Assistant Architect by Xi He Qing Ling

_______________________________________

Chapter 9: Plants

_______________________________________

Su Yuan's parents are all university teachers. Her ordinary family is fromthe working class, and not nuevo rich. When she was studying abroad, she wasvery self-reliant. When she was free, she would go out to work. Now when shereturns to work in Haicheng, she will not rely on her family.

The New East District is a short distance from the place where they meet,and the taxi fare is high at night. It is indeed a more economical choice tocatch the last subway.

Although Zhang Siyi was very keen to say, “Hold on, she can taxi homeinstead,” but he couldn’t. Becauseat the moment, he is nothing but a new trial salary worker with 4,500, and nocapital.

When Su Yuan left, Ren Mengyu could not wait either. Since they livedtogether, there was no need to gather there with Fu Xinhui and Jiang Hai.

Zhang Si Yi hung up the phone, feeling empty.

Frustrated, he let the driver turn around and go home. A little later, hechecked the messages from the beginning to see the chat record. He witnessedhis friends having fun from the start until the end. He felt anxious and thenwhen his friends scattered, a deep sense of loss welled up in inside of him.

Zhang Siyi: “I’m so sorry.”

Zhang Siyi: “I didn’t think I was going to work overtime on the firstday …”

Zhang Siyi: “Next time I’ll treat you!”

There were two minutes of silence in the group. Zhang Siyi looked like aprisoner waiting for a judgment, and pitifully sent a few crying expressions inthe group.

Finally, Fu Xinhui first replied: “Kneel down to forgive yourcrimes.”

And then the class responded.——

Jiang Hai: “kneel!"

Ren Mengxi: “kneel!"

Su Yuan: “kneel!"

Zhang Siyi broke into laughter and quickly sent a look of “cry andcry.”

Su Yuan: “it's hard to find the time when people are working so late.Maybe next time.”

Jiang Hai suddenly said with a deep emotion: “I am afraid thateveryone will be busier in the future and gather less.”

This realization poked at Zhang Siyi sensitive point and felt The Hurt of Springand Autumn.

Fu Xinhui casually asked him if he had dinner. Zhang Siyi returned thesentence “I was too hungry”.

Ren Mengyu: “Today Fu Xinhui treated, but don’t forget that youalready owe us two meals! Zhang Siyi”

Zhang Siyi was thankful. Fu Xinhui helped him recover a little face. Hisbuddy didn’t care about it. He quickly promised to make it up to them next timein the group, and then he took the initiative to tell them about the morninginterview.

Su Yuan said after listening to it: “The average company now asksabout your relevant skills, and what courses have you studied in college, andany real work you have done. They don’t normally ask ‘why you studiedarchitecture’. Looking for a job is not a college entrance exam.”

Zhang Siyi felt the same feeling: “I was also confused about it at thetime. I was anxious to say that it was influenced by the high school alumni. Ididn’t expect that the person who interviewed me was the senior! I didn’trecognize him!”

Ren Mengxi: “This is too good!”

Fu Xinhui: “It must be the back door!”

Zhang Siyi: “Get out of the way! He specially told me when he waseating at noon that he didn’t want me to think that he hired me because of therelationship of ‘high school alumni’!”

Fu Xinhui: “[white eyes]"

Su Yuan: “But since it is high school seniors, then you the work inthe future will be easier.”"

“No! ！”Zhang Si Yi hystericallyreplied in the group of friends about how Gu Yu is shameless, including theprevious day’s coffee event triggered the deduction of wages.

Ren Mengxi: “Hey, you broke up?”

Zhang Siyi: “The breakup is not thepoint!”

Ren Mengxi: “Hey, the girlfriend who justbroke up is not as good as the one who has deducted you for 500 yuan. Isuddenly want to give your ex-girlfriend a candle.”

Jiang Hai: “But 500 bucks is nothing foryou. It's just the money for the next restaurant in the UK."

Zhang Siyi: “I thought he was joking at thetime.”

Su Yuan: “I see, 500 dollars is not thepoint, the point is that you are not happy that he is a senior but still treatsyou so ruthlessly"

Zhang Siyi: “yes, you understand!”

Zhang Siyi subconsciously blamed Gu Yu'sfastidiousness for making him miss his appointed time tonight to meet with hisfriends. If Gu Yu were more laid-back, he would let him leave early. Besides,how can someone make them do overtime on he the first day of work!

Fu Xinhui joked: “You know… did hedeliberately recruit you to give you a hard time for spilling coffee onhim?”

Zhang Si Yi was frightened by Fu Xinfei’sspeculation that he was right. It did make some sense since his name andprofession and the fact he was looking for a job had been exposed that morningwhen his ex-girlfriend vented her frustrations on him, but if Gu Yu had readhis resume in advance, he would leave an impression on his mind.

But he soon felt it was impossible. No one wouldbe so vengeful for a cup of coffee. He would have said something at that time,not later. So frustrating, looking for a job is not a trifling matter!

Everyone chatted and went to their homes. ZhangSiyi was closer to the residence from the company, so he was a step earlierthan Fu Xinhui.

He was so tired he didn't even feel hungry. Hedidn’t eat supper, but he felt he needed to eat something to replenish hisstrength. He was just about to order take-out when Fu Xinhui and Jiang Hai cameback. Fu Xinhui had brought him a package of fried rice.

Zhang Siyi rushed to the ground and asked:“How do you know that I have not eaten yet??”

Fu Xinhui: “Didn't you just say it in thegroup?”

Zhang Siyi was moved to tears. His brother was sogood too him, why does he need a girlfriend.

Thinking of Fu Xinhui kindness for paying fortonight’s meal, Zhang Siyi again said thanks again. Fu Xinhui It's not a bigdeal: ” I just wanted to celebrate your new job, although you did not eatwith us, hahaha.”

Zhang Siyi sat in satisfaction with the friedrice: “This is the same.”

Fu Xinhui smiled at him for a while, and his facewas thoughtful.

After eating for a while, Zhang Si Yi began tofeel sleepy. He had not slept enough last night and had been nervous all day.Normally, he seldom got into bed before midnight. He also wanted to send amessage to his parents about the good news, but once his head hit the pillow,his two eyelids became heavy, and quickly went to sleep.

After sleeping through the night and waking atdawn, Zhang Siyi was refreshed. Yesterday's depression was left behind.

“I love work!” Zhang Siyi shouted inthe mirror after getting out of the shower. Then he ran out to the crowdedsubway and headed to work.

Watching him head out the door so full ofenthusiasm, Jiang Hai with his own black line of emotion thought:“simple-minded people are really happy.”

Ten minutes before the working hours, he arrivedat the company. Zhang Siyi first went to the personnel department to submit hisown degree certificate. He was surrounded by the newly arrived front desk girl:“Wait a minute! Are you the new person from yesterday? Please comeover.”

Zhang Siyi wondered: “What, you meanme?”

The receptionist at the front desk explained:“Our company every quarter award a “love my job” bonus for theamount of 1000 yuan.

Zhang Siyi was interested: “Aha? Is theresuch a thing?”

The young girl at the front desk smiled and said:“Yes, let me explain the details of this award. As long as certainconditions are met, all employees will be awarded.”

Zhang Siyi: “What are the conditions?

"It's very simple," the front desk girl pointedat the landscape glass frame at the company’s main entrance that was next tothe elevator. "Pick a plant and take care of it. It now is in your care duringyour employment. The conditions for awarding bonuses are twofold: one, yourattendance records, and secondly is the health of your plant. It has to begrowing well.”

Zhang Siyi was stunned. He didn’t think theplants on the shelves were taken care of by the employees. He thought that themaintenance staff took care of them.

However, Zhang Siyi has never raised any plants,so he has questions: “How is the growth status judged?”

The young girl smiled and said, “If itdoesn’t die, you can do it.”

Oh? isn’t that easy? Zhang Siyi relieved went togo find a plant to raise.

Most of the shelves are herbs such as greenradish, evergreen, and copper grass. There is a wide variety. Although ZhangSiyi does not raise plants, he does know that the seemingly small and sturdybear boy and moon rabbit plants are not as easy as they seem with the amount ofwater they need to thrive. The most reliable is the cactus. Even if it is not wateredfor half a year, it will not die.

After carefully watching it, Zhang Siyi found twopots of cactus on the shelf, one big and one small, and they were placed in twoglass lattices next to each other.

He pointed to the big cactus: “How about thisone?”

Front desk sister: “This is directorGu’s.”

Zhang Siyi: “…” What's the catch?Does Gu Yu have the same thoughts as his own? (=_=)

Zhang Siyi reluctantly pointed to the small poton the side: “What about the smaller one?”

Little girl at the front desk: “That is alsothe directors.”

Zhang Siyi： "……"

At 8:58, Gu Yu just got out of the elevator andsaw Zhang Siyi, frazzled standing with the receptionist talking to her:“Why can he occupy two pots of cactus? Isn’t everyone only able to adoptone pot?”

The young girl at the front desk is trying toexplain, Gu Yu went over and asked Zhang Siyi: “Do you like thecactus?”

Zhang Siyi did not expect that Gu Yu wouldsuddenly appear, and he was so stiff that he turned his head. He actually justwants to be lazy, but of course he can’t say that, so he nodded hard:“yes!”

Gu Yu looked at the young girl at the front deskand said, “Give him the small pot.”

The blushing young girl looks surprised:“Oh, okay.”

Zhang Siyi: “…”

After registering the plant, Zhang Siyi returnedto his seat and asked his colleagues. He also handed out some Lindor chocolatesthat he had bought as gifts from the UK after graduation. The colleaguesthanked him.

Zhu Hongzhen asked him what time he went backlast night. Zhang Siyi wrinkled his face: “More than nine o’clock.”

“Working hard, working overtime on the firstday, the boss is really ‘loving’ you.” Zhu Hongzhen laughed.

Zhang Siyi speechless, remembered last night GuYu that phone call, whispering gossip: “Does Boss have a girlfriend?”

Zhu Hongzhen said: “I don’t know, let’s askLele.”

I didn’t hear anything about that. The Bossdoesn’t like others to inquire about his private life.” Bi Lele shruggedwhile eating chocolate. “But I don’t think so since there is always workto do: a project today, a project tomorrow. All year around he works overtimeand rarely goes home before nine. Where is the time to fall in love?”

Zhu Hongzhen nodded: “I also think that if Iam a woman, I wouldn’t be able to handle it. Hey, it's the life of a perpetualbachelor.”

Bi Lele sighed with a sigh: “If you wantlove you can only find a peer since they can understand one another'sschedules.”

Zhu Hongzhen glanced to Zhang Siyi: “but whydo you ask?"

Zhang Siyi chuckled: “just curious.”

He also spoke about his plant adoption choice, BiLele was shocked: “The boss gave you that cactus ball!?”

Zhang Siyi a little stupid: “Ah? What’s wrong? Is there anything strange about it?"

______________________________________