Assistant Architect

Chapter 57: Presentation

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Listening to Fu Xinhui’s explanation was awe-inspiring. At first, Zhang Siyi’s worries were scattered. Knowing Fu Xinhui decadent upbringing, he didn’t realize how much Fu Xinhui had to fight growing up. It’s not really a brainless environment.

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

Feigning death, Zhang Siyi collapsed on the couch like a dead fish: “It’s terrible to ask for money when there is none.”

Jiang Hai: “Hey!”

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

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

New Year’s Eve... and 10:30.... 10:30?

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

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

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

“Oh ah...” Zhang Siyi was so anxious that everything was bound up. This isn’t a good time to be feeling constipated!

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

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

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

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

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

Gu Yu: “I didn’t buy a ticket.”

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

Gu Yu: “No, I’ll drive back.”

Zhang Siyi: “.....” You got a car?

Gu Xiao: “Hmm.”

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

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

Zhang Siyi: “What time?”

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

Zhang Siyi: “......” I’m still sleeping at 3: 30! Just stay up all night!

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

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

Gu Yu: “Well?” Have you decided?

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

Gu Yu: “Good.”

Zhang Siyi: “Just the two of us?

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

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

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

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

Zhang Siyi remembered the time at work at night when Gu Yu stood by his side and whispered in his ear. The distance was so close that he thought Gu Yu would kiss him. Ahhhhh! What to do? Alone together in Gu Yu’s apartment. Alone together in Gu Yu’s car... Ahhhhh! He couldn’t bear to think about it any longer.

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

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

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

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

The driver is a foreigner in his thirties who is also the company’s security guard. He laughed and said: “You are my last passengers for the year. I’m going home tomorrow for the holiday. Can you drive me? I’m thinking about my home; my heart is like an arrow!” A few people in the car laughed.

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

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

Zhang Siyi: “... What?”

Gu Yu reiterated once: “You and Lu Qiao’s plan. You will go report it later.”

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

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

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

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

Gu Yu explained: “Although these two designs are made by you two alone, Borderless is a group. Remember, a report is not about you, but to represent all of us.”

Lu Qiao echoed him: “Yes, the Boss is giving you a good opportunity to practice presentations!”

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

The pressure Zhang Siyi feels increased. He secretly cursed Gu Yu for abusing himself. He heard him say: “Speak well and the project will be decided upon. Tomorrow, you can take off early, ahead of the holiday.”

Lu Qiao grabbed Zhang Siyi’s arm and looked at him urgently: “Auntie Four you have to fight! Ah! Quick! Look at my design! I will tell you about my ideas again! I’m counting on you to have an early holiday!”

Zhang Siyi: “......”

At the municipal government building, Director Jiang received a call in advance and was waiting for them. He enthusiastically led them upstairs into the conference room: “I’m really so sorry this is so close to the holiday. Sit first, I asked someone to bring tea and I’ll call Secretary Wang.

Gu Yu politely replied: “Do not worry. We will get ready.”

After a while, tea was brought to the room and Lu Qiao helped them connect the computer and projection equipment for the presentation.

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

How can Zhang Siyi not be nervous!? Although he has made reports before, they were only at his university to present his projects. This is his first time giving a presentation professionally and for the city government no less! What if it doesn’t go well? He doesn’t want to disgrace Gu Yu!

Gu Yu smiled and patted him on the shoulder. He encouraged: “Don’t be afraid, I won’t be idle.”

Zhang Siyi: “....”

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

Director Wang saw that Zhang Siyi stood up and looked at him. Gu Yu immediately said: “This is a young designer recently employee at Borderless. He graduated from the British Architecture program C, called Zhang Siyi and met with Wang Shi last time. Because of the good meeting and positive feedback, he offered to report to you in my place. I thought that I should give him a chance to practice. I humbly ask the officials to bear with me. You can rest assured that the office building design was in my full control. If you have any questions for Mr. Zhang that he doesn’t know, I will answer.”

Secretary Wang listened to Gu Yu’s words and laughed happily: “So Mr. Zhang is a Western educated graduate ah? The times have changed! Director Gu is so good, The Assistant is certainly not so simple.” He looked at Zhang Siyi and encouraged him: “Come Mr. Zhang, speak slowly. Don’t be nervous.”

In his mind Zhang Siyi spoke: “What initiative did I take? Clearly, you forced me!”. When he turned to glare at Gu Yu, he only saw Gu Yu’s confident eyes. He gained strength from them and miraculously calmed down. Since he personally visited the designated renovation area and devoted himself wholeheartedly, now, the whole design plan is like a picture on an HD TV; clearly displayed in Zhang Siyi’s mind.

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