Assistant Architect

Assistant Architect by Xi He Qing Ling

Chapter 32: Invitation

After Gu Yu returned thetext message, he counted all the packages that belonged to Zhang Siyi. One,two, three, four, five…. He looked at Zhang Siyi and said: "You need a laborerto return from home."

Zhang Siyi reluctantly said:“I didn't want to bring so much, my mother insisted that I bring them.”

Gu Yu: “It seems thatyour mother is very fond of you.”

Zhang Siyi:“Fortunately…” Aren't all mothers like this?

Gu Yu also teased: “Youare all grown up but are still being breastfed!"

Zhang Siyi: “…”

Gu Yu looked at the violin casethat Zhang Siyi had placed at his feet. He had no chance to ask previously, butnow he was curious: “Do you play the violin?”

Zhang Siyi guilty:“Well, I have been studying for a few years.” He wanted to make animpression on Gu Yu, so he didn't tell him he hadn't practiced for a long timeand forgot how to play it well.

Gu Yu appears to be veryinterested: “Oh? When will you play it? Let me hear a song."

Zhang Siyi coughed. In orderto avoid his white lie being exposed, he pretended to be serious: “I havea rule. I only play violin for people that I like."

Gu Yan looked at Zhang Siyi andexpressively said “Oh”.

Could Gu Yu see through hisact? Zhang Siyi felt embarrassed and he subconsciously drummed his fingers.

Gu Yu: “I was going totell you that if you took the stage to play a song during the company's annualmeeting then there would be a reason to give you another bonus.

Zhang Siyi: “…”You didn’t say it earlier!

Originally, Zhang Siyi feltthat it was a wonderful experience to meet a fellow in Haicheng at the station.He wouldn't be lonely and could chat, but now finds that he is wrong! Betweenhis Father and Gu Yu, he felt belittled. Not wanting to feel insulted again, hewas afraid to talk to him. An Awkward silence broke out, so Zhang Siyi turnedhis attention to his mobile phone. Gu Yu also seemed disinterested in conversation,so he turned away and closed his eyes.

Seeing Gu Yu resting on theside, Zhang Siyi discretely turned sideways and opened WeChat: “I met the Bosson the train! I'm so depressed!”

Lele: “What train?Where have you been?”

Zhang Siyi: “I wentback to my hometown and now I am on the high-speed train back to Haicheng. Ihappened to be on the same train as the Boss. He is sitting next to me!”

Chicken wings: “Youhave some nerve complaining here."

Joe Sister: “Seriouswarning: Please don’t expose the secret base of the revolutionaryorganization.”

Aunt Four: “…”Damn it, this secret base is still formed by me!

Xuan Xuan: “I don’tunderstand. Why is the Boss traveling from your hometown to Haicheng?”

Lele: “Oh! After thebid, we continued to stay in the city for two more days. The boss said hewanted to go home so he went to the airport and flew. Do you have a place withthe boss?”

Zhang Siyi thought for amoment. At first, he thought it wasn't a good idea to expose the pastconnection between himself and Gu Yu, but now they have worked together for afew months. He is very familiar with his colleagues, so he didn't feel that itwas necessary to hide it anymore. In the chat group he said: “Well,Director Gu and I graduated from the same high school.”

The crowd didn't doubt hiswords, but also recognized Zhang Siyi own work strength.

Only Du Rui said withemotion: “No wonder you are so special to him.”

Xu Jia: “No. Ourcompany also had an intern from the same school as Gu Yu. I didn't see any specialtreatment."

Zhang Siyi is Speechless:“Do you really think it’s good to be on the Boss's radar?” I feellike I’m being stared at all the time. I'm not free at all!"

Xu Jia: “That is thegaze of love. Aunt Four, you must change your attitude. The more attention heshows you, the greater his expectations are!”

Lele: “The boss paysattention to you only means you still need to grow. Don’t struggleteenager.”

Chicken wings: “Yes, aslong as the work is done well, Gu Yu won't control you.”

Tai Cheng: “Agree…”

Zhang Siyi: “…”Why didn’t anyone help him say a word!

Just when Zhang Siyi wasconcentrating on replying to the group chat news, Gu Yu next to him suddenlysaid: “What are you doing?”

Zhang Siyi was so scaredthat he quickly quit the interface and turned around. Gu Yu looked at him withhis arms crossed and raised his eyebrows and asked: “Are you on socialmedia again?"

"No" Zhang Siyi spat. "I'mtalking to a friend,” He was afraid Gu Yu was going to accuse him again.To defend himself, he vehemently responded, "What's the problem? I'm not atwork and yet you still criticize me. Am I at work now??? Then there is noproblem!!!"

After watching Zhang Siyi eagerlyargue with him, Gu Yu was unexpectedly amused. He covered his laugh: "Ofcourse."

Zhang Siyi blankly looked atGu Yu's smiling and felt stupid. While this person normally has a very sternface, if he smiled so handsomely and cheerfully all the time, it is estimatedthat it wouldn't be long before Zhang Siyi stopped being afraid of him.

Gu Yu: “You don't haveto shrink into the corner to chat.”

Feeling embarrassed, ZhangSiyi sat up straighter and stopped playing with his mobile phone.

Gu Yu coughed and suddenlyasked: "Are you free tomorrow?”

Zhang Siyi: “Hmm?What’s up?"

Although tomorrow is hisbirthday, he didn't make specific plans with either his circle of friends orconfirming plans with Fu Xinhui, so nothing is certain.

Gu Yu paused and said:“I want to take you to a place.”

Zhang Siyi: “…” What- is - happening??

Since Gu Yu didn't hearZhang Siyi refuse, he assumed it meant he was free. He directly asked: “Doyou know the Center Union Square?”

…… Hey, huh? What do youmean? Is Gu Yu asking him out?

Because Zhang Siyi wasentangled with his thoughts, he didn't say anything about his birthday. Heheard him say: “Beside the No. 3 line xx Road Station, tomorrow at 9 am,see you there.” There was no room for refusal.

“What are we going todo there?” Zhang Siyi can only continue to ask questions along thesubject.

Gu Xiao: “Tomorrow youwill know."

Zhang Siyi: "……" It's amystery!

Gu Yu successfully piquedhis interest, so he slowly nodded. "Okay."

When the train arrived inHaicheng, the two men took the big bags and left the station. They decided itwas too cumbersome to travel by subway with all the packages, so they went tolook for a taxi. Gu Yu helped Zhang Siyi bring his things back to hisapartment. Feeling a little upset, Zhang Siyi, asked: “Where do youlive?”

Gu Yu reported a generallocation not far from the company which was in the same neighborhood of thecafe that Zhang Siyi and his ex-girlfriend had met last time. The very affluentarea was mostly occupied with old-fashioned houses. Whether it was buying ahouse or renting a house, the price is not cheap.

Zhang Siyi curiously asked:“Are you living in your own house?” This is a rather impolitequestion for an employee to ask his Boss. He guessed that Gu Yu wouldn't reply,however he answered calmly. “I am borrowing a friend's house."

Being influenced by gossip, ZhangSiyi’s can't help wondering about what friend Gu Yu has. What type of friend isso close that you borrow a house? Is it the person who has called before? Althoughcurious, Zhang Siyi did not dare ask Gu Yu.

During the taxi ride home,he called Fu Xinhui and asked him to come to the door and meet him. Then he hadto take the crab paste and crab out according to his mother’s instructions andgive it to Gu Yu.

Gu Yu refused: “Don’tgive it to me, you can eat it yourself.”

“No, no, my mom said togive you half.” Zhang Siyi said.

While Gu Yu couldn'tdirectly deal with his mother before, he can now deal with Zhang Siyi: "Soeager to give me something. Soliciting favors? Am I collecting bribes?"

Zhang Siyi choked and nearlyspit blood. He wanted to say a few more words, but Gu Yu quickly explained:“Your mother has already given me oranges. These things are her heart foryou. Keep it for yourself. It is better to work hard to make me happier.”

Zhang Siyi: “…”

Fu Xinhui has stood at thedoor of the neighborhood waiting. Gu Yu helped Zhang Siyi get out of the car withhis bags and made another face-to-face with Fu Xinhui. Fu Xinhui also politelyasked if Gu would go up for a drink, but he refused unceremoniously.

Zhang Siyi carried histhings upstairs with Fu Xinhui help. He felt irritated and couldn't stophimself from complaining to his friend about Gu Yu's indifference: "That guy isso unreasonable!"

Fu Xinhui: “What’s thematter? Why are you so pissed?"

Zhang Siyi: “My momasked me to give these things to him, but he refused saying I was trying tobribe him!"

Fu Xinhui smiled andreassured him: "Why are you so angry? It just means he doesn't have a closeenough relationship with you that he felt comfortable accepting the gifts.That's all."

Zhang Siyi: "……"

After entering the house, FuXinhui looked at the bag again: “Hey, red cream, crab, good things!”

Zhang Siyi said with a sighof relief: “Yes, this from the housekeeper. She picked the fattest crab meatto make it. It's the best, super delicious crab paste that money can'tbuy!”

Zhang Siyi appeared better.The two cooked some rice and made a fried green side dish. They set the tablethen decided to call Jiang Hai. For fear of not coming, they invited hisgirlfriend to join them.

After the meal, Fu Xinhuimentioned Zhang Siyi's birthday. Jiang Hai and Tian Yujing were quite excitedas they were free on the weekend and was available to do something together.

Zhang Siyi remembered Gu'sinvitation and said: "I can't go out tomorrow. My Boss told me to meet him."

Fu Xinhui said: “Where isgoSquare?”

Zhang Siyi: “It's atthe union center. I have never been, so I'll check the map.”

Jiang Hai: “I've beenthere before. It's a business center with shopping and dining. Why are youmeeting him there?"

With a timely response TianYujing said: “A date?”

Zhang Siyi: “………”

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