助理建筑师 羲和清零 006

Assistant Architect by Xi He Qing Ling

Chapter 6: Senior

The previously quite group chat exploded again after Zhang Siyi had sent his message.

Su Yuan: “I nearly fainted. Were you just scaring us? Ah!”

Jiang Hai: “Congratulations!”

Ren Mengyu: “What the hell is going on?”

Fu Xinhui: “…”

Zhang Siyi: “I didn’t mean to scare you. I just thought it wasn’t going my way. I didn’t expect a positive outcome.”  ~\(≧▽≦)/~

Su Yuan: “I did say that it was just a formality. How’s your salary?”

Zhang Siyi: “The beginning salary during the probation period is 5,000. Afterwards, it will be 8000 and after 6 months I can potentially get a raise. That’s not counting any bonuses.”

Su Yuan: “Not bad.”

Jiang Hai: “Wow, you will be paid more than me even after 2 years. I am at 7,000!”

Fu Xinhui: “More than half your salary would go towards paying rent? That’s not even as good as a migrant worker.”

Seeing this reply, Zhang Siyi suddenly had the impulse to turn around and go back to the convenience store for a 15 Yuan Bento!

Su Yuan: “Don’t throw cold water on him. The salary in the beginning for someone with an undergraduate degree in the construction industry in Haicheng was about six to seven thousand. Eight thousand was a very good starting point. With bonuses, I also earn that amount.”

Jiang Hai: “No way! Our profession has such a low price-performance ratio that we study harder than dogs, work harder than cows and earns less than chickens. ╮(╯_╰)╭”

Fu Xinhui: “Do not insult chickens, chickens make a lot of good money!”

Jiang Hai: “In brief; It’s better to be a chicken.”

Ren Mengyu: “My cousin works in the finance sector and after graduation he went to a private financial management firm. Now in the second year of work, his annual salary is 200,000.” [Cry]

Fu Xinhui: “I have a friend who is an internet game host with a monthly income of 200,000.”

Zhang Siyi: “Friends! This is my first job! If you can’t say anything positive, then don’t say anything at all!”

Fu Xinhui: “Treat me!”

Ren Mengyu: “Treat me!”

Jiang Hai: “Treat me!”

Su Yuan: “Treat me!”

Zhang Siyi: “…”

While tapping his message on his phone, Zhang Siyi was caught off guard and was shocked. When he turned his head, he saw Gu Yu standing behind him, watching him with a wide smile plastered on his face: “Are you chatting with your friends again?”

Zhang Siyi: “…” He didn’t expect to meet Gu Yu here.

….. Why does this man only remember the dirty laundry that my ex-girlfriend aired! (=皿=)

“What a coincidence. You also came here to eat. I just saw you talking to your new colleague upstairs. How come you didn’t eat with them?” Gu Yu asked.

Zhang Siyi felt a shiver down his spine. He quickly explained: “Not knowing there would be a new person at the office, they had already reserved company lunches, so it’s to be expected. It is my first day after all.”

As the waiter saw the two of them chatting, he treated them as one party by default and offered them a table: “Two, follow me please.”

Zhang Siyi was a bit uncertain. Even though Gu Yu didn’t express his intention to eat with him, all the tables were full of customers. The seats at the bar were also full of people.

After the waiter guided them to the table for them, Zhang Siyi’s mind started to panic. He sat down anxiously. He didn’t want his colleagues to think he planned this lunch for advantageous reasons. Although, his situation was a bit special considering the coffee debacle, he didn’t want to feel like he still owed Gu Yu.

The two men ordered a set meal. Zhang Siyi was planning on giving the money to Gu Yu but he already handed the card to the waiter and said: “Together.”

Zhang Siyi stunned: “You, you are treating me to lunch?”

Gu Yu: “You can think of it as you treating me.”

Zhang Siyi was a little confused. Even though he was moved by Gu Yu’s behavior, he didn’t think much about it. Increasingly, Zhang Siyi was convinced that the handsome person sitting across from him was in fact a kind and generous person.

“What were you guys talking about upstairs?” Gu Yu picked up the disposable chopsticks on the table with an environmentally-friendly paper bag and slowly unwrapped it.

Zhang Siyi recalled the gossip his colleagues had just commented on about Gu Yu. What was it like to be chased by a woman who was eight years older than him? Zhang Siyi wiped the cold sweat from his brow. Although he also loved to gossip, he wasn’t a person who sold-out his colleague to please a leader, so he can only comment: “They said that you are demanding, um, very strict.”

Gu Yu smiled, separated the chopsticks with a ‘SNAP’ and said: “The beginning is always difficult. If you work hard and try your best, you will do well. “

Zhang Siyi was inwardly shaking, but outwardly gave a little nod: “Yes, strict teacher.”

The delicious looking food had arrived; a set of teriyaki chicken, hot beef rolls, miso soup, tempura, and other side dishes. The aroma was mouthwatering. Zhang Siyi sighed and picked up his chopsticks. He ate for a while, then remembered the school his colleagues mentioned. He was curious: “Oh yeh, they said that you graduated from T University?”

Seeing Gu Yu nod, Zhang Siyi said with excitement: “Then you may know the senior of my high school. He graduated from Ningcheng Foreign Language Middle School maybe in 2004 or 2005.”

Gu Yu looked up and looked at him for a while, then flatly commented: “I am also a graduate of Ningcheng Foreign Language Middle School.”

Zhang Siyi slightly raised his brows and did not respond: “…ah?”

Gu Yu appreciated Zhang Siyi’s expression: “It’s unfortunate though, I enrolled at T Uni in 2004.”

With his jaw hanging open, Zhang Siyi stopped feeding himself. He tentatively asked: “What did you just say?”

Gu Yu glanced at him. There was a hint of amusement in his eyes. He calmly replied: “I still remember that in 2008 I was really was invited by my alma mater to give a speech.”

Unconsciously, Zhang Siyi widened his eyes further. Shock? Panic? His mind was full of ‘No Way!’

Gu Yu smirked in amusement: “Probably in October, the day after National Day Holiday, in the large auditorium outside Ningcheng.”

Zhang Siyi was shocked: “What! Do you mean…. that is, you. You are my senior?”

Gu said: “If you don’t use other people’s experiences as stories for yourself, then this morning, you were talking about me.”

Zhang Siyi was both surprised and happy, but also a little angry and embarrassed. He didn’t know why Gu Yu deliberately concealed the truth: “Why didn’t you say something this morning?”

Gu Yu drank his soup and commented: “You didn’t remember me.”

The slightest fluctuation of his tone made Zhang Siyi have the feeling like he was angry, but Gu Yu quickly followed-up with: “I didn’t want you to think that I recruited you because we went to the same high school.”

Zhang Siyi: “…”

Obviously, it was quite a selfless sentence, but it let Zhang Siyi listen to the truth. The other meaning of his comment was that Gu Yu hired him because he believed in Zhang Siyi’s own ability!

Zhang Si Yi felt more excited than when he was chasing his ex-girlfriend.

The person sitting in front of him now, was not only a graduate of T university, but also the legend of his high school!

Since Zhang Siyi and Gu Yu were close in age, they inevitably had the same teachers during their time in High School. Full of appreciation, the teachers often talked about one special smart and good student during class. A profound memory came to mind. He remembered on one day, in the third year of the city’s unified examination, the exam was very difficult to pass. The highest score was a 71. The cry from the class was load and clear. Thankfully, Zhang Siyi just made the passing line and in fact, only 10 people did that day, but while those people were absorbed in their self-satisfaction, believing their achievement was something to be proud of, the physics teacher informed them that a student of a previous year received a perfect score. Unbelievable!

In retrospect, Zhang Siyi thought that person was most certainly Gu Yu!

Afterwards, the two naturally talked about past things from high school. The headmaster of Ningwai, the pancake stall at the school gate…. The atmosphere was happy. Zhang Siyi felt like the distance between them was getting closer. I think that, with such a good teacher, my future will be bright!

After eating the meal and returning to the company, Zhang Siyi felt like he was floating. Taking advantage of the bathroom, he couldn’t help but pull out his mobile phone and show off to his friends. Unexpectedly, when he opened WeChat, he saw a bunch of messages.

Jiang Hai: “Hello?”

Fu Xinhui: “By! When it comes to party, dive, bump!”

Ren Mengyu: “[Despise]”

Su Yuan: “I am waiting to hear the details of the interview still! “Little Yi, come back!”

Zhang Siyi：“……”

Zhang Siyi: “I just had lunch with the director and learned that he and I were both graduates of the same high school!”

Fu Xinhui: “I say, did he not accept you because you are his school brother?”

Zhang Siyi: “Get out of Here! It was my own strength!!

Ren Mengyu: “Treat me!”

Jiang Hai: “Treat me!”

Zhang Siyi: “Ah? Tonight?

Fu Xinhui: “Yeh!”

Ren Mengyu: “Yes, yes, yes!

Su Yuan: “Count me in!”

Zhang Siyi: “Jiang Hai are you working overtime?

Jiang Hai: “For this meal, I’ll shall slip out too!”

Zhang Siyi: “Heartless Han, if you are idle, help me pick a place. I have work in the afternoon, so there isn’t time to find a place.”

Fu Xinhui: “You started working so soon?”

Ren Mengyu: “Every time I look at Zhang Siyi call Fu Xinhui by his nickname, I can make up one hundred thousand words of a Danmei novel in a flash. Heartless Han begins the attack….”

Zhang Siyi: “The rotten girl is out!”

Zhang Siyi: “And why am I the bottom?”  (╯‵□′)╯︵┻━┻

Fu Xinhui: “[Awesome]”

Zhang Siyi: “I can’t talk to you. People with jobs are going to work!” ~ (≧▽≦)/~ “

Fu Xinhui: “…… You da man.”

Jiang Hai: “I really envy his good mentality. I’ve been working overtime for one month now so, I just want to complain.”

Zhang Siyi put away his mobile phone and stood up. Looking at the time, he hurriedly left the restroom to go to the personnel department. There, he needed to fill out paperwork and go through the other necessary formalities.

Already, there was a contract that Miss Wang had prepared for him to look over. Zhang Siyi turned it over to look at it and was confused.

“Oh, yes,” Miss Wang said suddenly. “This morning, did Director Gu tell you that five-hundred will be deducted from your salary on a normal basis?”

“Ah? What?” Zhang Siyi stunned and remembered the sentence that Gu Yu said, “If you care, wages will be deducted.” Wasn’t that a joke?

Miss Wang: “Hey, he didn’t tell you? He also said to deducted 500 yuan for catering activities.”

Zhang Siyi ears smoked: “What!?” Gu Yu’s comment in the restaurant; he finally understood the meaning of, ‘Think of it as you treating me…’

He had been so stupid. To think he thought that Gu Yu was a kind and generous person. He felt deceived. (=皿=)

HA! This man was too unkind, wasn’t he? For a moment, Gu Yu’s glorious image in Zhang Siyi’s heart was greatly reduced.

After signing the contract, Zhang Siyi sat back down, slumped at his desk and felt wronged by a bad bully. Even his ex-girlfriend’s crazy account had not made him feel as uncomfortable as he was now.

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