His Venomous Former Boss Chased Him And Beat Him Fiercely Chapter 72

You don’t sleep still; you rolled over yourself.

Today, the sun outside the window was not bright, obscured by a large patch of dark clouds.

Kong Xunwen was taking the day off, only planning to stream for an hour in the evening, so he was quite enthusiastic about helping Qiu Zhijie set up the space he used to awaken inspiration.

On the third floor, right next to the bedroom, separated only by a single wall, the two, led by Qiu Zhijie, laid down a thin rug, a beanbag chair, a low coffee table, and cushions.

The coffee table was placed by the window, where thick curtains hung down on both sides. Outside, the view was hazy and dark, and the bamboo grove below swayed like a sea in the wind.

Small boxes containing various items were placed closest to the window on the coffee table: stacks of magazines, some books, a computer tablet, and a phone. There was also a blank sketchbook, a fountain pen, and a pencil.

Later, they brought over some snacks, a small blanket, and a pillow. Kong Xunwen helped carry the fruit plate and asked curiously, following beside him, “Do you eat while you design?”

The man, who had already finished climbing the stairs, turned back and smiled helplessly. “This is for you.”

“Huh?” Kong Xunwen frowned.

“You’ll be very bored later,” Qiu Zhijie explained.

Kong Xunwen reluctantly accepted. Fine.

He looked up. Today, Qiu Zhijie was dressed very simply and casually, very, well…

“Domestic?”

Kong Xunwen realized he had accidentally spoken his thoughts aloud. He blinked, looking completely innocent. “What?”

Qiu Zhijie raised an eyebrow but didn’t press the issue. “Aren’t you curious how I design? Hurry up and come over.”

Kong Xunwen immediately rushed up the stairs, only pausing briefly when he passed the second floor.

Qiu Zhijie sat down on the cushion in front of the small coffee table. Although this was a task with a somewhat tight deadline, he didn’t look rushed at all.

Kong Xunwen slowed his steps, approaching and looking down at the man wearing gray loungewear, simple silver stud earrings, and frameless glasses.

Because the loungewear was made of a very soft material, it subtly displayed the contours of his body. Kong Xunwen’s appreciative gaze swept over him. He knew what the body underneath looked like, but that didn’t stop him from feeling that this current presentation was a different kind of appeal.

He suddenly thought of black turtleneck sweaters. He often saw handsome men with good figures who, every autumn and winter, would post photos wearing black turtlenecks.

He had drawn them before, but he wouldn’t say he particularly liked them.

But if it were on Qiu Zhijie.

He thought he would like it.

“What’s wrong?”

While he was thinking, Qiu Zhijie had already placed the fruit plate and snacks next to the beanbag chair. There was a mat under the fruit plate so it wouldn’t stain the rug.

Kong Xunwen didn’t truthfully state what he was just thinking. Instead, as he realized the tablet and pen he brought up would finally be put to use, he looked out the window and said, “It’s going to rain soon. The wind has stopped.”

Fortunately, the indoor air conditioning was diligently running, so they didn’t have to endure the heat like yesterday.

Qiu Zhijie followed his gaze outside. The wind that had been making the bamboo grove roll was now completely gone. There were only heavy, dark clouds, making it easy to imagine the stuffiness under such conditions.

“Indeed.”

Qiu Zhijie looked up and responded, but Kong Xunwen was already starting to lie down on the beanbag chair.

He casually picked up the tablet and pen.

He didn’t start drawing immediately, though. Instead, he looked up curiously at Qiu Zhijie beside him. Now they were at the same height.

Qiu Zhijie had also withdrawn his gaze, looking down at the items in front of him. He picked up the fountain pen and began writing something in the sketchbook.

Before Kong Xunwen could lean closer to get a better look, Qiu Zhijie put down the fountain pen and picked up a magazine to flip through.

Perhaps because he had just started and hadn’t fully entered the zone, Qiu Zhijie immediately noticed Kong Xunwen’s gaze and turned his head.

Kong Xunwen quickly averted his eyes and started drawing his own picture.

Qiu Zhijie didn’t catch the peeking gaze, nor did he immediately turn back. He maintained that posture for a moment before returning to flipping through the magazine.

He had been busy dealing with work matters recently. Although he still checked new magazines and some fashion shows every day, he had still missed a lot.

This occasionally brought him some inspiration.

Of course, there was a difference between watching a fashion show live and watching it on video, but since his current circumstances didn’t allow for it, watching videos was a good alternative.

Pages turned. Behind him, there was the occasional rustle of a pen nib scratching against the paper-like screen protector, sometimes the sound of chewing, and the crinkle of snack bags opening.

Qiu Zhijie also uncapped his fountain pen again, occasionally jotting down notes.

Dark clouds gathered, layer upon layer, blocking the daylight until it looked like dusk. After a long wait, the rain finally began to fall, pattering against the window. Since the window was closed, there was only a muffled sound.

The wind picked up again, becoming mischievous, starting and stopping.

Together, they created a blanket of white noise.

Qiu Zhijie frowned, growing irritable because he couldn’t combine the fragmented inspirations he had gathered. He raised a hand, removed his glasses, pinched the bridge of his nose where the frames had left a mark, and closed his tired eyes.

Suddenly, a soft sound came from behind him.

He looked in the direction of the sound.

The young man, who had been leaning comfortably in the beanbag chair, eating and sketching, had let the pen gently drop into the chair.

He was wearing the same style of loungewear as Qiu Zhijie today—broad shoulders, narrow waist. The thin sleeves were rolled up, revealing pinkish elbows. His head was slightly tilted, and the loose collar slipped to one side, exposing a small patch of his collarbone.

He himself had already closed his eyes. The soft sound hadn’t disturbed his sleep at all. His nostrils flared slightly as he breathed slowly and gently.

Even though he was resting in a somewhat awkward position on the beanbag chair, sleeping stiffly, he was sleeping soundly.

The plate that had held fruit was now filled with snack bags, neatly gathered and placed to one side.

It was so dark outside, and the room was dim, yet Qiu Zhijie saw everything clearly. His expression softened considerably. He pressed his hand to his chest before getting up.

He walked over to the young man, bent down, then suddenly remembered something. He looked up and saw the camera set up, then felt reassured and lowered his head to squat down.

After quietly watching him for a moment, he gently touched Kong Xunwen’s cheek and whispered, “Want to sleep on the bed?”

Kong Xunwen groggily opened his eyes. Because the voice was so soft, waking up wasn’t unpleasant, but he was still sleepy. Seeing the person who should be working in front of him, he tried hard to open his eyes. “Huh? It’s fine, you keep going. Don’t worry about me.”

As he spoke, he raised his limp hand and pushed Qiu Zhijie away.

Qiu Zhijie then stood up, bent down again to adjust his posture, and shortly after, brought a blanket over to cover him.

Kong Xunwen was still trying to maintain his wakefulness, taking the blanket. “Okay, you go on.”

He watched the man return to the cushion and sit down, then closed his eyes again shortly after.

Perhaps because he had changed positions, Kong Xunwen felt much more comfortable sleeping. Thinking he shouldn’t disappoint Qiu Zhijie’s kindness, he continued to sleep soundly.

As he slept deeper, he vaguely felt that he seemed to have moved to a larger space, and something seemed to be propped under his neck.

It was as if the ground he was lying on had molded itself to his shape.

Outside the dream, Qiu Zhijie looked down at the young man who had suddenly rolled over next to him. He paused, then smiled helplessly, but clearly had no intention of making Kong Xunwen leave again. Instead, he reached out and adjusted the other man so he was more comfortable.

His long fingers wrapped around a strand of slightly long black hair, gently stroking it. He lowered his eyes, feeling a pang of reluctance and a tightness in his chest, thinking that the person would leave once he woke up.

But then he suddenly looked up, his dark eyes slightly cool, gazing at the fountain pen and the distinct, sharp handwriting on the drawing paper in front of him.

It was as if he had thought of something.

…

When Kong Xunwen woke up, the sky was still dark, but it was much brighter. The clouds hadn’t left, and the rain was still pattering down, though much gentler than before.

The feeling of staying home and sleeping with the air conditioning on in this weather was simply wonderful.

His vision was still blurry. Kong Xunwen simply closed his eyes and raised his hand to stretch, but his outstretched hand hit something.

He blinked in confusion. The moment his vision cleared, he realized his current situation.

Hmm… He remembered he, well, seemed to have, probably, maybe, possibly, fallen asleep on the sofa.

So how did he suddenly end up sleeping here?

Kong Xunwen’s confused and suspicious gaze met the eyes of the person who owned those very innocent dark eyes.

“You don’t sleep still; you rolled over yourself,” the other person said calmly, seemingly with a hint of regret, but clearly with a smile in his eyes and on his lips.

Everything in the dream was forgotten. Kong Xunwen remained suspicious, but given that he also believed the suspect in front of him couldn’t have moved him from the beanbag chair to here without him noticing, he ultimately pronounced him innocent.

The fact must be as he said: he rolled over himself.

Kong Xunwen immediately stopped dwelling on the matter. He propped himself up. He didn’t see the fleeting look of regret in the eyes of the person beside him. His eyes darted around and found his target.

Having woken up on Qiu Zhijie’s lap, he naturally saw the items on the small coffee table immediately. Closest was the sketchbook that already had some writing and drawing on it.

He instantly became very interested and leaned closer to Qiu Zhijie, peering at the sketchbook.

“You found inspiration?”

Qiu Zhijie’s gaze briefly pulled away from the young man, sweeping over the sketchbook. He said lightly, “I suppose so. I’ve roughly determined the direction of the theme.”

“That’s a huge step forward then!” Kong Xunwen turned back in surprise.

Qiu Zhijie’s eyes automatically followed him like a tracker. Their eyes met, and he smiled unconsciously. “Yes.”

He paused, then added, “Thanks to you.”

“Thanks to me?” Kong Xunwen repeated in confusion, thinking back to what he had been doing…

Slacking off, eating, sleeping soundly…

How could that help?

Oh, right! His slacking off on the tablet!

Kong Xunwen immediately looked at the beanbag chair where he had been lying. The tablet screen was black.

Phew, that was close.

Qiu Zhijie’s gaze followed, landing on the black-screened tablet. He looked thoughtful. “Are you thinking about your masterpiece just now? I didn’t realize you liked that style.”

Kong Xunwen immediately turned back, his eyes wide. “You saw it?!”

“Yes, but it’s not the season for sweaters right now. I’ll have to wear it for you later,” Qiu Zhijie paused slightly when he said ‘later,’ and continued before it could be noticed.

Kong Xunwen had already gotten up when he heard the first half of the sentence, his ear tips red. He didn’t respond to the rest of the comment. “I’m going to check what time it is.”

He ran out of the room.

For the evening stream, since Qiu Zhijie finally had inspiration, Kong Xunwen strongly insisted that he continue working hard. After all, the man had been playing around for several days under the guise of relaxing and finding inspiration.

Qiu Zhijie couldn’t refuse him, so he finally requested that Kong Xunwen stream on the third floor.

Since it was his day off, the stream was just chatting. Kong Xunwen agreed once he confirmed it wouldn’t affect Qiu Zhijie.

Thus, that day, sharp-eyed fans noticed that Wen’s streaming background had changed again after a long time, and it was a background they had never seen before.