Assistant Architect by Xi He Qing Ling

Chapter 30: Small Hair

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In order to keep the Revolutionary United Front, Zhang Si Yi can only help keep her secret.

He just happened to see part of a page of an opened book. There was a man pushing another to the wall to bite his neck, blushing with a quickening heartbeat… Zhang Siyi hurriedly closed the book and felt goosebumps all over. He couldn’t look at his mom. He especially does not want her to visit. What will she think when she sees him living with Heartless Han and his dog? Is his mother going to think he’s gay!

Since he returned to his hometown, Zhang Siyi took pictures of the high-speed railway station and Ningcheng on the road. A local friend contacted him that night and politely asked him to go out and have a few drinks.

When he visited between his semesters in England, he mainly stayed at home with his parents and didn’t have much time for socializing. Most invitations were made by excuses and only wanted to see how Zhang Siyi, the small hair, grew up. He had one childhood friend, Shen Hao, whose family also knew Zhang Siyi’s family.

Shen Hao family and Zhang Siyi’s family have a little friendship. Shen Hao’s father worked with Zhang Siyi’s father in the early days. Although he is now in a different department, he has always had contact.

The boys were in the same kindergarten and elementary school. His father insisted that Zhang Siyi only go to public schools, so after he graduated from junior high school, Shen Wei was sent to a private school. Under pressure, Zhang Siyi was admitted to Ningwai.

To put it bluntly, Shen Hao is “defective”. When he was in college, he didn’t even have an undergraduate course of study. After that, his father paid for him to enter a pheasant university in a nearby city. It sounds like a college graduate, but in fact, it is just a specialist qualification.

However, apart from the academic qualifications, Shen Dao is a very worthy friend. He just doesn’t like to read books, but he has a lot of ideas. He is very clever and humorous. Zhang Siyi especially loved to play with him as kids. In the past few years, Zhang Siyi has also been in contact with Shen Hao intermittently.

The next afternoon, the two met at the small bar. When Shen Yan met Zhang Siyi, he eagerly came up to him with a light punch and then grabbed the brother’s shoulder. He was excited: “Zhang Dagongzi!”

Zhang Siyi turned around and elbowed his friend: “I haven’t seen you in over a year, you are so different!”

Last summer, when Zhang Siyi was still a student, he came back and saw each other. His friend has changed since then with his tanned and rough skin. He still has a hippie smile, but he now feels like a young person in society.

Shen Hao: “I am different from your white-faced, scholar background. I have mixed up in society for almost two years. I’m full of wind and sun, old!”

After they sat down, they ordered some beer and skewers. Zhang Siyi saw him place a BMW car key on the table. He was surprised: “BMW, wear Zegna. Shit! How are you so rich now?”

Shen Yu proudly said: “I am working in architecture.”

“Hey!” Zhang Siyi squirted a beer and wiped his mouth. “You didn’t go for a financial major at the Patriotic Economic and Trade University? When did you switch to architecture?”

Shen Hao smiled: “Isn’t this to because of you. When I was studying for a few years, my dad was getting on my ass everyday telling me how great and diligent you were, that I needed to learn from you. So, when you went abroad to study architecture, he thought there had to be a future in the field.”

Zhang Siyi inwardly groaned. He asked: “You tell me clearly; what building are you doing?”

Shen Hao drank a big swig of beer and said: “Do construction contracting projects.”

Zhang Siyi: “What is that? Say it simply!

Shen Hao: “It’s the contractor.”

Zhang Siyi: “…”

Shen Hao put his beer to the side and said: “Don’t underestimate me in this line. I’ll tell you. I make a lot of money. These last two years I’ve worked on three projects and earned this amount.” He stretched out his palm with five fingers open,” this number!”

Zhang Siyi an eyebrow: “50,000?”

Shen Hao stared with eyes and forced the five fingers toward Zhang Si Yi to join.

Zhang Siyi: “Your lying! It’s not half a million, is it?”

Shen Hao slapped the table: “Eh? It’s five million! Five million!”

Zhang Siyi is shocked speechless: “Really, it’s that much? Don’t bullshit me!”

Shen Hao hurriedly said: “I’m not bluffing. I’m your friend! I got my car and my house!”

Zhang Siyi is both envious and instinctively unwilling to believe it. He is curious: “What do you do? What foundation is needed?”

Shen Hao waved his hand: “The contractor recruits’ people to work and manages them.”

Zhang Siyi raised his eyebrows: “That sounds to simple. Why Isn’t everyone able to make a fortune?”

Shen Xiao smiled: “Of course it’s not simple! It’s about opportunity and to be honest, the first project is based on my father’s relationship…”

Zhang Siyi found the real reason. He nodded “uh huh”.

Shen Hao continued: “My father has a friend named, Uncle Cao, who is in the construction business. He saw me idle after graduation and asked me to help him with a favor. After a while I started learning from him about the overall process; where to find people to work, where to buy materials etc… It’s getting more difficult because of the expense. Migrant workers are paid 2000 now.”

Zhang Siyi interrupted: “The three projects earned 5 million and paying workers 2000 is still expensive?”

Shen Hoa said: “The whole market situation is like this. Others only give one thousand or fifteen thousand. I pay two thousand. It’s good!”

Zhang Siyi is speechless.

Shen Hoa also pointed his finger to him: “A project might have fifty people, with 12 hours a day working shifts. Sometimes the project must go through two shifts day and night which is equivalent to double the labor. Monthly expenditure will be a dozen or two hundred thousand. This doesn’t guarantee that the workers won’t try to drag out the time!”

Zhang Siyi: “Wait, twelve hours a day? Isn’t the legal working time eight hours?”

Shen Hao looked at him like an idiot: “Which line of work is only eight hours? Don’t tell me that you don’t work overtime, huh, huh.”

The last “huh huh” was a great irony to Zhang Siyi, and Zhang Siyi was so angry that he couldn’t refute anything. He did work overtime often and he even spent the night!

Shen Hao ignored his scowl and continued: “In any case, artificially, you can’t make any money. The main profits are from materials. You must understand the building materials market. The construction unit will give you a total amount of money for each project. If you save money, the rest of the profits are yours.”

Zhang Siyi and squinted at him: “Don’t use cheap, black market stuff!”

Shen Hao said: “I am not the kind of person who has no conscience!”

Zhang Siyi slowly nodded his head and asked: “You have no foundation in construction. How can you be a supervisor? What if there is a problem?”

Shen Hao doesn’t care: “Pay the Supervisor consultant to help look at it!”

“That’s your solution? “Zhang Siyi wasn’t sure he heard right. What if the Supervisor consultant is a liar? What if Shen Hao was fooled by someone else and didn’t know? What if something went wrong in the construction process? Who’s in charge? Is it a Shen Hao or a construction consultant or an engineering company? Even though Zhang Siyi had a thousand question, he didn’t ask. He didn’t want to crush Shen Hao’s enthusiasm.

Shen Hao: “Don’t worry. I have learned a lot in these past two years. I’ve worked in the industry with Uncle Coa as well as others. My dad is always promoting me, and I get contacted often. Hey! It’s so much more interesting working in society. Studying was suffocating!”

Shen Hao grabbed the car key and shook his hand, proud: “You see the results! My BMW and lake view apartment are paid for and I didn’t even spend a penny from my family.”

Zhang Siyi: “…”

Zhang Siyi feels like he has a stomach ache. For more than a decade, one type of belief has been instilled into Zhang Siyi mind. In order to succeed in the future, you must study hard and do well. However, the reality is different. Right in front of him is a person who never studied and yet, he has already surpassed Zhang Siyi financially! It is too difficult to admit that the other person is better than himself. In particular, his friend has easily done what Zhang Siyi has always wanted to do. He does not spend a penny from home, starts from scratch, is rich and wealthy, and proves his strength in front of his father.

Just then, Shen Hao smiled and asked, “What about you? Well, how are you doing in the big city?”

He knows his friend doesn’t mean anything by his questions, but to Zhang Siyi, it feels like he is pouring lemon juice over paper cuts. Depressed, he responded: “I don’t earn as much money as you. I’m a hard-working drawing dog. I work at an office with a monthly salary less then then six thousand most of which goes to rent so I can only eat dirt.”

He also wants to brag in front of Shen like a bulging, fat man, but in the face of a local tyrant who has reached 2.5 million a year, the gap is too big. He feels like a salted fish; lifeless and dried.

Shen Shen’s heart was dark, and the surface was surprised: “Really? Haicheng’s salary is so low?”

Is he really not poking fun at Zhang Siyi’s expense? He inwardly sighs. In fact, it is not low. He is a thousand dollars more than Jiang Hai!

Shen Hao’s family was convinced he would always follow in Zhang Siyi’s shadow. In Shen Hao father’s mouth, Zhang Father’s son was “a child of other people’s family”. Somewhere in his heart he wanted the serf to turn over and become the master. Feeling giddy with happiness, he’s got his wish!

They have been friends for a long time. Shen Hao wants to earnestly help his friend out and says: “You are in the big city now but can return in Ningcheng and work with me! I’m picking up relatively small projects now, but with more experience I will be able to pick up bigger projects that pay even more. I have the money to connect with people and you are an architect with professional knowledge. When I hire you, I will give you a share of the profits and make sure you can also earn a golden pot in a few years.”

After hearing his friend’s proposal, Zhang Siyi felt moved. How could he not? One hundred fifty thousand a year! He doesn’t think even Gu Yu’s annual salary is a fraction of it!

He is thankful for his friend’s olive branch, but Zhang Siyi doesn’t feel comfortable. If he doesn’t use the skills, he graduated university with, what were all those years studying architecture for?

Zhang Siyi bit his teeth: “Thanks, but I’m learning design and I don’t know what to do with construction, so I don’t think I can help you right now. Maybe later when I learn more, we will be able to work together on a project. I’ll will immediately come to you!”

Shen Hao: “Good deal!”

After that, the two of them talked about the friends of the past few years. Many of them were peers with similar family backgrounds who grew up in the district.

Shen Hao: “Remember that Song Xiao? She is getting married at the end of the year.”

Zhang Siyi: “The one who always has a runny nose in elementary school? So fast!”

Laughing, Shen Hao said: “Well, when I was a child, I teased her and pulled her braids. I didn’t expect her to get married so soon. At 18, she has changed a lot. She is quite beautiful now. If I had earned my 5 million earlier, she would be my wife!”

Zhang Siyi: “Ha-ha-ha!”

Shen Hao: “She may not know that you have returned to China. Are you coming back for the New Year? I will let her know, and we can go out for drinks!”

Zhang Siyi excited way: “Good!”

Shen Hao: “By the way, if you go to the wedding don’t forget a gift.”

Zhang Siyi doesn’t know the current trend and asks: “Usually how much do people give?”

Shen Hao: ” I estimate about one thousand six-eight hundred.”

There are so many sleeper grooves! Zhang Siyi expenditures greatly exceed his current income and he is still expected to pay 1600-1800 for a wedding gift? But before he could express his inner shock, he listened to Shen Hao: “I earn a lot, so I gave 10,000.” “Poof …” Zhang Siyi felt like he had a huge hole in his chest.

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Assistant Architect by Xi He Qing Ling

Chapter 29: Family

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When his father appeared, the initial happy and relaxed atmosphere disappeared.

Although it was a beautiful reunion dinner, his father’s attitude made Zhang Siyi unable to relax at all. In addition, his mother helped him serve his soup: “Eat quickly while it’s still hot. It has fresh fish from this morning.”

When his father saw his mother serving him, he frowned. He took the chopsticks and pointed them in the direction of his mother: “Does he have no hands? How old is he? He can get his own bowl of soup! He is spoiled by you!”

“…” Sure enough, Zhang Siyi had a long face and was most disgusted to hear his father say this. Has he been spoiled? His mother loves him. Is this not a mutual thing? Why is he always a ruin in his dad’s eyes! At a very young age, Zhang Siyi quickly learned his father’s rules. When his father spoke, he couldn’t talk back otherwise there would be dire consequences. His father was extremely overbearing!

Feeling resentful, his mother murmured: “It’s rare for him to come home and you can’t even say a few words!” Can it be his father is simply upset at not being served first? “Good Comrade Zhang, I will also give you a bowl.” His mother also took a bowl of soup over to her husband smiling. She thought to herself: “You big people are so small, drink more soup, talk less!”

While his mother went to placate his father, he and his father started peeling crabs. She continued: “He successfully graduated from England and found a job in Haicheng. Where is it that I have spoiled him? Isn’t that pretty good? Your mouth is like a tofu knife, always cutting him down. One of these days when you get old, he won’t bother coming back.” She gave Zhang Siyi a look suggesting that he pour wine for his father.

Even though Zhang Siyi was so unenthusiastic, when he saw his mother trying so hard to reconcile with his father on his behalf, he pretended to be good and respectful son to his father and poured a glass of wine for him.

With a condescending tone and a self-important expression, Zhang Father asked Zhang Siyi about his work in Haicheng.

He wanted his father to recognize his own efforts, so he briefly said a few things about Borderless and his salary. He continued to describe the big Z-City project in detail from inception to winning and the whole wave of ups and down in between. He deliberately talked about his team and colleagues more than himself and focused on Gu Yu’s determination to see the plan through. Finally, he told them that Gu Yu was the person who interviewed him.

His Father ignored Zhang Siyi bragging side, listen very seriously, occasionally nodded and ask a few questions. For example, when Zhang Siyi mentioned Gu Yu, his Father asked him carefully about his age, his college, his work history, and so on…

When he heard about Gu Yu being a high school alumnus and Ningcheng’s college entrance examination champion, his Father put down his glass and gently said: “Oh? It’s him.”

Zhang Siyi said excitedly and asked: “Do you know him?”

Father Zhang nodded and said: “I have seen him once.”

Zhang Siyi was excited: “When was that?”

Father Zhang said it was a few years ago at a design competition. At that time, it was the project of Ningcheng. When Gu was awarded the prize, the award was typically handed out by an official; Zhang Siyi’s Father.

He drank some wine and praised him: “A very good, calm young man.”

Zhang Siyi listened to his father’s compliment of Gu Yu, as if he was more than happy to be praised. He couldn’t help but talk more about him: “Look, he actually won the bid against the Design Institute. Isn’t it amazing?”

While Zhang Siyi was talking about Gu Yu, he didn’t know that his expression was the same as that of Bi Lele when she daydreams of the Boss.

His Father grunted and said: “Generally this kind of internal situation is not usually so easy to subvert. It must be that there are differences at the top and the people who can make decisions are temporarily changed ahead of time. You must have a leak.”

What do you mean, leak!? Zhang Siyi suddenly was angry and wanted to refute.

His father turned to say: “But even if you didn’t win the bid this time, the style and attitude of the surname Gu will definitely have a future. If the eye can see his intention, he will remember him. The effort is not in vain. Just look at the opportunity to come.”

Zhang Siyi listened to his father’s words, and remembered the sentence that Gu Yu responded to himself in the toilet that day – the road of architecture, not what you did now, you can see the results in the next moment. Zhang Siyi had a faraway look in his eyes for a moment.

His father’s voice pulled him back: “I remember that you were clamoring to learn architecture, it seems it was because of him?”

Zhang Si Yi was startled, there is such a thing? He told his father about it?

His Father recalled: “You went to high school that year and said there is a T University construction director to give a lecture in the school, called Gu Yu. That day you were very excited and said you wanted to learn architecture.”

Zhang Siyi doesn’t remember at all. When did his father remember so much? How can he remember this kind of thing?

Father Zhang seems to have expected Zhang Siyi’s forgetfulness and said: “You have been a three-minute person since you were a child. You have learned Taekwondo, learned violin, and learned fencing. Which one has persisted? Originally, your grandfather gave you this name. I expect perseverance. This time after graduation and looking for a job. I didn’t think you would successfully get on track. Maybe the young man named Gu is really the person who can take you down the right road.”

Zhang Siyi felt elated. He only heard the most important words “Successfully get on track”. Did his father just recognized his hard work?

When he learned that Zhang Siyi was working with Gu Yu, Father Zhang seemed to be relieved. He glanced at Zhang Siyi again and said:” Learn from others and be receptive of good advice.”

Zhang Siyi nodded again and again: “Hmm!”

His father wasn’t used to seeing Zhang Siyi have such a positive look. His could not help but sigh again: “And, remember to be low-key, don’t talk about your family in front of outsiders.”

Zhang Siyi waved his hand and said, ” I know, I know!”

The atmosphere of this meal today is the best it has been in a few years. After dinner, Zhang Siyi felt relieved to go upstairs to his room. Zhang Siyi pounced on the bed and rolled on it happily.

Zhang Siyi hasn’t come back for a long time and suddenly felt homesick. The English text book he used to study with during the summer, the architectural extracurricular books that he bought before, the basketball in the corner of the room… Everything seems to remind him of his time growing up.

He could come home every day to his room with clothes neatly tucked away in his closet, bed made, and clean room. It’s like a babysitter. In contrast, now Zhang Siyi comes home to his apartment to a messy room, a mountain of clothes and rent to pay. Although he is feeling somewhat nostalgic, he only sees the expression on his father to know that he doesn’t want Zhang Siyi to be home. He sighed.

He found his old violin that had played for many years. In his youth, he performed at the school art conference in junior high school, but he was not professional enough. After going to high school, he said that if he was busy with school, he wouldn’t play the violin anymore. Thinking back to his youth Zhang Siyi admits that the real reason is because he was lazy. He didn’t want to take the time to practice every day. Once he let go of an activity, he didn’t want to pick it up again. His father is right. He really is a three-minute character.

Zhang Siyi took out the violin and placed it in position on his shoulder. Because it was not used for a long time, the peg was a little damp and difficult to turn to tune the strings. He warmed up a little and his muscles started remembering how to play then he tried to play Cannon. With a bunch of broken notes and poor bowing, he stopped in frustration. He liked the idea of maybe practicing after work to relax. Zhang Siyi sat down and immediately put the violin in the doorway and planned to take it back with him when he returned to Haicheng.

Looking at his closet, Zhang Siyi suddenly saw something and pulled out a bunch of strange books… Wait, what are these?

“Mom-! Mom–! Come up!” After a few minutes, Zhang Siyi screamed a few times outside the door.

Mama Zhang heard her son’s summoned money upstairs: “What? did you call me?”

When the mother arrived at the door of the room, Zhang Siyi pointed to the books: “This!?” Awkward!

His mother reacted quickly. Panicking, she pushed her son into the room and closed the door and grabbed the book: “You can’t see this kind of thing!”

“Are these your books?” Zhang Siyi had thought that his mother would say it was her cousin’s, but he did not expect it to be hers!

She whispered: “I watched it online, it was very interesting, so I bought a book to read!”

“This is all messy!” “The sweet male secretary of the president”? “What should I do if I am seen by a straight man next door?” Zhang Siyi didn’t want to know anymore. “You don’t want to watch those messy things online!”

His Mother covered her son’s mouth: “Keep it down, keep it down! I put it in your room because I don’t what your father to know!”

Nearly hysterical, Zhang Siyi tried to stay calm: “Then how can you put this kind of book in my Room? What if Dad sees?”

Mother Zhang shoved the pile of books into the deepest part of the closet and said: “He won’t come into your room casually.”

Unexpectedly, his mother is an old rotten girl and secretly hid the evidence in his room.

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Assistant Architect by Xi He Qing Ling

Chapter 28: Visiting Relatives

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Zhang Siyi’s first reaction was wrong, but he received several repetitive good news.

Bi Lele: “Fourth Aunt!! We won the BID!!!

Zhang Siyi shocked: “What!? No Way!!”

To make sure he didn’t read wrong, Zhang Siyi almost put his eyes on his phone’s screen. But how is that possible? Wasn’t the last spot decided internally? Is Bi Lele just joking?

Bi Lele made an angry expression: “What is with your reaction!?”

Sweating with cramping fingers, Zhang Siyi nervously explained himself: “I heard the bidding was decided internally for the Design Institute and we were there only to accompany them.”

Bi Lele: “What!? I didn’t know!”

Zhang Siyi: “Well, while using the restroom, I inadvertently heard the Chief and Boss chat. Only I knew about it at the time, but since the bidding is finished, it should be fine.”

Being the company’s gossip monger, Bi Lele was upset at not being in-the-know. Hearing that the least likely person with insider information knew more than she did, she felt insulted. However, she quickly disregarded these feelings: “Shit, I’ll get to the bottom of this!”

Zhang Siyi: “Hey, wait, so is it true? You must answer me first!” Bi Lele did not respond for a long time. Zhang Siyi was anxious, and he held the mobile phone up and stared at it. Is this reality? Did they drop all the internal propositions? This is a shock reversal Ah!

If this is true, Zhang Siyi simply can’t imagine the mood of Gu YU now! Does he also feel elated? Or does he think this outcome was expected? Is he worried it is a short scam?

It was not until more than an hour later that Bi Lele replied to Zhang Siyi: “I just asked the boss. Gu Yu also said that it wasn’t clear what happened. It’s very confusing, but they made us accept the bid. It appears that the decision makers and the people from the Design Institute were in a dispute from the beginning. We were the last firm to present our proposal. Including questions and answers, the group took forty-five minutes and the panel voted 5-2 in our favor to move forward with a plan. All the companies present have waited for an outcome with a unanimous vote, but it’s not going to change now. The other companies are coming to congratulate us so it’s too late for the government to make a comeback.”

Zhang Siyi asked: “Was the other plan also a flower design?”

Bi Lele: “The bidding presentations are relatively confidential. We don’t know what each have presented. I only know that the boss is very handsome today. You didn’t see how persuasive he was when he reported it. He quoted all kinds of things. He didn’t hesitate to answer any questions asked. Every time I go out with the boss, I learn something new and fall in love with architecture all over again.”

Zhang Siyi was surprised by Bi Lele’s words. He really wished he could be there.

Being on the receiving end, Zhang Siyi has long since known how well Gu Yu speaks. He could have killed a man in one sentence. On the other hand, if that skill had been used in a persuasive speech, even Zhang Si Yi can imagine how attractive he must be.

Bi Lele: “He is so imposing when he is determined. I think he’s getting more handsome! Ah, I decided! I’m going follow the boss for the rest of my life!!!”

Zhang Siyi: “…”

Bi Lele continued to report: “When we waited for the results, we talked with a firm from Hangzhou. We saw each other’s plans. They were full of praise and thought our plan was very strong. At that time, we guessed that we might have a chance to win the bid. We didn’t see it as luck, but real skill. Maybe the Design Institute has a prestigious name, but we aren’t fools at Borderless. Its sure clear who is good and who is bad. Ha-ha-ha-ha!”

Zhang Siyi was also infected by the other party’s optimism. He was excited: “What are you doing now? When are you going back to Haicheng?” He couldn’t wait to see this group of friends and wanted to hug them together to celebrate the result!

Bi Lele: “We are at the hotel now. It was so tense for the last few days, now everyone is so tired. Boss said that there is no hurry, so we are taking a few days off.”

Alright! Alright! Zhang Siyi happily withdrew from the conversation. Lying on his bed he suddenly hugged his quilt and rolled around in his bed for a while happily. So cool! The sense of accomplishment he feels right now from working so hard is greater than all his 23 years of life. So Happy!

When it was very late that day, Zhang Siyi received a reply from Gu Yu: “Thank you, I haven’t watched my mobile phone. Bi Lele has already told you about the result?”

The tone in Gu Yu message is very polite and Zhang Siyi’s heart sank. He feels an indescribable amount of guilt and immediately returned the message: “I am sorry about before. I didn’t think this outcome was possible. I was too narrowminded. I was wrong.”

If Gu Yu, as the Chief said, only let them do 70-80% of their best, or tell them the result of the decision very early, maybe there will be no result today.

After a few minutes, Gu Yu replied: “You are not wrong. I also thought about what you said and reflected on some issues. Everyone works with different values and intensity. I should not sacrifice you to satisfy my own determination. Today’s result is also beyond my expectation, and probably the next time we will not be so lucky.”

Seeing Gu Yu’s explanation, Zhang Siyi was not relieved and felt even more uncomfortable. He would rather have Gu Yu give him a hard scolding or accuse him as harshly as before. He didn’t want Gu Yu to turn him away coldly with indifference.

“I’m sorry, I was wrong.” Zhang Siyi did not know what to do, and he was anxious to send a cartoon crying emoji.

Gu Yu: “…”

Zhang Siyi: “Forgive me! [Cry]]

Gu Yu was silent for a while then a new message appeared: “You’ll get less bonus.”

Zhang Siyi: “… Don’t!!! “…You can’t play cards like this! It’s no fair!

Gu Yu: “Oh? You don’t seem to be afraid of me.”

Zhang Siyi: “…”

Gu Yu: “…becoming so insolent and dare to say anything in front of me.”

Zhang Siyi: “……”

Indeed, Gu Yu is the boss and he is a subordinate. Zhang Siyi has a cheerful disposition and is usually a very easy person to get along with. In the beginning there was distance between them but now they have spent two months working overtime together as well as time spent on the business trip together. There is so much between them that when he was being serious it was like a test of his jubilant character.

Zhang Siyi narrowed his eyes and sent a little crying fox emoji that had large puppy-dog-eyes to Gu Yu. He doesn’t know how he will react to such cute expressions. Since its through WeChat, there is less sense of distance, so he is pushing Gu Yu’s bottom line.

Unexpectedly Gu Yu wrote: “Do you talk to other people like this? … send a bunch of expressions for little girls?”

Zhang Siyi: “…”

Gu Yu: “What are you, a shemale?”

Zhang Siyi: “………” Damn it!

Gu Yu’s poisonous tongue strikes again. Normally one would get mad being insulted, but Zhang Siyi felt better and then thought, is he a masochist?

The next day, Zhang Siyi asked Bi Lele if they should create a WeChat group for office friends. Bi Lele liked this idea: “Yesterday, I sent the good news to everyone and after saying it seven or eight times, I was exhausted!”

Zhang Siyi’s eyes twitched: “You never thought about building a WeChat group?”

Bi Lele: “I really didn’t think about it. I usually have a lot of work. Everyone has no time to chat. If there is anything in private, for example, if you have to work overtime, it is more convenient to make a phone call.”

Zhang Siyi suddenly realized: no wonder this bunch of zero-social workaholics will follow Gu Yu.

After a while, Bi Lele ask Zhang Siyi for help: “Shit! it’s too complicated, I don’t know how to do it. I’ll send you all the info, so you can set it up.”

Zhang Siyi is speechless: So… a designer able to use picture editing software can’t master a WeChat group?

He first put his colleagues’ mobile phones into the address book one by one, and then searched them in WeChat. The number was added, and everyone was registered. In less than half an hour he organized the group “Borderless Forbidden City Team”.

Ji Feiyu was the first to open his mouth in the group. His nickname was very incompatible with his age and his temperament as a group leader.

Chicken wings: “Eh?! Who did this?! Hell, yeah!”

Lele: “Fourth Aunt created it!”

Honesty: “So cool……”

Tai Cheng: “Awesome …”

Is it awesome to have a WeChat group? Zhang Siyi scratches his head. Have these people lived in the 1980s before?

Pig: “Have we organized this in private? ~o(n_n)o~”

Lele: “How do you make such good faces. Mine looks dead.”

Pig: “I just wanted to experiment with the text input functions. (>__lt;)”

Zhang Siyi: “Hey, you add him, the mobile phone number on his business card.”

Du Rui: “I have added it before and I have been ignored.”

Zhang Siyi: “…”

Du Rui: “I thought his WeChat didn’t work for people. Hey, he really is different for you!”

Zhang Siyi is a little embarrassed, quickly said: “I don’t think so. Maybe he didn’t see. I’ll send him your WeChat card and ask him to add you?”

Du Rui: “well, I’m afraid if he refused that would be even more embarrassing, thank you.” Zhang Siyi did not know how to say it. He always felt that Du Rui’s secret love was a bit pitiful.

Just when Zhang Siyi started believing there might be something special between himself and Gu Yu, the rug was pulled out from underneath. That night Bi Lele posted a few photos in the new group: “The boss asked us out to eat sand tea noodles! It’s so good!”

He was scrolling through the photos Bi Lele posted in the group. They were inside the sand tea noodle restaurant that Gu Yu took him to earlier. Ji Feiyu and Yuan Zhicheng were both there and the two were immersed in eating. In one photo, Gu Yu looked at Yuan Zhicheng with a smile like he had when Zhang Siyi was there. In another photo Gu Yu looked amused. Even in the dim light of the restaurant you could not mistake Gu Yu bright eyes and handsome face. Everyone in the chat group said they were so envious. Zhang Siyi scrolled through the photos several times. He didn’t feel envious so much as he just felt empty. He didn’t know why he felt so uncomfortable.

There are still three or four days of vacation left. Since Zhang Siyi is idle, he planned to go home and visit family.

His hometown of Ningcheng is very close to Haicheng. Its only three hours away on the high-speed train. Recently, with so many hours of overtime, he has rarely called his family. The day before yesterday his mother sent him a message complaining of his absence. It has been half a year since coming back to China. Even though Zhang Siyi didn’t want to see his father, he knows it is an appropriate time to go home and visit relatives.

With his credit card approval and the bonus from his company’s bid, Zhang Siyi spent a lot of money buying a bunch of Haicheng specialties and brought them home for his parents.

When his mother learned of Zhang Siyi return home, his mother personally came to pick him up at the station. When she saw him at the station with his bags of things, she teared up feeling both happy and heartache.

“Your cranky father wouldn’t come pick you up. He said to let you exercise…. He has become so bitter.” Zhang Mother rubbed his head: “Mom was really busy recently, so I didn’t have time to visit. Take advantage of the supplements at home these days.”

Looking him over she said: “How can you be so thin?” Zhang Si Yi can’t stand his mother fussing over him. He reluctantly waved her away while also enjoying the maternal love.

In fact, the station is not far from home, and it took twenty minutes to drive. Mama Zhang also bought a box of KFC’s colonel chicken on the road, letting him pad the stomach.

Zhang Siyi said: “When you are having dinner, how can you still buy this for me?

Mother Zhang smiled: “This is your favorite food before. I am against you to eat junk food, but one or two times is nothing.”

Zhang Siyi sighed inwardly. How long ago did he like this thing; fried chicken and fries. Besides having lived in England for a several years, he tired of eating it. His mother saw him only eat one chicken piece and hurriedly said, “Why don’t you finish eating it! Hurry and eat it, your father will know!” They each took two pieces and gobbled them down.

At home, Zhang Siyi saw the nanny setting the table early with a variety of seafood. It looked sumptuous. His father was sitting on the mahogany sofa in the living room, reading the newspaper. When he heard the door ring, his eyes looked up then closed the newspaper and said without affection: “Back? Let’s eat.”

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