Assistant Architect

Assistant Architect by Xi He Qing Ling

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Chapter 3: Interview

“What are you doing in the room alone?” Fu Xinhui, who heard thenoises from the other room, shouted from the hallway.

“Ah, ah…” Zhang Siyi opened the door, pounced for him while wavinghis arms around and yelling to express his excitement for the moment.

Fu Xinhui turned to avoid him as his hands were full.

Just at this moment, a voice came from the front door. “What are youdoing?” Jiang Hai held the key in his left hand while holding aconvenience store lunch box in his right hand and looked at them with a strangeexpression.

Fu Xinhui: “…”

Zhang Siyi excitedly rushed to Jiang Hai cheering: “I received aresponse from a job inquiry! I am going to an interview!”

"Really?" Jiang Hai followed with a happy smile, "Which company?"

"Borderless Architecture Design!"

The three people gathered together around the coffee table and talked.Jiang Hai had an arranged job, so he wasn’t familiar with other architecturalcompanies other than the several large design institutes. He asked: “Isthat place good or not?”

Fu Xinhui, thinking, hmm… “Ihaven’t heard of it and you didn't hear back for so long. Doesn’t that mean it'sa bad company that nobody goes to?”

Zhang Siyi was so angry at his friends. He quickly set them straight andshowed them the background information of Borderless and its evaluation fromcritics online.

Jiang Hai said: “It sounds very good. When are you going to theinterview?”

With this reminder, Zhang Siyi immediately became anxious. He slapped hisforehead and said: “What should I do for three days starting tomorrow? Iam so nervous. What questions do you usually ask during an interview?”

Fu Xinhui chuckled and joked: “You look so handsome, it shouldn’t be aproblem!”

Zhang Siyi: “Seriously?… that's not funny.”

Jiang Hai scratched his head and said: “I haven’t interviewed yet somaybe ask Su Yuan for help?”

Su Yuan is one of the girls who returned home during the same period asthem. Her professional achievements were considered the best among severalpeople and her career path was nicely planned. While Zhang Siyi was stilltraveling around with Fu Xinhui after graduating, she had been offered astarting position with a British design firm in the Haicheng branch. They werenot Chinese, but they were very friendly with each other.

Zhang Siyi slapped his thigh and hurried back to the room to get his iPadand make a video call to Su Yuan.

“Hello!” Once connected, Su Yuan's passionate voice came from theother side. “Little Yi, what's up?”

In the video, the girl wore a short black dress. She talked to them with amobile phone in one hand and moved the strap of the chain bag in her other handout of the way, revealing a mature intellectual beauty.

Before they became classmates, Su Yuan studied English for two years at adomestic university and then transferred to an architecture program abroad.Thus, she was two years older and usually called them “little”.

At this time, another smiling face with beautiful eye makeup and a lipgloss, squeezed into the small window of the video making her shine.

“What's going on? “This is the other female classmate, RenMengyu, who stayed in Haicheng,” Where are you going?"

“Just after work, classmate Xuan Xuan called out to go clubbing. "SuYuan laughed.

“Sounds like fun!” Fu Xinhui and Jiang Hai also came over to the iPadto say hello.

“Oh, of course, do you want to come out and have a drink?” RenMengyu warmly invited.

Thinking of his interview, Zhang Siyi quickly refused, indicating that hehad a purpose to his phone call to her. He told her about the interviewappointment with Borderless. Su Yuan was shocked: "Wow, I also applied forBorderless before, and they didn't respond to me!"

Zhang Siyi glanced at the two ignorant buddies. See, I told you! Thiscompany is amazing. I wasn’t bragging.

After a few laughs, Su Yuan returned to the topic at hand: “Ingeneral, by scheduling an appointment, it means they already recognize yourwork. If the interview goes well, and your portfolio presentation is good,there won't be a problem. Some overseas studios let foreigners interview you inorder to gauge how good your professional English communication skills are.This is already an advantage in China.” Su Yuan shrugged. “In myopinion, going to the interview is just procedure. They will talk about yoursalary and work expectations, nothing else.”

Zhang Siyi was still very nervous. He is not as composed as Su Yuan sonaturally he can’t emulate her calm aura.

With encouragement, Su Yuan said: “Relax, we are a few undergraduatesfresh out of school. Do you think you were recruited to be the backbone of thefirm?” No! What they want is cheap labor and the willingness to work hardso the most important thing is attitude! You’ve already knocked on that door,so just act like you can do anything, no matter what the interviewer asks youto do. You have to say ‘yes’, even if it's something you rather not do. It'simportant to express your willingness to learn. They are also taking a gambleon a new graduate. It will be up to your own power whether you will become arock or diamond.

Zhang Siyi was inspired by her words: “Yes, thanks for guiding me!"

Su Yuan waved her hand and smiled. “You’ll be fine. Don’t worry somuch!”

Being filled with such a good feeling, Zhang Siyi was so excited that hehad a hard time falling asleep. Even though he fell asleep in the early hoursof the morning, he quickly woke up. He was sleepy, but thinking of theinterview, he was determined to make a good impression. He quickly got out ofbed and jumped into the bathroom to wash thoroughly… soap, shampoo, shave.For the better part of an hour, Zhang Siyi fussed with his hair and clothingchoices. He wanted to make the best impression possible during the interview.The last time he spent so much energy on his appearance was two years ago whenhe went to meet a girl.

Finally, looking at the radiant and handsome young man in the mirror, ZhangSiyi whistled. His long-lost confidence bloomed from the bottom of his heart.Let's do this!

The office is in the center of Haicheng City which was only 20 minutes bysubway from the apartment he rents. In the future, if he can work there, thenit is extremely convenient to go to and from the office every day. Thisadvantage makes Zhang Siyi happy and makes him look forward to it.

There were many people nearby all rushing to their destinations. Arrivingat the building, Zhang Siyi looked up at the 100 meters tall facade. He can seethe Borderless logo on the first floor. Looking at the white-collar elite whorushed to the entrance, Zhang Siyi opened his arms, closed his eyes, and took adeep breath of the city’s dirty morning air. Soon he will become a member ofthese office workers and work every day from 9 to 5. Thinking this, Zhang Siyiis filled with happiness.

Because it is the morning rush hour, there are a lot of people coming andgoing. The elevator seems to stop at every floor in the building. Finally, atthe floor where the Borderless offices are located, the elevator door opened toreveal a large glass wall with a plant display.

Zhang Siyi is startled to see that it is a whole surface is built fromglass creating a lattice frame and on almost every shelf, lays a plant. Thereare plants seemingly of every variety. Herbal plants, conifers, succulents,small sparse plants, fat fleshy ones… There isn’t any pattern to them, but theplant display creates a visually pleasing, modern art piece.

Through the glass and gaps between the pots, you can faintly see theinternal office space. The neatly arranged beige tables are full of computerseach with an employee in twos and threes, working intensively.

… ah ah, it's so cool!

After turning left, Zhang Siyi saw the awe inspiring, red logo“Borderless” on the pure white wall at the end of the green corridor.Along the wide wall, straight to the end, Zhang Si Yi sees small black wordsbelow the characters in a row: “The Pursuit Is Endless"

Zhang Siyi’s heart instantly soars and looks so happy and excited that onewould think he was in love.

Further inside is the entrance to the office, Zhang Siyi regained hissenses and approached the front desk asking about his appointment. The otherparty enthusiastically took him into a small reception room and poured him aglass of water and courteously said, “Please wait a moment, I will informthe personnel department.” Half a minute later, Miss Wang from thepersonnel department came over and greeted him, telling him that the directorwho will interview him would arrive soon.

Zhang Siyi nodded and expressed his gratitude. While waiting for theappointment time, he thought about all that has transpired lately. He imaginedthat the director would ask his own array of questions so once again he thoughtabout Su Yuan’s words and desperately tried to encourage himself.

“Knock Knock. The sound of fingers tapping the glass door pulled backZhang Siyi thoughts. He turned his head and saw a tall, thin young man standingat the door.

Leather casual shoes, gray casual pants, white t-shirts, open cottonsweater…. Wait a minute, this person looks familiar!

Ah… yesterday morning… in thecafe…. coffee … He seems to be -that- handsome guy!

…Oo Oao! Why is this person here?!!

He glanced at Zhang Siyi to the side with a blank expression and slightlypointing his head to him to show his greetings. Then he gestured gracefully, asif they were only meeting for the first time.

… Has he forgotten?

“Hello, my name is Gu Yu.” The opposite youth took out a businesscard and offered it to Zhang Siyi. Then he officially took out a pen and said:“Introduce yourself.”

Zhang Siyi glanced at the words on the business card –

Gu Yu

National First-Class Certified Architect

Creative Design Director

Compared with Zhang Siyi’s inner turmoil, the other party looks very calm.He slowly opened the file in his hand and asked, “You are Zhang Siyi,right?”

“Uh, uh, hello……. Director Gu? Zhang Si Yi cannot believe thatthis person is an architect? The fucking director? He looks a little older thanhimself! Why is the director so young??

At each title Zhang Siyi eyes bulged.

Zhang Siyi’s mind is suddenly full of his conversation with hisex-girlfriend from yesterday morning. Because of the comments she said, heassumes that he left a very bad impression on the director in front of him.Plus, the coffee……

For a moment, he can see his original dream job coalesce into a largebubble and float away only to “pop” right in front of him.

If, last night, the Lord let him experience the joys of heaven, then now,Zhang Si Yi deeply tasted something bitter, that is “the ultimatesorrow”. It takes only a moment to fall from the clouds to the bottom ofthe valley. He suddenly feels that this job is not going to happen.

Gu looked at him, Zhang Siyi immediately sat up straighter, and stifflysaid: “I, my name is Zhang Siyi. I graduated from the British Departmentof Architecture.”

Gu Yu used the end of the pen to point at the printed material on thetable, that is Zhang Siyi’s resume: “I know, say something else.”

“…” something else? Say what? The situation is a complete mess.

Gu Yu put down the pen, picked up his arm and leaned back on the chair, andlooked at Zhang Siyi up and down. He said, “You cleaned up.”

Zhang Siyi: “…” he really remembers!!!

Director Gu raised his eyebrows: "Why don’t you say something about yourgirlfriend?”

Zhang Siyi now despondent, wonders: "isthis man joking?" But why doesn’this eyes and tone look like a joke at all?

Gu Xiao waited for a moment, looked at Zhang Siyi helpless face and sighed.He asked, “Then, why did you study architecture? Why did you send a resumeto Borderless without a clear goal?”

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