Assistant Architect

AssistantArchitect by Xi He Qing Ling

____________________

Reading Gu Yu's message, Zhang Siyi heart stopped. He felt like his spine has been ripped from his body and is now his whole body feels weak. It’s over!

When did Gu Yu finally find out? He thought he did itseamlessly! Although he is on the 'I Love My Job' award list, does this mean GuYu will go to the personnel department and report him?

Nooooooooo………! His bonus!

Zhang Siyi quickly got up from the bed and went to seethe cactus on the window sill to see if its better, but it's only been ten dayssince he replanted it in a new pot. The root was completely cut off and thewhole sphere was yellow. It clearly looked sick.

What to do? Gu Yu is waiting for his explanation, but howcan he explain that he almost killed his son?

… Gu Yu will definitely be angry!

Experiencing Gu Yu's anger is far worse than getting 1000bonus. Zhang Siyi felt even more afraid, like when he was a child. The feelingof horror and despair he felt in his heart when his Father discovered he didsomething bad at home. Zhang Siyi climbed back to the bed and clicked on theWeChat dialog box…

What to do…. behonest? Or lie again? Maybe I brought it home because I liked it? If that’s thecase, why not bring the ball back? Instead, I replaced the original. Gu Yu isnot an idiot. He won't be fooled by this reason!

Zhang Siyi thought: "On that day when Yu Rui visited, hemust have seen it and he has known all this time. God! I'm so stupid! I've beena fool!"

While in bed, holding his head tossing and turning, ZhangSiyi cried: "Aaaaaaaahhhhhhhhh!" He struggled for a long time before he pickedup his mobile phone and decided he must be honest and confess. It's a similarexperience to his childhood when he made a mistake and stood in front of hisdad for a review, awaiting his punishment in the face of death.

“Gu … The ball's root looked rotten. I don't knowwhy." If Zhang Siyi can give him a reasonable reason, then maybe he will beforgiven. "I was afraid I wouldn't get a 'I love My Job' bonus so I bought asimilar cactus and replaced it."

Gu Yu did not reply, and Zhang Siyi continued to explain:“But the cactus is not dead. I took it home to deal with it.” ZhangSiyi quickly took a picture of the true cactus and sent it to Gu Yu.

The receptionist at the front desk said that as long asthe plants are not dead, they will meet the conditions for winning the prize.Now that the ball is dying, but it is not completely dead, will it be fine?

Is Gu Yu dissatisfied with his explanation? Zhang Siyiwaited for the other party’s reply with a heavy heart. He turned back to lookat post in Gu Yu’s circle of friends and only now noticed the time-stamp. Itwas posted before the holidays! He used to check his social media so often thatnot having noticed now, really doesn't fit his personality. Will Gu Yu think heis deliberately evading responsibility for all this time?

Zhang Siyi hastened to clarify this point: “Sorry, Ionly just saw your news post now."

After waiting for more than 20 minutes, the phone vibratedwith Gu Yu's reply!

He asked: “You have been in the company for fourmonths. Have you poured water on the cactus?”

Zhang Siyi: “No! I didn’t even pour water on it, andit became like this!

Gu Yu: “Normal cactus take water once a month. Youcan't pour the water down in the center. Too much water and the root will rot."

Zhang Siyi: “…I didn’t water it, really!”

He felt embarrassed. Even if he doesn't take care ofplants regularly, he understands enough about a cactus to know it needs to bewatered less, but it's now rotten!

Gu Yu also said: “A bigger cactus might be ok notwatering it for a few months, but for such a small one, the cactus willcertainly dry to death if you don't water it for that long. Regardless of whatis wrong with it, because you have not been paying attention to it for fourmonths, it must mean, you do not care.

Zhang Siyi was terrified. Gu Yu is digging him a huge pit……!

Gu Yu also said: “When you adopted the plant, Iasked you if you liked the ball. How do you answer me?”

– Fuck! Waiting for him here!

Gu Yu: “For four months you didn't water it, didn'tpay attention to it, and you don't even know what's wrong with it, but in orderto take the bonus, you switched it. Is this stunt your so-called 'Love'?

Zhang Siyi was knocked down by Gu Yu, and it was only atthis moment that he found out what he had done wrong.

“I’m sorry! I was wrong…… I did not do well. I didnot pay attention. I will take care of the cactus and strive to revive it." Atthis time, Zhang Siyi is full of shame and guilt from the heart. The simpletext is insufficient to express his inner sorrow. Even though Gu Yu previouslyquestioned the use of an emoji as something little girls do, Zhang Siyi senthim several 'crying-down-on-his-knees' emojis. "If it doesn't live, I will takethe initiative to find the company personnel and return the bonus."

However, at the same time, he also thought this issue wasbeing taken too seriously and felt he was being treated unfairly. If he wasn'tdoing well at work, then he understood Gu Yu attitude, but it's just a cactus!Gu Yu is so fierce and serious. Holding the phone, Zhang Si Yi felt likecrying. Indeed, if he was standing in front of Gu Yu, rather than holding amobile phone to communicate with each other, Zhang Siyi would have cried tears.

Just as he was feelingsorry for himself, Gu Yu returned a message. He couldn’t believe his eyes. GuYu sent him an animated emoji! It was in the same picture-series as hisunderarm crying he sent before. Gu Yu was a little fox holding a tearful kittenand gently touching his head.

Zhang Siyi didn’t knowhow to describe his feelings. Gu Yan, the man who didn’t use the exclamationmark, would even send him a “touching head” emoji-expression. What isthis?

Since their conversationwas becoming tenser, the emoji was clearly used as a buffer. As if they bothperceived the sour mood, they used the emojis to play and lighten theatmosphere.

Soon, Gu Yu followed up:“I am not thinking about the bonus. I want attitude.”

Zhang Siyi: "……"

Gu Yu: “Since the company has already issued a list of bonuses,it won't be withdrawn. If you don't want to be punished afterwards, it isbetter to start raising your cactus now.”

Zhang Siyi: “I know……"

Hey, I said that the cactus is the best plant. Why does he feel like aBuddha now? With the consequences, you can't take care of anything else!

Looking through the animated emoji's Gu Yu sent, Zhang Siyi started tofeel relieved. He boldly asked: "If I may ask, how did you find out that Ichanged the plant?"

Gu Yu was silent for a long while. He sent a group of seven to eightphotos to him at once. All of which were photos of the cactus!

From its appearance on the big ball, through a growth period, to whenit was cut off and transplanted, and lastly an independent green, furry, spheregrowing with vitality. There was a huge contrast between these images and the ballsitting on Zhang Siyi's window sill. However, he still can’t see the differencebetween the two balls. They are almost the same. How did Gu Yu recognize it?

Gu Yu quickly sent another explanation: “All the cactus willgradually increase in number during the process of growing up. From the top oneedge is divided into two edges to meet the needs of the sphere’s continuousexpansion. I went to see the ball a few months ago. Its ribs are already veryclear. There are six in total, but the counterfeit goods you brought have onlyfive.”

Zhang Siyi: “………”

Gu Yu said again: “Also, the node on the outer surface of thesphere is milky yellow, and the fake one is only yellow-green.”

Zhang Siyi: “………” He felt even more ashamed.

He was wrong. He shouldn't question Gu Yu’s observation skills ever.He won't dare to be smart again! But in this way, Zhang Siyi has learningsomething about Gu Yu. He really seems to like the cactus. Will a normal personremember such small details?

Zhang Siyi asked weakly: “Are you just angry?”

Gu Yu usually does not feel like the kind of personality that will bediscussed in people on WeChat, but just the momentum, the speed of sendingmessages, gives Zhang Siyi an aggressive feeling.

Gu Yu admitted: “Yes.”

Gu Yu: “I have long found that you have changed, but the end ofthe month was too busy and there wasn't time to ask you."

Zhang Siyi: “I really know it’s wrong and I’m not going to do itagain …”

Gu Yu: “Okay. You admitted your faults and your attitude is stillgood, so I will close my eyes for now. You are saved this time, but as forforgiveness, I don't forgive you. I'll see your performance afterwards."

So, Gu Yu is not going to forgive him now? Also, the cactus's futureis still uncertain…

With a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach, Zhang Siyi felttroubled. "Is there anything else so you will forgive me quickly?" If thismatter isn't quickly rectified, he is afraid of going to work and facing Gu Yu.He has always had a hard time dealing with mental stress and he doesn't want towork with guilt all the time.

Gu Yu: “Are you so desperate to ask for my forgiveness?”

Zhang Siyi said in truth: “Yes. If you don’t forgive me, I feelbad in my heart.”

Gu Yu: “…”

For two to three minutes, Gu Yu was silent. Then he sent anothermessage: “Then, play the violin for me.”

Zhang Siyi saw the sentence and froze. As his mind was processing theinformation, his cheeks burned like a fire! He had used a lie on the train tocover up his deficiencies. With someone with a superb memory as Gu Yu, is itpossible he forgot? Then…. Then, what is Gu Yu asking……? What does he mean?

Zhang Siyi's heart leaped wildly, and he calmly asked: "Oh, what doyou want to listen to?" If there is only one song, it should be possible topractice it for a while.

Gu Yu: “Oh, really? Is this a promise?”

Zhang Siyi: “…” Damn it, are you just kidding me?

Gu Yu took a moment to think then replied: “I want to listen to thesong R.”

Zhang Siyi has not heard this song, so he hastened to search for it onthe internet and listened to the song's beginning…

“………………” Go to hell!

_________________________