Assistant Architect

Chapter 29: Family

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When his father appeared, the initial happy and relaxed atmosphere disappeared.

Although it was a beautiful reunion dinner, his father’s attitude made Zhang Siyi unable to relax at all. In addition, his mother helped him serve his soup: “Eat quickly while it’s still hot. It has fresh fish from this morning.”

When his father saw his mother serving him, he frowned. He took the chopsticks and pointed them in the direction of his mother: “Does he have no hands? How old is he? He can get his own bowl of soup! He is spoiled by you!”

“...” Sure enough, Zhang Siyi had a long face and was most disgusted to hear his father say this. Has he been spoiled? His mother loves him. Is this not a mutual thing? Why is he always a ruin in his dad’s eyes! At a very young age, Zhang Siyi quickly learned his father’s rules. When his father spoke, he couldn’t talk back otherwise there would be dire consequences. His father was extremely overbearing!

Feeling resentful, his mother murmured: “It’s rare for him to come home and you can’t even say a few words!” Can it be his father is simply upset at not being served first? “Good Comrade Zhang, I will also give you a bowl.” His mother also took a bowl of soup over to her husband smiling. She thought to herself: “You big people are so small, drink more soup, talk less!”

While his mother went to placate his father, he and his father started peeling crabs. She continued: “He successfully graduated from England and found a job in Haicheng. Where is it that I have spoiled him? Isn’t that pretty good? Your mouth is like a tofu knife, always cutting him down. One of these days when you get old, he won’t bother coming back.” She gave Zhang Siyi a look suggesting that he pour wine for his father.

Even though Zhang Siyi was so unenthusiastic, when he saw his mother trying so hard to reconcile with his father on his behalf, he pretended to be good and respectful son to his father and poured a glass of wine for him.

With a condescending tone and a self-important expression, Zhang Father asked Zhang Siyi about his work in Haicheng.

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He wanted his father to recognize his own efforts, so he briefly said a few things about Borderless and his salary. He continued to describe the big Z-City project in detail from inception to winning and the whole wave of ups and down in between. He deliberately talked about his team and colleagues more than himself and focused on Gu Yu’s determination to see the plan through. Finally, he told them that Gu Yu was the person who interviewed him.

His Father ignored Zhang Siyi bragging side, listen very seriously, occasionally nodded and ask a few questions. For example, when Zhang Siyi mentioned Gu Yu, his Father asked him carefully about his age, his college, his work history, and so on...

When he heard about Gu Yu being a high school alumnus and Ningcheng’s college entrance examination champion, his Father put down his glass and gently said: “Oh? It’s him.”

Zhang Siyi said excitedly and asked: “Do you know him?”

Father Zhang nodded and said: “I have seen him once.”

Zhang Siyi was excited: “When was that?”

Father Zhang said it was a few years ago at a design competition. At that time, it was the project of Ningcheng. When Gu was awarded the prize, the award was typically handed out by an official; Zhang Siyi’s Father.

He drank some wine and praised him: “A very good, calm young man.”

Zhang Siyi listened to his father’s compliment of Gu Yu, as if he was more than happy to be praised. He couldn’t help but talk more about him: “Look, he actually won the bid against the Design Institute. Isn’t it amazing?”

While Zhang Siyi was talking about Gu Yu, he didn’t know that his expression was the same as that of Bi Lele when she daydreams of the Boss.

His Father grunted and said: “Generally this kind of internal situation is not usually so easy to subvert. It must be that there are differences at the top and the people who can make decisions are temporarily changed ahead of time. You must have a leak.”

What do you mean, leak!? Zhang Siyi suddenly was angry and wanted to refute.

His father turned to say: “But even if you didn’t win the bid this time, the style and attitude of the surname Gu will definitely have a future. If the eye can see his intention, he will remember him. The effort is not in vain. Just look at the opportunity to come.”

Zhang Siyi listened to his father’s words, and remembered the sentence that Gu Yu responded to himself in the toilet that day – the road of architecture, not what you did now, you can see the results in the next moment. Zhang Siyi had a faraway look in his eyes for a moment.

His father’s voice pulled him back: “I remember that you were clamoring to learn architecture, it seems it was because of him?”

Zhang Si Yi was startled, there is such a thing? He told his father about it?

His Father recalled: “You went to high school that year and said there is a T University construction director to give a lecture in the school, called Gu Yu. That day you were very excited and said you wanted to learn architecture.”

Zhang Siyi doesn’t remember at all. When did his father remember so much? How can he remember this kind of thing?

Father Zhang seems to have expected Zhang Siyi’s forgetfulness and said: “You have been a three-minute person since you were a child. You have learned Taekwondo, learned violin, and learned fencing. Which one has persisted? Originally, your grandfather gave you this name. I expect perseverance. This time after graduation and looking for a job. I didn’t think you would successfully get on track. Maybe the young man named Gu is really the person who can take you down the right road.”

Zhang Siyi felt elated. He only heard the most important words “Successfully get on track”. Did his father just recognized his hard work?

When he learned that Zhang Siyi was working with Gu Yu, Father Zhang seemed to be relieved. He glanced at Zhang Siyi again and said:” Learn from others and be receptive of good advice.”

Zhang Siyi nodded again and again: “Hmm!”

His father wasn’t used to seeing Zhang Siyi have such a positive look. His could not help but sigh again: “And, remember to be low-key, don’t talk about your family in front of outsiders.”

Zhang Siyi waved his hand and said, ” I know, I know!”

The atmosphere of this meal today is the best it has been in a few years. After dinner, Zhang Siyi felt relieved to go upstairs to his room. Zhang Siyi pounced on the bed and rolled on it happily.

Zhang Siyi hasn’t come back for a long time and suddenly felt homesick. The English text book he used to study with during the summer, the architectural extracurricular books that he bought before, the basketball in the corner of the room... Everything seems to remind him of his time growing up.

He could come home every day to his room with clothes neatly tucked away in his closet, bed made, and clean room. It’s like a babysitter. In contrast, now Zhang Siyi comes home to his apartment to a messy room, a mountain of clothes and rent to pay. Although he is feeling somewhat nostalgic, he only sees the expression on his father to know that he doesn’t want Zhang Siyi to be home. He sighed.

He found his old violin that had played for many years. In his youth, he performed at the school art conference in junior high school, but he was not professional enough. After going to high school, he said that if he was busy with school, he wouldn’t play the violin anymore. Thinking back to his youth Zhang Siyi admits that the real reason is because he was lazy. He didn’t want to take the time to practice every day. Once he let go of an activity, he didn’t want to pick it up again. His father is right. He really is a three-minute character.

Zhang Siyi took out the violin and placed it in position on his shoulder. Because it was not used for a long time, the peg was a little damp and difficult to turn to tune the strings. He warmed up a little and his muscles started remembering how to play then he tried to play Cannon. With a bunch of broken notes and poor bowing, he stopped in frustration. He liked the idea of maybe practicing after work to relax. Zhang Siyi sat down and immediately put the violin in the doorway and planned to take it back with him when he returned to Haicheng.

Looking at his closet, Zhang Siyi suddenly saw something and pulled out a bunch of strange books... Wait, what are these?

“Mom-! Mom–! Come up!” After a few minutes, Zhang Siyi screamed a few times outside the door.

Mama Zhang heard her son’s summoned money upstairs: “What? did you call me?”

When the mother arrived at the door of the room, Zhang Siyi pointed to the books: “This!?” Awkward!

His mother reacted quickly. Panicking, she pushed her son into the room and closed the door and grabbed the book: “You can’t see this kind of thing!”

“Are these your books?” Zhang Siyi had thought that his mother would say it was her cousin’s, but he did not expect it to be hers!

She whispered: “I watched it online, it was very interesting, so I bought a book to read!”

“This is all messy!” “The sweet male secretary of the president”? “What should I do if I am seen by a straight man next door?” Zhang Siyi didn’t want to know anymore. “You don’t want to watch those messy things online!”

His Mother covered her son’s mouth: “Keep it down, keep it down! I put it in your room because I don’t what your father to know!”

Nearly hysterical, Zhang Siyi tried to stay calm: “Then how can you put this kind of book in my Room? What if Dad sees?”

Mother Zhang shoved the pile of books into the deepest part of the closet and said: “He won’t come into your room casually.”

Unexpectedly, his mother is an old rotten girl and secretly hid the evidence in his room.