yao begged her brother for more grapefruit. GuYu snorted and handed over a few pieces: “After lunch do you want to go tothe movies together?"

With big eyes, Gu Yao stared at him: "Are youtreating?"

Gu Yu gave her a patronizing look: "Are you goingto treat?”

Gu Yao: “Without a job, I have no money totreat!"

Gu Yao looked at Zhang Siyi and smiled and asked:“What about asking your new acquaintance? Zhang Siyi is working.”

Startled, Zhang Siyi put his hands up andconfessed: "I don't have money!”

Gu Yu looked at Zhang Siyi with ridicule as if to say: you can't even afford a movie and yet you are trying to pick up my younger sister.

_______________