Assistant Architect by Xi He Qing Ling
Chapter 186: Second Brother
_______________________
Uponhearing her declaration, Zhang Siyi perked up and quickly asked: "Someone is harassingyou too?"
Startledfor a moment, Gu Yao paused then spoke: "Wait, what? What do you mean?"
However,her attention was quickly diverted by Gu Yu's chilling question: "What harassment?Make it clear."
Gu Yaohesitated for a moment before slowly explaining: “Last month, a new verywealthy client took interest in our company and the manager brought me to thepreliminary wealth management financial meeting. At that time, the client took noticeof me. As our department was managing his investments, he came over frequentlyeach week. Anytime there was a meeting, whether it was in the building or outto lunch, he requested my presence. As this was part of our department, Icouldn't refuse. However, not long ago, he wanted my business card and hadadded me to his WeChat contacts. Privately, he began to ask me out saying thathe wanted to take me to a movie or have dinner with him. I seriously refusedevery time, but he didn't stop. Recently, he has been sending things to myoffice every day. At first it was cakes, but lately it has been other things.Today, he sent a large bouquet of roses!"
Zhang Siyimouth twitched. Why does this sound so familiar? He just received a cake todayat noon…… Fuck, Gu Yu was right. Bai Rui really thought of him as a younggirl!
Gu Yucalmly asked: “How long has he been asking you out privately?
Gu Yao:“It’s been almost two weeks.”
Gu Yu frowned:“Why didn’t you speak up earlier?”
Gu Yaohurriedly replied: “I thought I clearly rejected him. I didn't think hewouldn't understand my refusal. I told him to stop sending me things but he toldme that it is his business whether or not he sends them and if I didn't like it,to simply throw it away. Then I asked him what motive he had by giving me somany gifts. He claimed that he wanted nothing but to go out to dinner together.And if I don't go with him, he would just continue sending me things…."
Zhang Siyiangrily said: “Damn! What a jerk!"
Gu Yao criedout: “Yes!"
Gu Yu waslivid: “In addition to the gifts, did he do anything else? Anythingphysical?"
Gu Yaoshook her head: “Nothing yet, but the incidents have greatly impacted work.Now, every time he sends something, it causes the people in my department to gointo a frenzy."
Gu Yu sighed.He told Bai Rui to leave to prevent the same type of thing from happening. Henever thought his sister would have the same problem. Unlike Zhang Siyi, hewasn't able to do anything about it.
Knowing hissister hadn't yet been subjected to physical harassment, Gu Yu slightly relaxed.He went to the kitchen to get a bowl of rice for her: "Come, eat first. Then wecan discuss it."
Even thoughGu Yao didn't feel like eating, she accepted the bowl of rice and using it torelieve her fustration, she poked her chopsticks at it: "He also was sendingthings to the entire office staff. The day before, not only did he buy liliesfor the front desk, he also gave my department Starbucks coffee. While I cantoss the things he sent me into the garbage, I have no right to tell mycolleagues what to do. Since my circumstance are benefiting them, some are onhis side. They have made remarks telling me I should cherish him and quicklymarry the rich so I don't have to work."
Zhang Siyiindignantly said: “He is holding you hostage! Since he is putting the pressureon you through your coworkers, he is trying to force you to submit. Howdespicable!"
Gu Yaoblinked her red eyes: "Yes. I studied hard to go to a famous college so I couldget a good job to support myself. Am I supposed to give up on my hard-earned work?A girl from the office who I thought was my friend told me that I was too cold.She said that if she had such an admirer, she would be moved to tears and thatI should be grateful."
Gu Yao whimpered:“If I don't like him, is it my fault he doesn't accept my rejection?"
Zhang Siyihurriedly replied: “Of course it's not your fault! It is the man's faultfor not respecting you. He's an asshole."
Surroundedby an unhealthy environment for so long , Gu Yao was starting to feel likesomething was wrong with her. She was stunned by the forcefulness of ZhangSiyi's declaration. Finally, after so long there were people on her side. Abright light pierced the fog of suffering.
Gu Yaofirmly said: “That's right. He imposed his will onto me with gifts andused my colleagues for his selfish wishes. He didn't care about my feelings atall and that's what makes me really uncomfortable!"
Gu Yu raisedone of his eyebrows and asked: “With a small gift, are you supposed to runinto his arms? Surely, your colleague doesn't really believe that is love. "
Gu Yujoked: "Besides, if you run away from just a few gifts, what were all thoseyears of food for the Gu family for?"
Breakingthe heavy atmosphere, Zhang Siyi laughed out loud. Gu Yu's joke was just theright medicine.
Gu Yaostarted laughing. She wiped her tears and smiled: "You are the one getting thefood!"
Gu Yu gaveher a piece of braised pork and said: “Come on and eat."
Watchinghis sister visibly start to relax and begin eating, Gu Yu inquired: "Have youever spoken to your colleagues about your feelings?"
Gu Yao:” … No."
Gu Yuraised his eyebrow questioning: “Why not?”
Gu Yao feltbitter: "Now that the client was pursuing me, the financial manager is takingspecial note of me. If I offend the client, I'm afraid that my actions willaffect the company negotiations with the client's account. I was simply goingto be quiet about it, but now that my coworkers are also giving me a hardtime…… I really want to quit!"
Zhang Siyiimpulsively reacted: “Don't quit!"
Gu Yu frownedslightly then looked at Gu Yao and asked her three questions: “Has thesituation already reached the point where you have to quit to resolve it? Itisn't your fault the client is pursuing you, so why do you want to quit? Youworked really hard to get that internship at the company and they finally havebegun to recognize your contributions. Do you want to just give up?"
Gu Yaobowed her head: “But what can I do?"
Gu Yu wasvery serious: "If you have a problem, does quitting solve it? Since you are anadult now, you can't just quit when things get rough. Do you think myself orSiyi wouldn't help you? Are you afraid of getting bullied?"
Stirringher rice gently, Gu Yao responded: "Hmm."
Listeningto Gu Yu's Remarks, Zhang Siyi remembered his own declaration of wanting toquit and felt a bit self-conscience. His slight embarrassment quickly passedwhen hearing Gu Yu talk about him like he was already party of the Gu family. Heflushed red. Like a blood related brother, he felt a responsibility towards GuYao.
Gu Yu wenton to say: “The first problem you have to solve is the attitude of yourcolleagues. Make sure they understand your thoughts clearly. I don’t believe afew cups of coffee will buy the favor of everyone in the department. I suggest thatyou first talk with your boss. Is your financial manager a woman?"
Gu Yao:“Yeh."
Gu Yu:“She should be able to understand your situation better. If you can makeyour predicament clear, she will definitely be able to do something about it andmake a difference.
Gu Yaofrowned: “But, what if she doesn’t understand?”
Gu Yu chuckled:"You won't know until you talk with her and if you do, and she decides to useyour presence to attract his sale, then the company you work for isn't worth workingfor. In the face of the worst outcome, you can hand in your resignation."
Nodding, GuYao remarked: "I know."
Gu Yu ate acouple of mouthfuls of soup then continued: “But, I'm still worried aboutthe situation. Starting tomorrow, for the next couple of weeks Siyi and I willtake turns bringing you to and from work."
Gu Yao:“Ah? Aren't you both very busy? Wouldn't it be too much trouble?"
Zhang Siyi:“It's no trouble at all. What if the client isn't just inside, but outsidetoo? What are you going to do alone?"
Gu Yaoshrunk her neck sheepishly: “In fact, he was waiting for me downstairswhen I got off work these past two nights.”
Zhang Siyi:“What?"
Gu Yu facebecame serious: "All the more reason to pick you up."
Zhang Siyi blurtedout the first thing that came to mind: "I can pretend to be your boyfriend. Ifhe knows that you are in a relationship, then he should stop harassing you, no?"
Unexpectedly,Gu Yao said: “I have already tried that tactic and lied to him abouthaving a boyfriend. When he investigated it himself, my lie was exposed when hewent to talk to my colleagues. He also knows I have two brothers, so it wouldbe impossible."
Surprised, ZhangSiyi asked: “You talked about me with your coworkers?”
Gu Yao:“Yeah. During a department lunch, I was asked where I live and I told themthat I live with two brothers; elder brother and a second brother."
Zhang Siyi:“…”
Whilelistening, Gu Yu he glanced at Zhang Siyi. He raised his hand to cover his mouthin attempts to hide his soft laughter: "Perfect! Brother Siyi "ge" and now asecond brother "gege".
When Gu Yuaccented the second 'ge', Zhang Siyi gave Gu Yu a hard stare.
Adept atreading the current mood, Gu Yao ate two mouthfuls of rice then said: "Right, gegeit is."
Zhang Siyi:“……”
Gu Yao grinnedthen asked: "You mentioned being harassed too… What did you mean?"
Zhang Siyilooked embarrassed and didn't want to answer.
Gu Yu repliedfor him: “He also encountered something similar to you.”
Wide-eyed,Gu Yao stared at Zhang Siyi: "Recently? My brother's love rival? What girl isso bold?"
Zhang Siyididn't have time to stop Gu Yu from blurting out: “It's a man!”
“Pfffft——!"Gu Yao's food sprayed out of her mouth and she coughed. "Second brother is sopopular!"
Not wanting to comment, Zhang Siyi lifted his rice bowl in front of his face and ate. Being pursued by more than one man isn't something worth showing off!
___________________________