Assistant Architect

Chapter 45: Photography

Chapter 45: Photography

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With enthusiasm, Zhang Siyi specifically carried his camera and tripod to the company in order to take photos during lunch break. He was determined to win the prize money. He walked around the company, fiddled with the aperture and exposure, and took pictures of people all around. There are many that came to Zhang Siyi and posed for the camera. Happy laughter can constantly be heard.

Zhang Siyi took a few photos of several female colleagues. After they took them, they looked and said: “Wow, the SLR is not the same as a point-and-shoot-camera!”

Bi Lele also said: “Hey, with this level, I don’t even need to use photo editing software afterwards!”

Du Rui said with emotion: “I feel that the bonus of this photo contest is already in the bag of Four.”

Even a married male colleague said that Zhang Siyi’s level is better than the professional photographer he invited when he got married.

Praised by everyone, Zhang Siyi was feeling embarrassed. Scratching his head, he commented: “You are too kind. I’m still far away from a professional.”

Ji Feiyu said: “Now, many amateur photographers act as professional photographers in the wedding industry to make money on the side!”

Everyone was listening. With the way the wages of the construction industry were declining, Zhu Honghzhen looked at Zhang Siyi enviously: “If you lose your job one day you don’t have to worry about food. You can open a studio and take wedding photos!”

Zhang Siyi laughed: “Don’t curse me, I have a true love for architecture!”

The Chief who happened to be passing by heard Zhang Siyi say this sentence. He looked at him more and looked around and asked Gu: “This young man is very energetic. Is he the new recruit this year?”

Gu Yu: “Well, it’s only been half a year.”

Chief: “How come I didn’t see what project he was involved in?”

Generally, large scale projects are handled by the main designers and reporting director. Zhang Siyi is just a small patch and his name doesn’t appear on the top of the projects. Gu Yu replied: “He doesn’t have a solid foundation yet. I’ve been assigning him exercises and bit and pieces of projects.”

Chief: “I remember you always have a clear purpose for recruiting employees. What’s so special about him?”

Gu Yu smiled and said: “Would you believe he has a gift for design?”

The Chief sighed and shook his head: “What is the use of design talents in this line of work? I have seen a lot of people who are unique when they are young, but the young are vulnerable to giving up. The ones that are uncertain in the beginning will continue to grow and in ten-twenty years they finally stand out. It’s not a gift to design, but an experience that has accumulated over a long period of time. It’s perseverance.”

Gu Yu looked at Zhang Siyi’s back and said: “Yes, he is uncertain and has more to learn.”

The Chief looked at Gu Xiao with a face, and said, “It should be a great comfort for an old man to have a son like you.”

After chatting with Gu Yu, with a coffee cup in hand, he walked over to see Zhang Siyi: “Come, let me see the photographs you have taken.”

When the crowd saw that the Chief had come, they stepped aside and dared not laugh again.

Flattered, Zhang Siyi quickly scrolled to the beginning of the photo index to show the Chief. He nodded with satisfaction: “Good shots. But also take photos of people at work to reflect the working atmosphere of Borderless.” Now that he got permission from the chief to walk around, Zhang Siyi felt elated. He roamed around the company not just during lunch, but afterwards as well.

There were several people sitting around a large table to discuss a plan and one older designer was assisting a younger designer.... He took a photo through the glass.

In another area, there was a petite girl from the landscape department. She occupied a huge square table. The table was covered with markers. She was concentrating deeply on her drawing. Even when Zhang Siyi was near her to take a photo, she didn’t hear him.

Looking at the scenes that was captured by oneself in a square camera screen, everyone was so engaged in work, that Zhang Siyi was touched in his heart.

Later, he went around the data reading area and planned to take a few bookshelf photos. When he was abroad, he found that it was easy to take pictures in the library, and it made people feel the urge to actively forge ahead.

This late in the day, most people are in the office area working at their desks. As a result, the reading room is extraordinarily quiet.

The light was diffuse and very good for pictures. Zhang Siyi put the tripod aside and walked over the camera to find the angle, but suddenly bumped into Gu Yu who stood in front of the bookshelf looking for information.

Shining through the window, the diffuse winter light illuminated half of his shoulder and along his face creating a golden outline of Gu Yu. He held a few 16-size “structure” in his hands. He was engrossed in his reading that he too did not find Zhang Siyi’s approach.

Zhang Siyi’s heart jumped excitedly. He quickly lifted the camera and pointed it at his silhouette and with a soft “click”, he took a picture.

Gu Yu heard a sound and suddenly turned his head. In panic, Zhang Siyi put his camera down out of view very fast. “You are here.”

“Still taking pictures?” Gu Yu closed the book. It seems he has found what he wanted and put all the rest of the books back on the bookshelf. He walked over: “Is the office building design finished? Don’t delay your regular assignments.”

Given that Zhang Siyi got permission to photograph for the day from the Chief he would normally want to refute Gu Yu request, but now he was obedient. He quietly answered: “Well, I’m almost finished taking photos. I’ll be able to finish the drawing today.”

Gu Yu: “Let me know when you are finish drawing as soon as possible. I will give you a new job.”

Zhang Siyi nodded: “Well, I know.”

Gu Yu stared at him for a few seconds then left.

Zhang Siyi meandered slowly back to his desk while looking through his photos that had just been taken. He must have been bewildered by Gu Xiao’s beauty to have behaved so obediently. Sitting at his desk, Zhang Siyi finished the layout with the fastest speed. Now that he has practiced many times, he can draw them effortlessly and Gu Yu rarely finds faults.

After finishing, he went to Gu Yu’s office. He was working on detailed design picture for the “structure” that he was researching back in the library area. Zhang Siyi glanced at it and only felt dazzled and amazed. He was curious and asked: “What is this?”

Gu Yu: “A group of business centers that I have been working on recently. They asked me to help them design the dome structure for it.”

Zhang Siyi said strangely: “Isn’t this supposed to be considered by structural professionals?”

Gu Yu put down the pencil and took over the task completed by Zhang Siyi. He casually said: “The architects are not contradictory when considering the structural problems. If you can have a structural concept when designing, the overall controllability will be stronger, and it will prevent problems. After construction, if there was a disjointed problem, the architect who did not consider the structural problem was the big problem.” After he finished, he bowed his head and helped him look at the picture.

Zhang Siyi suddenly, deep in his heart, he felt a kind of inexplicable pressure. Proper stimulation and stress can make people progress, but once the stimulation is too large, fear takes over and impedes forward progress. For now, in the face of Gu Yu’s power and omnipotence, Zhang Siyi had a sense of frustration for the first time. He felt that no matter how hard he tried, he could not be better than this person. It’s hard to be an architect.

In the evening, Zhang Siyi returned home and sorted out the photos taken that day and made a video clip. He has three submissions to fill, so he has two extra shots to pick out. Between the girl in the landscape department and Gu Yu in the library.... He was hesitant. His mouse slipped and Gu Yu imaged appeared full screen. Motionless, Zhang Siyi stared at it for a long time.

To be honest, if you ignore the other person’s not so good personality, Gu Yu is perfect.

A gleaming resume, strong professionalism, handsome appearance, the means to the top.... No wonder so many people like him.

He also remembered the scene from Christmas outside of KTV. He discretely guessed that she could grasp the heart of the god Gu Yu. The sweet and petite girl should be very capable.

Zhang Siyi gently clicked the mouse, and finally chose Gu Yu.

Hey, perfect people and perfect people together to form a perfect life, imperfect people can only be with unhappy people and keep dogs.

Outside the door came the sound of Fu Xinhui reprimanded Cheer-up. It seemed the dog had peed everywhere. “Zhang Siyi! Come out and give me a hand!”

Zhang Siyi: “......”

Time hurriedly passed by and the end of January was near. It’s time for New Years and the company’s employees have no intention of focusing on their work. Although the annual meeting will be celebrated late, on February 18th, reservations for transportation for the office staff have long been arranged. The location for the meeting was set at a large hotel in the city center.

In addition to the photography competition, there are other small events in the conference, which is like a school literary festival held at a school, where students are required to organize their own events. Of course, the prizes are quite rich here, ranging from one or two hundred supermarket shopping cards, and more than five hundred thousand cash red packets, and ultimately the final raffle. The crowd has been asked in advance about the raffle prizes, which are said to include mobile phones, iPad, and computers.

Colleagues were excited and eager to try, but Zhang Siyi was a little depressed, and felt that the company’s lottery prizes were not very creative as he already owned everything.

If he participated in some activities, he could get a few small red packets and it could add up to a lot of extra income. However, there are a hundred individuals from all over the company so he may not be able to get it. Thinking about it, Zhang Siyi felt energized again. He wore sweatpants and sneakers suitable for a variety of events.

At 11 o’clock in the morning, he arrived at the hotel. Zhang Siyi saw the signboard of the “Borderless Company Annual Meeting” in the hotel lobby. Looking up to the side, there were other architectural design companies holding the annual meeting here on the same day!

Borderless conference was held in the Baihua Hall on the second floor, and another design company headed by English letters was in the Yellow Crane Hall on the side. The scene was very lively.