Assistant Architect

Assistant Architect by Xi He Qing Ling

Chapter 46: Annual Meeting

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All around, there were many people milling about socializing. Even though many don't know each other, seeing peers in the same industry with kind faces is reassuring. They have the same sympathetic views and the extroverts in the groups are already chatting together.

Zhang Siyi noticed Gu Yu was already at the meeting, chatting with a strange young man. The young man was about 30 or so. He was taller than Gu Yu, wearing a three-piece suit and dressed very formally. Gu Yu is also dressed formally in a black suit and black leather shoes. He looks quite elegant.

Looking at the two men, Zhang Siyi suddenly felt that his dress seemed a little out of place. He glanced down at his clothes; sweat pants and sneakers…… Damn it, who told me I could wear anything!?

Depressed, Zhang Siyi looked around in a circle, and saw that other colleagues were also dressed casually. He sighed in relief and walk towards them. There were a few of the girls in A Group together laughing back and forth. He didn’t know what they were talking about.

Zhang Siyi waved his hand to several people and called the name of one of his acquaintances. Everyone was startled and they turned toward Zhang Siyi to look over at him. One by one he sees mixed expressions both of sympathy and of funny ones.

By the looks of everyone's expression, they do not appear to be teasing him, but in his heart, Zhang Siyi’s feels an ominous premonition. The feeling of being kept in the dark makes him particularly unhappy: "What are you doing?"

Following the people's line of sight, he turned his face in the direction that everyone else was looking at. In front of the banquet the hall he saw a projection screen that was looping through the works submitted by the staff for the photo contest and the picture was just cut to a very serious plant photo. There was nothing suspicious.

Zhang Siyi became more agitated: “Is there something you are not telling me?”

Many in the crowd smirked and they didn't deny it. Covering thier mouths’ to stifle thier laughs, one of the girls couldn't bear it any longer and said: "You will know when you see it."

Zhang Siyi turned to the screen without a word and waited for more than a minute. A picture suddenly flashed on the screen and Zhang Siyi was completely flabbergasted. A group of people around them followed with a burst of laughter: “HA-HA-HA-HA-HA!"

Zhang Siyi stared at the slide with a stunned look. He felt like he was struck by lightning. There on the big screen he saw it: Himself.

— Fucking mouth open! Drooling! Kinked neck! Looks like a zombie!

— What a fool! So stupid! In the photo, there is a group of people who are looking at him in deep sleep!

Zhang Siyi quickly remembered dozing off at the seminar a few weeks ago, and it was no wonder that when he woke up everyone looked at him with a sympathetic eye!

No wonder a photography competition was made into a public event and everyone looked at him with compassion! “Who took this!!” Infuriated, Zhang Siyi is going to explode!

Bending over in laughter many can't contain themselves. The girl giggled and said: “G, Director Gu took it. Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha…."

With a killing intent, Zhang wanted to strangle Gu Yu. He scanned to room and saw him standing with the young man from before. Covering their mouths in laughter, Gu Yu and the man were also watching the screen. The young man seems to have asked Gu Yu who the person was in the photo. Gu Yu looked quickly around the room and his gaze landed on Zhang Siyi. He pointed at him then winked.

Aah! aah! aah! aah! aah!…… It’s too much!!!

More than that, almost everyone who has yet to be seated in the hall is watching the slides, including the company next door. Peering into the hall to see the fun, they also saw many serious photos in a row and then Zhang Siyi's funny one…. Everyone laughed like crazy.

Being bullied and teased, Zhang Siyi felt humiliated. What's more, now he realizes the reason for Gu Yu promoting and encouraging participation in the photo content. Unacceptable!

With the appearance of the next photo, the room quieted down dramatically. In stark contrast, the image of Gu Yu, basked in soft sunlight, reading a book, is projected on the big screen. The charming portrait of him in the library clearly shows both his exquisite handsome face and his serious temperament. The visual impact is palpable.

Many gasps of breath from female audience members could be heard throughout the banquet hall; then quiet murmurs. After seeing the picture of a perfect specimen, many girls can't help but excitedly ask about the man in the photo. They want to be embraced by him. Who is he? What does he do? Is he married? Does he have a girlfriend? This just makes Zhang Siyi more irritated.

Since Zhang Siyi didn’t show the photograph to anyone before handing it in, many were curious to know who took the photo. From across the room, only Gu Yu looked at Zhang Siyi with a thoughtful smile on his face.

The rest of the people are not stupid and can deduce the answer for themselves. Based on Gu Yu dress, and the fact Zhang Siyi had a SLR at work taking pictures, it wasn't hard to guess.

Hey, these two people took photographs of one another without each of them knowing! Zhang Siyi has handed in the perfect homework; a picture-perfect portrait of Gu Yu. In contrast, Gu Yu unexpectedly entered a ridiculous and funny photo of Zhang Siyi. In such a happy and festive occasion, even though Zhang Siyi was so unlucky, no one was going to go comfort him.

On the same day, at the same place, in almost the same moment, Zhang Siyi and Gu Yu became famous together. It’s just that the two of them are so famous that they don’t get it!

At the time of the meal, everyone was laughing and looking for a place to sit down. The banquet hall was set up with more than a dozen tables with open seating. Only the head table at the front was reserved for the top leaders of the firm.

Instinctually, everyone segregated themselves into their usual work departments and groups. The architectural design department of about 30 people comprising of both Group A and B occupied three tables.

Gu Yu waved goodbye to the young man and walked over and headed straight towards Zhang Siyi. Staring at the two of them with curious looks, the people at the table are silenced.

Seeing Gu Yu walking over, Zhang Siyi is so angry he could kill him. How dare he come over!

Gu Yu not only dared to come, but he also smiled at Zhu Hongzhen signaling him to move a position to the side and then sat directly next to Zhang Siyi.

Zhang Siyi: “…” Why are you sitting next to me!? What on Earth do you want!?

But he did not say anything. With the state of his emotions being played with, Zhang Siyi didn't have the temper at the moment to face Gu Yu. He gritted his teeth, and swallowed blood, then turned his back to Gu Yu and checked his social media pages instead.

Tenderly, Gu Yu smiled and glanced at him hesitantly with a little bit of helplessness, like watching an awkward child.

Zhang Siyi is sideways and didn't see, but everyone else at the table saw. Especially the female colleagues whose eyes turned dark.

The start of the annual meetings signaled the start of the company's performance review. To host the event, two select employees arrived on the stage and started with a routine introductory speech. On the side, the projector is still cycling through the photographs. Every time Zhang Siyi's photo pops-up, laughs can be heard in the banquet hall. The leader couldn't let it go and pointed to the photo and said: "Young people are very energetic. I hope that everyone will work together to progress and create a brilliant future in the coming year."

After the applause, the Directors of each team came up on stage to award this year's outstanding staff awards. Gu Yu and Tong Heyi got up and walked to the stage. Zhang Siyi realized why Gu Yu was dressed so formally today and even Child Labor wore a beautiful dress. Both looked very professional.

There are five awards to be given out in the architectural design group. Three of them were awarded to Ji Feiyu, Yuan Zhicheng and Du Rui and the bonus for being an outstanding employee was 5,000 yuan. Zhang Siyi felt envious, however, although he has been working hard, he knows that he is still far worse than these people. When Gu Yu got up and presented them with awards, the photo of him taken by Zhang Siyi was displayed on the side. As if to confirm that the handsome person in the photograph was real, everyone in the audience stared at Gu Yu.

The luncheon officially began when the awards were over.

When Gu Yu came back to the table, everyone raised their glasses and gave him a toast. He saw Zhang Siyi sitting on the side despondent. He reached out to his waist and gently patted it. He leaned in and whispered: "You've only been in the company for half a year, so you were ineligible to receive an award. Continue to work hard next year."

Zhang Siyi: “…”

Why explain this to me?

I don’t care so much….

Ok, actually….

I care a little bit….

Gu Yu seemed to have read his inner thoughts. Zhang Siyi was comforted by his intimate explanation. But the photo thing hasn't been accounted for and he doesn't want to forgive Gu Yu so easily. He wants revenge!

Throughout the luncheon, every ten minutes, the host on stage announced a new event and called on everyone to come up to the stage. Not caring about his public image anymore now that the stupid photo of him was seen by everyone, Zhang Siyi wearing sportswear participated in several events. He earned himself a bunch of red bonus envelopes and his mood started to improve.

In the second half of the banquet, the host announced an event to get a balloon from your opponents. The game was played in pairs and the object was to keep your balloon intact. “The last person with a balloon is the winner and can get a bonus of 500 yuan! Welcome everyone to participate… There are already three boys on the stage!” The host spoke through the mic on the stage enthusiastically.

Zhang Siyi thought, this is a disguised melee game – he glanced at Gu Yu, who was drinking and eating, and squinted his eyes. “Gu, everyone is so happy today, how can you just sit and eat?” Come on, let’s go play together!" Zhang Siyi stood up and took the initiative to pull Gu Yu’s arm.

Gu Yu was stunned by Zhang Siyi's initiative and unpredictable behavior. The crowd clapped and cheered, “All right, all right! Boss, come on!"

Gu Yu smiled and shook his head, and he was very helpless, but he did not refuse. He reached out to the stage and gestured to Zhang Siyi to lead the way. The two went to the stage, and the audience was in a state of utter shock. It seems that they did not expect Gu Yu to get up. Even the host was surprised: “Gu is also on the stage. As one of Borderless Directors, everyone shouldn't be so lenient, right?"

Zhang Siyi smiled and said: “Show no mercy!”

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