Assistant Architect by Xi He Qing Ling

Chapter 15: Business Cards

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Gu Yu is the boss. Colleagues naturally will follow his lead. With the initial momentum started by Gu Yu, the other ten party members found all kinds of reasons to raise a toast to Zhang Siyi. The amount of alcohol is good. Ten enemies are not an opponent at all!

However, after a few more rounds, he was completely drunk, and his mind could not afford to retaliate against the idea of Gu Yu.

Before he was completely unconsciousness, Zhang Siyi braced himself and stumbled to the bathroom. He knew that he will pass-out this night, so he went to call Fu Xinhui. He had to take care of himself in advance, or else he would have no idea where he would end up.

The figure in the Mirror had become several. At every step towards the sink, the room spun. Zhang Siyi urgently tried to make a phone call, but his fingers don’t work properly. Finally, it connects: “Heartless Han…. Help….”

Fu Xinhui: “…”

Zhang Siyi: “Drunk…. Can you pick me up…?”

Fu Xinhui: “Stupid, report the address.”

Zhang Siyi: “The Cantonese Restaurant at xxx Road…”

Hanging up the phone, Zhang Siyi couldn’t take it anymore suddenly, holding his stomach and retching.

At this moment, Gu Yu came. “Are you okay?” It’s been ten minutes since Zhang Siyi left for the bathroom. He was worried and came over to check on him. Zhang Siyi turned his head and saw the instigator to his misfortune standing not far from him, crossed arms and looking at himself with a playful face.

Zhang Siyi doesn’t know if it’s easier to see peoples’ true intentions after being drunk or not, but at the moment, in his eyes, he sees Gu Yu ‘s smirk, like a mischievous old fox. He looked at Gu Yu with wide open eyes. Trying to see through him, he wanted to express his indignation more clearly, but instead Gu Yu grew more handsome.

Gu Yu smiled and stepped closer, still not forgetting the sarcasm he said, “so little wine.”

Zhang Siyi anger keeps rising. What do you mean, “light drinker”? I am being toasted by nine people. Damn it!”

Gu Xiao was one step closer, mocking: “Can you still walk?”  He stretched out two fingers and waved them in front of Zhang Siyi, laughing and asking,” How many are there?”

Zhang Siyi’s felt his ire rising steadily and the liquor in his stomach was churning. He couldn’t help but twist his head and hold onto the toilet to vomit.” Gu Yan stood on the side and looked at him with disdain. He said, “Oh, fortunately, you didn’t get anything on me this time.” Zhang Siyi vomited seven or eight times in a one breath feeling suffocated. His legs finally felt too weak to stand so he slowly collapsed.

Gu Yu’s face changed, and he stepped forward to help him.

Zhang Siyi still has the last trace of his mind, and no matter how upset he feels, he instinctively grasps the helping hand. At this moment, the esophagus twitches, and the last bit of food residue in the throat is sprayed on Gu Yu’s arm!

Gu Yu’s body was stiff, and his face was dark. Stunned Zhang Siyi wanted to die in embarrassment. Red faced, Zhang Siyi desperately held onto Gu Yu, he unconsciously mumbled, “You must really hate…” After a glimpse of the end, he passed out.

Gu Yu: “……”

He rushed out to get a colleague to help him pick up Zhang Siyi then Gu Yu washed him arm with cold water. Since the meal was finished and Zhang Siyi was drunk, he went to assess the situation. Two other colleagues with poor alcohol tolerance were also a little drunk, but they weren’t so bad. He asked several people to make sure the two got home safely before dealing with the most drunk person, Zhang Siyi. “Who knows where he lives?” Although they are all colleagues, no one spoke up. The only clue Zhu Hongzhen had was that he lived near a subway station, but the specific address … he didn’t know either. The restaurant was at the busiest section of Haicheng.

Gu Yu hung his coat on his arm and said, “I’ll take him back to the company and throw him in the lounge for a night.” He didn’t expect Zhang Siyi to drink so much, let alone faint right after vomiting. He’s not sure if he should accompany Zhang Siyi to stay in the company for a night, or not. Maybe he will wake up then tell him his address, so he could go home.

As a few girls walked ahead, Zhu Hongzhen and Yuan Zhicheng offered to help get a taxi.

Exiting the restaurant holding onto Zhang Siyi, the people carrying him saw a strange young man. He had just got out of the taxi and asked, “Excuse me, are you Zhang Siyi colleagues?”

With a face of dignity and an impressive appearance, the girls looked at him with appreciation. For a while no one spoke.

Bi Lele slowed down and asked: “Oh, yes, who are you?”

“I am Zhang Siyi’s roommate. He just called me to pick him up here.” Fu Xinhui glanced at Zhang Siyi, who was unconscious, and frowned.

Just as Gu Yu settled the account to leave, he saw everyone blocking the door. “What’s the matter?”

Du Rui pointed to Fu Xinhui and explained what he said. Gu Yu looked at him intently nodding. He cautiously said: “Give Zhang Siyi a call, and we will see if it’s the truth or not.”

Fu Xinhui dialed the number, soon Zhang Siyi’s phone in his pocket was buzzing. Gu Yu pulled it out to see at a glance what ID the caller is, “Heartless Han”, he calmly confirmed that they did know each other, then put the phone back and let everyone go.

With a horrible hangover, Zhang Siyi woke up the next day with the feeling that his entire being was hollow. Recalling last night’s events, he sighed, despondent. In particular, the phrase, “fortunately you didn’t get anything on me this”, really made his head hurt. In Zhang Siyi eyes, it reinforced the notion that Gu Yu hated him. Pinching the bridge of the nose, Zhang Si Yi suddenly remembered, he seems to have thrown up on Director Gu’s body!

Struggling to get up and out of bed, Zhang Siyi slowly put his morning tasks in order, then went to the subway. Face haggard, he arrived at the building, and entered with hesitation. Although the travel to work helped Zhang Siyi clear his head from last night’s fiasco, he was afraid Gu Yu would continue to harass him, especially because it was the second time, he dirtied him. It’s going to be a hard day!

Before he could sit down, Bi Lele caught his attention. She looked at him with two eyes glowing and asked, “Who is the man who came to pick you up yesterday?”

“Ah? “Zhang Siyi confused said,” I don’t really remember how I got home, but it should be my roommate. He also studied abroad in the UK. What’s wrong?”

Bi Lele held his face and said: “He is so handsome and fashionable. I have a good feeling!”

Zhang Siyi: “…”

Bi Lele anxiously asked: “Do you live together? Sleep in the same room?”

Zhang Siyi eyes smoked, he was too familiar with the ambiguous tone of Bi Lele, immediately denied: “Not in the same room!” Don’t take this the wrong way! He’s straight!

Bi Lele smirked: “I haven’t asked you anything, and yet Auntie Four, you seem to know full well!”

Zhang Siyi is going blow up, why does she suspect he and Fu Xinhui have an affair? It’s been more than once. Is he so gay? Or is Fu Xinhui special?

Just then, Gu Yu sent a message and asked him to go to the office.

With the Directors request, Zhang Siyi knew he must go to his office. Even though he doesn’t want to face Gu Yu, it is better than being with a daydreaming rotten girl.

When he entered the office, Gu Yu scanned him up and down as if to make sure, then asked: “How are you feeling? Did everything go ok last night?” Then he looked straight into Zhang Siyi’s eyes. His brain froze: Is he concerned or is this a play? Although suspicious, Zhang Siyi answered him frankly, “Fortunately I slept like the dead until this morning.”

Gu Yu nodded, handed him a rectangular plastic box with a large label, and said, “Here you are.”

“What?” Zhang Siyi reached out to take it over and he faintly saw the name through the matte surface inside. His heart jumped! This is a whole box of business card with his name and position clearly printed on them.

—————

Zhang Siyi

Assistant Architect

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Holding the business card to and for, Zhang Siyi was on cloud 9. To have his own card with the company logo, his name, email, and phone, with the same format as Gu Yu’s business card, including the same paper, is like a declaration. Zhang Siyi has persevered. Architecture was indeed the correct path, and this proves it.

He can have a business card, no…  He has his OWN business card ! ! !

Gu Yu saw Zhang Siyi’s undisguised joy on his face, and he also smiled. “Go, go back and work hard,” Gu Yu sent him out, not forgetting to inform him. “Remember to submit a picture before work at night.”

“Enn!” Zhang Siyi squinted and held his business card to get up, like holding a box of relics, the whole person was shining from head to toe, slowly drifting out. Zhang Siyi spent some time working on drawing but became distracted. He opened the box to look at his business card and imagined that he handed out a business card like a successful person. Zhang Siyi sat in his seat so happy, smiling and feeling light as a feather. Like a burst of holy light, his palpable excitement and joy was felt by the others in the room.

Zhu Hongzhen: “…” Where did the demons come from ….

Bi Lele: “…” light, someone is glowing ……

Yuan Zhicheng: “…” It’s so glaring ….

At noon, Zhang Siyi had eaten lunch and returned to his desk. He took out a few business cards and carefully stuffed them into his wallet. He was eager to use them, so he turned to Bi Lele and said: “I’m going to the convenience store to buy some chewing gum. Do you want anything?”

Bi Lele: “Great! Get me a bottle of cola. I am so sleepy.”

“Leave it to me.” Zhang Siyi with excitement went to the ground floor and bought his items in the convenience store. When he opened his wallet at the checkout counter and saw the brand new business cards in the transparent pocket of his wallet, he grinned from ear to ear.

On the way back to the company, an intermediary wearing a black suit jumped in front of him with arms stuffed with advertising and said: “handsome, how about a house? “Are you looking for one?” Zhang Siyi was a little annoyed, suddenly remembered the business card in the wallet, the brain flashes!

He put his daydreaming to practice and gracefully stood, pulled out his wallet and quickly selected a business card and offered it to him in one elegant motion.

“I am a little busy now, you can call me later.”

The other party took his business card eyeing him, then respectfully, and eagerly said: “Wow, no wonder I can spot talent. The handsome guy is an architect!” That person has specifically neglected the word “assistant” to his title, holding up the self-satisfied Zhang Siyi.

Then, the other party also pulled out a rumpled business card from his trouser pocket and greeted Zhang Siyi with a smile: “If you need a guy, remember to look for me!”

Feeling high, Zhang Si Yi smartly waved his hand and turned around to head back to the office. After walking a few meters away, he once again grinned from ear to ear and practically skipped back to his work desk. – ah! So cool!

Just finishing his lunch, Gu Yu spotted Zhang Siyi when he exited the restaurant. Trailing behind, he was witness to the whole exchange. (￣_￣| | |)

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Assistant Architect by Xi He Qing Ling

Chapter 14: Member

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“Why?” Zhang Siyi wiped his mouth and said, “Yesterday he criticized you so severely. He is not gentle so how does that make him perfect?”

Not only that, he also is always giving Zhang Siyi a hard time. Isolation by way of no help from his colleagues, ridicule, can’t chat to friends…. Maybe the guy has no friends at all!

Despite getting along well in a short period of time, Zhang Siyi can list a bunch of grievances. The illusion of “good and generous” has long since disappeared. With such a hard and unforgiving boss, Zhang Si Yi doesn’t understand why Gi Yu is so popular with girls. Well, aside from his looks and professional ability.

Du Rui immediately retorted: “I did not do well so he is indeed qualified to criticize me.” There is the public Boss Gu Yu and the private Gu Yu. Even though young people spend time out at night, he can’t live that way. Being a director has many responsibilities. He is very polite to his subordinates. but privately he is very gentle and considerate person.

…… Mild? Considerate? pppftt! Is she talking about the same person?

Originally, Zhang Siyi used such adjectives to describe Gu Yu, but now it will never be. He also thinks that Du Rui is confused by Gu Yu’s performances as he was at the beginning.

Zhang Siyi flat mouth: “Anyway, I think he is sometimes overbearing.”

Du Rui became unhappy after hearing Zhang Siyi harsh words. The atmosphere between them became strained and in defense Du Rui suddenly said. “I didn’t have such a good predecessor to work under at my old job, you can’t even see the blessing before you…” She paused. A look of envy flashed in her eyes, “He even gave you his cactus!”

Zhang Siyi: “……” Can the cactus tell us anything? It’s not made of gold!

This topic let the atmosphere take a sharp turn and the chatting stopped. Du Rui stood up holding her cup of coffee: “Well, let’s hurry back and finish drawing otherwise so we can report to Gu Yu.”

Shit! Reminding him of his responsibilities, Zhang Siyi also stood up and was anxious and go back to work.

When Zhang Siyi worked overtime at 10 o’clock that night, he completed the task assigned by Gu Yu before he got off work, but this is not the end of his hardship.

After one months, almost every day, he painted the building’s core functions and various other details. He had to create so many bathroom designs that he couldn’t think anything else but toilet measurements. It’s like an occupational hazard.

There was this one time, at a restaurant with Fu Xinhui, where Zhang Siyi went to use the bathroom. The internal separation was very unique, so he felt compelled to measure all the toilet proportions in the room for a long time. The people who went in and out of the bathroom looked at him as strangely. After returning, Fu Xinhui also laughed at him. The dishes were already cold.

Just when Zhang Siyi had enough of drawing toilets, the human resource department informed him that Gu Yu passed his probationary period. When Zhang Si Yi learned the “good news”, he felt so excited. Earlier that day, when Zhang Siyi first arrived at the company, he received a message from Gu Yu: “Don’t leave after work. We will have a meal together.”

Accustomed to Gu Yu’s orders every time there is a task, Zhang Si Yi instinctively rose from his desk. He did not expect to see such an invitation.

He returned an “Oh” word, and he felt happy after a long while.

Gu Yu told him to eat together. Is it to celebrate his new staff member status? The days of painting toilets and stairs are over? Ah ha-ha! Grappling with his past treatment, Zhang Siyi doesn’t know if he wants to forgive Gu Yu. Although, being invited to dinner…. Zhang Siyi’s attitude softens.

Zhu Hongzhen suddenly said, “Auntie Four, you know about tonight’s dinner?””

“AHA? Zhang Si Yi’s mood suddenly fell from the clouds!

Had his intention been made clear from the start, Zhang Siyi wouldn’t have been hurting all day! Feeling depressed, he turned around to see Gu Yu came out from the office and greeted everyone to eat. The people in the group were noisy and excited to go downstairs to gather.

Autumn comes at the end of September and with it, cooler temperatures. Outside the group gathers to hail a taxi. Zhang Siyi was mixed in the crowd, and his eyes swept to Gu Yu, and suddenly he could not move his eyes. He is wearing an indigo blue sweater and black slim jeans. With hands in his pockets, and long legs, he looks like purple bamboo… A rare specimen.

The man was standing slightly to the side and did not interrupt his subordinates while they chattered and laughed. With eyes smiling, Gu Xiao radiated a unique quietness that would not make people feel pressured, but also, would not make people feel ignored.

The dinner venue was set at a Cantonese restaurant three kilometers away from the company. The group of people called three cars to bring them to the restaurant. Zhang Siyi got in first followed by Zhu Hongzhen, Bi Lele and last was Yuan Zhicheng. Gu Yu leaned in and carefully told Yuan Zhicheng the location of the restaurant then let them leave.

When the car started, Zhang Siyi saw two other cars coming. Another group of people took the second taxi, and some girls including Du Rui got into the third car along with Gu Yu.

Zhang Siyi turned around and there was a feeling of sorrow in his heart, and he did not know where it came from. He asked Zhu Hongzhen, “Why are you having dinner today?”

Zhu Hongzhen: “At the end of every month we have a company dinner.”

Zhang Siyi was shocked: “Every month Guo takes the department out for dinner!? For a large group of people, Isn’t that just too much?”

Zhu Hongzhen laughed: “It’s not a treat. It’s the class fee.”

Zhang Si Yi is a bit blindfold: “What class meeting fee?””

Bi Lele laughed and said: “It is the funds for the activities in the group. We all call them “Class membership fees.”

Zhang Siyi suddenly remembered the 500-dollar salary deduction. He asked, “Does the company give us the class membership fee?”

“No, it’s what we earned ourselves,” Bi Lele explained. “After the company’s quarterly benefits are met, one percent of the extra design fee is spent on activities. For example, the company requires the annual performance to be 10 million. The average is 2.5 million per quarter, and we have done 3 million jobs, of which 500,000 percent are counted as activities for this quarter, including employee travel and out-of-school study benefits.”

Zhang Siyi: “The trough, 10 million a year! Can our company earn so much?”

Bi Lele looked at Zhang Siyi as if he was looking at Xiaobai: “One million is less than in the past. When the industry situation was better, 20 million was easy to earn. Don’t forget there isn’t much support and our projects are on the smaller side.”

Zhu Hongzhen: “To make a contract you need pretty good connections and our company design fees are higher.”

Yuan Zhicheng, who is sitting in the vice-passenger seat, also turned around to comfort Zhang Siyi: “Although it is not very good now, but we can still eat at dinner, rest assured.”

Zhang Siyi: “…”

However, since there are so many class fees, why should Gu Yu also deduct his poor five hundred wages? Zhang Siyi feels slighted again!

Zhang Siyi could not help but be curious: “Hey, do you know how much Boss is paid?”

Zhu Hongzhen: “I’m not sure, but my classmate’s father is a chief architect. His annual income is about 5 to 600,000. Some other higher-ranking people make more than one million.

Zhang Siyi is excited – Who says that building can’t make money! A lot of money! (¥¥)

Bi Lele turned back and whispered: “I have listened to the group B people to discuss the annual salary of child labor, it seems to be 350,000, I think the work is almost the same.”

Zhu Hongzhen nodded: “It is high for someone as young as Gu Yu.”

Zhang Siyi glared at his fingers and thought that Jiang Hai and Fu Xinhui would not work for so little wages. So little money, it hurts: “Then our salary is bad?”

Bi Lele turned a blind eye: “What do we have to complain? We are new. A senior told me that one needs more than 8 years to even think about it. Maybe years ago, it was not like it is now.”

Zhu Hongzhen: “That is, nowadays, the graduates of the architecture department have a lot of graduates, and they are mostly cheap laborers. But the elite talents of the industry are hard to find. After all, the transfer rate is too high and there are too few who can persist.”

Bi Lele: “I heard that when the boss just became the Director, there was a real estate company in Shenzhen who offered a million yuan to recruit him as a design consultant, but he refused.”

Zhu Hongzhen: “How do you hear about so much?

Listening to colleagues talk about those high-income architects, Zhang Siyi has been speechless, why is the gap between people so much!

With the distraction of conversation, time passed quickly. In what felt like an instant, all 11 people arrived at the Cantonese restaurant. After the group of people were seated, several male colleagues were clamoring for a drink. Beer and wine were passed around and the atmosphere quickly became lively.

Everyone should respect the director as usual, but it is not a coincidence that Gu Yu’s cell phone suddenly rang. He smiled and pointed to Zhang Siyi’s direction: “Be good. I will go out and take my call.”

Zhang Siyi: “…”

When Gu Yu left, Zhang Siyi became the target of his colleagues and could not hide. Now that he has been with the company for a months’ time, he isn’t treated like and outsider. Plus, he is the only international student in Group A”.

Everyone laughed and laughed. When Gu Yu came back from his phone call, Zhang Siyi already drank several rounds. Hot faced, he had been teased mercilessly. He felt Gu Yu was intentionally making him angry. Head full of wine, Zhang Siyi stood up and pretended to be respectful: “Gu, thank you for this past month, teaching me so many things, here is a toast.”

Gu Yu felt touched. He happily picked up the glass and smiled: “Thank you, as long as you are obedient and eager to learn, I will be able to teach you more in the future.”

Zhang Siyi: “…”

The two men dried up the wine. When Zhang Siyi was seated, he listened to Gu Yu say to everyone: “Oh yes, I almost forgot, Zhang Siyi just became a full staff member, so everyone can make another toast.”

Zhang Siyi：“……”

The crowd immediately and enthusiastically raised a glass: “Congratulations! Welcome to Group A!”

Zhang Siyi is starting to feel overwhelmed so it’s getting harder to drink each round. He just wants to take a break, but Gu Yu raised his glass for another toast, smiled at him and said, “In fact, Zhang Siyi especially took five hundred dollars from his probation period salary to let everyone eat, so half of this meal is his invitation. So, everyone can have another drink.”

The crowd was shocked and happy, and they raised their glasses: “Come here, thank you Zhang Siyi! Thank you, Boss! Thank you, four!”

Zhang Siyi： “…………” Oh, my God! You have a grudge against me, don’t you?

Assistant Architect by Xi He Qing Ling

Chapter 13: Aura

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Gu Yu put down the pencil, turned his computer screen towards Zhang Siyi, and then opened a picture folder and showed him some examples of layouts with special specifications.

For example, the long-shaped water feature in the corridor wall of the ramen noodle shop, the bathroom in the triangular area below the small residential staircase, and the dining table that can be folded and hidden on the wall. Almost every design is so ingenious, but also so logical, like it was meant to be there.

Looking at the screen, Zhang Siyi doesn’t really know what to make of this new information. After all, his education is relatively conservative and nearly all his professors disapproved of students being too crazy with their designs. On one hand, as an architect, he feels he must adhere to the rules and regulations when planning a project. On the other hand, as a designer, he is meant to challenge the rules and think of things in a different way.

Just as Zhang Siyi was looking confused, Gu Yu pointed to the screen: “The designs you just saw are mostly mature architects. They know what the rules are, know where the bottom line is, and can guarantee basic use. They know what limits to challenge to still maintain comfort.” He used a pencil to click on Zhang Siyi’s drawings and said, “But obviously, you don’t have that kind of know-how right now, even if you take on the problem, you won’t be able to execute it properly.

Clenching his teeth, Zhang Siyi feels his anger rising and thinks: Since you know that I don’t have the skills set yet to finish the assignment, why give it to me? To deliberately fail?

Gu Yu took a cup of tea and took a sip, and then he said: “You must lay down a good foundation in order to understand the details of architecture. Don’t think about what shortcuts to take and templates to use. You will gradually lose the most important thing for architects. A sense of scale.”

Zhang Siyi is speechless. It turns out that Gu Yu just wants me to realize that applying a template is wrong? But why is he going in such a big circle to just say no?

This form of persuasion is undeniably more effective and will make a lasting impression on Zhang Siyi. After all, it is only human nature to spend the least amount of energy to accomplish goals. Who doesn’t want to be lazy and take shortcuts?

However, Du Rui also uses templates and Gu Yu is obviously aware so why is he only targeting himself? This is too unfair!

Knowing what Zhang Siyi is thinking, Gu Yu smiled and said: “Don’t think about comparing this situation with Du Rui. She can hand draw pictures, and it doesn’t matter if it is a template or not.”

Zhang Siyi: “…”

Gu Yu set aside the stack of unfished floor plans on his desk for another time. “When you think you can complete them, come back to me. Now, I have something else for you to do.”

As if he had been ready for a long time, Gu Yu picked up another stack of information, handed it to Zhang Siyi and like a general commanding his troops said, “draw the core functions of this plan and give it to me this evening.”

Zhang Siyi hurriedly said: “but the work day is nearly over.”

Gu Yu raised his eyebrow and looked at Zhang Siyi intently. It was impossible to ignore the ‘so-what’ expression the opposite party was giving him. “Hmm? You wasted a whole day not drawing, but still want to leave work? Companies don’t pay employees for nothing.”

Zhang Siyi: “…”

Disgraced, Zhang Siyi returned to his desk with a new task. He now feels that the ‘good, kind, and generous’ Boss is simply not good at all!

With the time nearly five o’clock, it will be impossible to get dinner out before 8 in the evening, so Zhang Siyi prepared himself to work overtime. He went downstairs to buy something to eat instead.

It just so happened that Du Rui also worked overtime today. They bumped into each other at the elevator and happily chatted together. Having experienced the director’s criticism together, he had a good impression of her and developed a rapport with her.

He bought a meal and went upstairs. The two walked along the landscape frame to the main entrance. As the words “Borderless” gradually became clear in his view, for the first time, Zhang Siyi was not excited. What of “The Pursuit is Endless”?  It is clearly “Hardship is Never Going to End”!

Du Rui suddenly asked: “I heard that Gu Yu gave you his little cactus?”

Zhang Siyi felt embarrassed.

Du Rui smiled and inexplicably said: “It’s good.”

Zhang Siyi: “…”

Walking through the dining area, Zhang Siyi was reminded of his question. He asked Du Rui, “We only have an hour for lunch so why are there lounges all around. Is there time to take a nap?”

Du Rui: “Rarely, maybe fifteen minutes or so…”

Zhang Siyi: “Then what are these large couches for?”

Du Rui: “Oh, That. They are used when you must stay up all night in the company. When a project has a short deadline, people will have to stay over until the job is completed. They will use them to sleep a few hours.”

L…live in the company!? Zhang Siyi’s mouth was twitching. He finally understood the meaning behind the information about the company’s 24-hour power supply and water supply.

Du Rui said again: “But this situation is very rare in our group. The directors’ preference is for us to go home. So even when we are very busy, they let us go back home on the last subway, especially girls.”

After sitting down, Zhang Siyi continued to ask: “You have been employed for a few years… Have you ever spent the night?”

“I have been here for less than a year, and I have stayed over twice. The two time were urgent, and the entire group was mobilized for a week. When Du Rui said this sentence, she had a happy expression on her face.

Zhang Siyi felt that staying over one or two times a year wouldn’t be so horrible. At school, it was common to spend all night and day in a classroom finishing projects.

Du Rui was two years older than Zhang Siyi. Before coming to Borderless, she drew construction plans for over a year with a medium sized design company. Every day she stayed late. It was a miracle to be home by 9 at night. With the constant requirement for overtime and late nights, she became exhausted and her body couldn’t stand it anymore. As a last resort she chooses to quit and find something with better working hours.

With De Rui diligence and introverted personality, the situation must have been dire for her to decide to quit. The last job left her with a deep psychological shadow.

“I went to several companies when I changed jobs. When I sent in a resume to Borderless, I didn’t think I would get a position because this company is based mainly on design and that isn’t one of my strong points.” Du Rui smiled modestly. “But I am glad I had the courage to challenge myself and make a change otherwise I would still be in a black abyss.”

Zhang Siyi persuaded Du Rui to realize her value: “No matter what happened, the previous work did help you improve.”

“Well, with twelve hours of work every day, it’s hard not to improve.” Du Rui shrugged. “At that time, I never saw the outside and I thought that it was the same for everyone else. But now I feel like I wasted my life during that time because all I was doing was repetitive assembly work, drawing the same thing repeatedly in a daze. I was modifying values that I felt were completely meaningless. It made me feel like I wasn’t a graduate student of architecture, but a fragile CAD drawing migrant worker.

Zhang Siyi thought: “No wonder Gu Yu said his painting details are far worse than Du Rui. It turns out that Du Rui has suffered so much.”

Du Rui sighed and said: “I also broke up with my ex-boyfriend that year. It was a difficult time”

Zhang Siyi was more sensitive to the word “breakup” recently. The gossip cells in his mind immediately became active and could not help but ask: “Why? Because you are too busy?”

Du Rui frankly said: “Well, there was a lot of work pressure at that time. Even if I had time outside of work, I just wanted to stay at home and have a good night’s sleep. Going out for a date was too troublesome. It would take too long to get ready so, without much time together its natural to break up.”

“I understand!” Zhang Siyi nodded desperately, although he is not a girl, this experience completely feels the same!

“Do you?” Du Rui looked wide-eyed at Zhang Siyi with a funny smile. She thought his temperament was more like a kind little brother. Harmless. There were many in the office that wanted to know more about Zhang Siyi. Du Rui can’t help but say, “Do you especially like girls to like it? Let’s talk about your girlfriends!”

Zhang Siyi couldn’t help but laugh out loud. “I’ve only had one, and I just broke up with her a few days ago for the same reasons. Like you, it was because of the pressure to find a job and I couldn’t spend time with her for two months, so we split.”

Du Rui “ha-ha” and smiled: “the same situation, coincidentally”

“I explained it to her several times, but she couldn’t understand it. She wanted to go out every day but when I did, she didn’t have anything pleasant to say. It was the last straw.” Zhang Siyi sighed.

Du Rui spread her hand: “Mutual understanding is really important. If the other person can’t understand your needs, then you aren’t suited for each other.”

Zhang Siyi: “Yes! I don’t know if you already have heard this joke. If a person disappears from your world, there are only two possibilities. The first one: the person is dead. The second one: they are Building.”

Du Rui: “Ha-ha. When we say we are working, we are buy doing work. When we have overtime, we are busy doing work. When there is a business trip, we are busy doing work. Saying that we don’t have time to message literally means there is no time to reply to messages!”

Zhang Siyi went on to say: “Even if the person is dazed, they don’t want to talk to anyone. Being dazed, is like a state of rest and they don’t want to interrupt their power recoupment.”

Du Rui: “Ha-ha too funny.” ……

The two sat together conversing happily with each other. The more they talked, the more they wanted to share and the more familiar they became. It really was like love and affection!

Looking at Du Rui’s laughter, Zhang Siyi, who was single for less than a week, was a little bit eager to move on. He didn’t know if it was just loneliness or if he felt moved by the girl in front of him. Anyway, he now feels that the mature and motivated Du Rui is much friendlier than the former ex-girlfriend.

He couldn’t help but say: “Don’t regret your ex-boyfriend. You are so good, you will definitely meet a better person.”

Du Rui startled, and blushed. This reaction let Zhang Siyi’s imagination run away. He wondered if Du Rui was interested in him. After all, their combined skills make for a good working relationship. They would be able to help each other out. How can he think otherwise, when Du Rui just asked him if he had a girlfriend?

“Since I came to Borderless, there is such a perfect person in the world.” Du Rui says with a blushing face full of a little girl’s unique vision and obsession.

Zhang Siyi’s heart started pounding: “Oh, who?”

Du Rui Xuan smiled and looked at Zhang Siyi, she said: “I hope that I can find a boyfriend like Director Gu.””

“Pfft–!”Zhang Siyi’s coffee all sprayed out. His hopes for a second spring, which had not yet sprouted, were brutally smothered by Gu Yu aura.

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