Assistant Architect Chapter 13

Assistant Architect by Xi He Qing Ling
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Chapter 13: Aura
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Gu Yu put down the pencil, turned his computer screen towardsZhang Siyi, and then opened a picture folder and showed him some examples of layoutswith special specifications.
For example, the long-shaped water feature in thecorridor wall of the ramen noodle shop, the bathroom in the triangular areabelow the small residential staircase, and the dining table that can be foldedand hidden on the wall. Almost every design is so ingenious, but also sological, like it was meant to be there.
Looking at the screen, Zhang Siyi doesn't really knowwhat to make of this new information. After all, his education is relativelyconservative and nearly all his professors disapproved of students being toocrazy with their designs. On one hand, as an architect, he feels he must adhereto the rules and regulations when planning a project. On the other hand, as adesigner, he is meant to challenge the rules and think of things in a differentway.
Just as Zhang Siyi was looking confused, Gu Yu pointed tothe screen: “The designs you just saw are mostly mature architects. Theyknow what the rules are, know where the bottom line is, and can guarantee basicuse. They know what limits to challenge to still maintain comfort.” Heused 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 theproblem, you won't be able to execute it properly.
Clenching his teeth, Zhang Siyi feels his anger rising andthinks: Since you know that I don’t have the skills set yet to finish theassignment, 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 ofarchitecture. Don't think about what shortcuts to take and templates to use. Youwill gradually lose the most important thing for architects. A sense ofscale.”
Zhang Siyi is speechless. It turns out that Gu Yu justwants me to realize that applying a template is wrong? But why is he going insuch a big circle to just say no?
This form of persuasion is undeniably more effective andwill make a lasting impression on Zhang Siyi. After all, it is only humannature to spend the least amount of energy to accomplish goals. Who doesn'twant to be lazy and take shortcuts?
However, Du Rui also uses templates and Gu Yu isobviously aware so why is he only targeting himself? This is too unfair!
Knowing what Zhang Siyi is thinking, Gu Yu smiled andsaid: “Don’t think about comparing this situation with Du Rui. She can handdraw 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 hisdesk 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 upanother stack of information, handed it to Zhang Siyi and like a generalcommanding his troops said, “draw the core functions of this plan and giveit to me this evening."
Zhang Siyi hurriedly said: “but the work day isnearly over."
Gu Yu raised his eyebrow and looked at Zhang Siyiintently. It was impossible to ignore the 'so-what' expression the oppositeparty was giving him. "Hmm? You wasted a whole day not drawing, but still wantto leave work? Companies don't pay employees for nothing."
Zhang Siyi: “…”
Disgraced, Zhang Siyi returned to his desk with a newtask. He now feels that the 'good, kind, and generous' Boss is simply not goodat all!
With the time nearly five o'clock, it will be impossibleto get dinner out before 8 in the evening, so Zhang Siyi prepared himself towork overtime. He went downstairs to buy something to eat instead.
It just so happened that Du Rui also worked overtimetoday. They bumped into each other at the elevator and happily chattedtogether. Having experienced the director's criticism together, he had a goodimpression of her and developed a rapport with her.
He bought a meal and went upstairs. The two walked alongthe landscape frame to the main entrance. As the words "Borderless" graduallybecame clear in his view, for the first time, Zhang Siyi was not excited. What of“The Pursuit is Endless”? Itis clearly “Hardship is Never Going to End”!
Du Rui suddenly asked: “I heard that Gu Yu gave you hislittle cactus?”
Zhang Siyi felt embarrassed.
Du Rui smiled and inexplicably said: “It’sgood.”
Zhang Siyi: “…”
Walking through the dining area, Zhang Siyi was remindedof his question. He asked Du Rui, "We only have an hour for lunch so why arethere 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 stayup all night in the company. When a project has a short deadline, people willhave to stay over until the job is completed. They will use them to sleep a fewhours."
L…live in the company!? Zhang Siyi's mouth was twitching.He finally understood the meaning behind the information about the company's24-hour power supply and water supply.
Du Rui said again: “But this situation is very rarein our group. The directors' preference is for us to go home. So even when weare 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 stayedover twice. The two time were urgent, and the entire group was mobilized for aweek. 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 yearwouldn't be so horrible. At school, it was common to spend all night and day ina classroom finishing projects.
Du Rui was two years older than Zhang Siyi. Before comingto Borderless, she drew construction plans for over a year with a medium sizeddesign company. Every day she stayed late. It was a miracle to be home by 9 atnight. With the constant requirement for overtime and late nights, she becameexhausted and her body couldn't stand it anymore. As a last resort she choosesto quit and find something with better working hours.
With De Rui diligence and introverted personality, thesituation must have been dire for her to decide to quit. The last job left herwith a deep psychological shadow.
“I went to several companies when I changed jobs. WhenI sent in a resume to Borderless, I didn't think I would get a position becausethis 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 challengemyself 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 notto improve." Du Rui shrugged. "At that time, I never saw the outside and Ithought that it was the same for everyone else. But now I feel like I wasted mylife 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 feltwere completely meaningless. It made me feel like I wasn't a graduate studentof architecture, but a fragile CAD drawing migrant worker.
Zhang Siyi thought: "No wonder Gu Yu said his paintingdetails are far worse than Du Rui. It turns out that Du Rui has suffered somuch."
Du Rui sighed and said: “I also broke up with myex-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 becameactive and could not help but ask: “Why? Because you are too busy?”
Du Rui frankly said: “Well, there was a lot of work pressureat that time. Even if I had time outside of work, I just wanted to stay at homeand have a good night’s sleep. Going out for a date was too troublesome. Itwould take too long to get ready so, without much time together its natural tobreak 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 Siyiwith a funny smile. She thought his temperament was more like a kind littlebrother. Harmless. There were many in the office that wanted to know more aboutZhang Siyi. Du Rui can’t help but say, “Do you especially like girls to likeit? Let’s talk about your girlfriends!”
Zhang Siyi couldn’t help but laugh out loud. “I'veonly 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 spendtime 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 shecouldn’t understand it. She wanted to go out every day but when I did, shedidn't have anything pleasant to say. It was the last straw." Zhang Siyisighed.
Du Rui spread her hand: “Mutual understanding isreally important. If the other person can’t understand your needs, then youaren't suited for each other."
Zhang Siyi: “Yes! I don’t know if you already haveheard this joke. If a person disappears from your world, there are only twopossibilities. The first one: the person is dead. The second one: they are Building.”
Du Rui: “Ha-ha. When we say we are working, we arebuy doing work. When we have overtime, we are busy doing work. When there is abusiness trip, we are busy doing work. Saying that we don't have time tomessage 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 andthey 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 theybecame. It really was like love and affection!
Looking at Du Rui's laughter, Zhang Siyi, who was singlefor less than a week, was a little bit eager to move on. He didn't know if itwas just loneliness or if he felt moved by the girl in front of him. Anyway, henow feels that the mature and motivated Du Rui is much friendlier than theformer ex-girlfriend.
He couldn’t help but say: “Don’t regret yourex-boyfriend. You are so good, you will definitely meet a better person.”
Du Rui startled, and blushed. This reaction let Zhang Siyi'simagination run away. He wondered if Du Rui was interested in him. After all, theircombined skills make for a good working relationship. They would be able tohelp each other out. How can he think otherwise, when Du Rui just asked him ifhe had a girlfriend?
“Since I came to Borderless, there is such a perfectperson in the world.” Du Rui says with a blushing face full of a littlegirl’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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