Chapter 512: The Peculiar Girl

But after thinking it over, Qin Tuo felt a little conflicted.

He was just too busy at the moment and didn’t want to deal with any social obligations.

So, he said offhandedly,

“Young Master Zhu, a meal is fine, but we can’t go to your family’s home. Please understand.”

Qin Tuo had to make it clear. He really didn’t want to waste effort on these pointless social niceties.

If he went to the Zhu Family home, he would inevitably have to deal with a lot of people, and given his personality, Qin Tuo really wasn’t comfortable with that.

Zhu Zifeng smiled. He completely understood Qin Tuo’s reasoning, so he nodded decisively.

“Alright, Mr. Qin. Don’t worry, I understand completely!”

And so, Qin Tuo followed Zhu Zifeng to a restaurant in a bustling district of the Capital City.

Upon entering the restaurant, Qin Tuo saw that Zhu Zifeng moved with the ease of a regular, clearly very familiar with the place. It seemed to be one of his frequent haunts.

“Let’s sit here, Mr. Qin!”

Zhu Zifeng casually led Qin Tuo to a corner, where they found a place to sit.

Zhu Zifeng understood Qin Tuo’s preference and naturally chose a more low-key spot.

Otherwise, with his status, getting a top-tier private room would have been no problem at all.

Qin Tuo preferred it this way; he had no desire to cause a huge scene.

A simple meal between two people was perfectly fine.

“Why don’t you order, Mr. Qin?”

Zhu Zifeng pushed the menu toward Qin Tuo.

However, Qin Tuo just smiled, shook his head, and said,

“You go ahead. I’m not familiar with the house specialties. Just order whatever you like.”

Since Qin Tuo said so, Zhu Zifeng didn’t waste any time and expertly ordered a few dishes.

After putting the menu down, Zhu Zifeng turned to Qin Tuo excitedly, bragging,

“Mr. Qin, the food here will definitely be to your liking. I eat here all the time—the flavors are seriously amazing!”

Qin Tuo nodded, thinking that Zhu Zifeng was actually quite considerate.

Zhu Zifeng was pleased. Having bridged some of the distance between them, he continued to share more details about the restaurant.

As Qin Tuo listened, he slowly scanned his surroundings.

It was peak dinner time, and the restaurant was exceptionally lively, with patrons constantly coming and going.

A restaurant like this, full of a lively, down-to-earth atmosphere and great food, had naturally earned a good reputation.

Just then, Qin Tuo’s gaze suddenly fixated on a girl!

The girl was dressed casually, her hair in a ponytail. She looked like a perfectly ordinary young woman.

But for some reason, Qin Tuo found his gaze instinctively drawn to her.

After a few glances, the girl seemed to sense his stare. She turned her head and offered a small smile in his direction.

Hmm?

In that instant, surprise flashed across Qin Tuo’s face.

The next instant, he instinctively felt his heart begin to race!

‘What’s going on?’

The girl’s smile was an indescribable mix of sweet and seductive.

As he was held by that smiling gaze, an unprecedented impulse surged from deep within him.

His face even began to flush, and a thick layer of goosebumps broke out on his arms!

A primal urge rose in Qin Tuo, a desire to rush forward and pin the girl down, no matter the consequences.

‘Damn it, what is happening? How could I have such an absurd thought…’

Qin Tuo cursed himself internally.

He finally snapped out of it, biting his tongue hard to force his mind back to clarity.

Qin Tuo’s breathing was heavy. He knew he had just experienced something very strange.

‘Logically, with my level of mental fortitude, it should be impossible to have such a reaction to a strange woman. What in the world just happened?’

Meanwhile, the girl had already withdrawn her smile. She lowered her head and ate quietly, as if nothing had happened at all.

As Qin Tuo was puzzling over this, Zhu Zifeng, who had been observing him, immediately realized something was amiss.

So, Zhu Zifeng asked with concern,

“What’s the matter, Mr. Qin? You don’t look so good.”

Qin Tuo didn’t hear him at all, still lost in thought.

His heart was still pounding. ‘He even began to wonder if there was something wrong with his self-control.’

‘Why would he have this kind of reaction just from one look at a girl?’

Just then, Zhu Zifeng noticed that Qin Tuo was still staring in a particular direction.

He couldn’t resist following Qin Tuo’s line of sight and turned to look as well.

Qin Tuo’s heart clenched, and he quickly whispered, trying to stop him,

“Turn back! Don’t look at her!”

Qin Tuo suspected there was something wrong with the girl.

A single rash glance could cause a violent mental fluctuation, leading to unimaginable consequences.

‘If he had nearly lost control with his level of willpower, what would happen to Zhu Zifeng?’

But it was too late. Zhu Zifeng looked right at her, even studying the girl carefully for a moment.

‘Oh? He’s fine?’

Seeing Zhu Zifeng completely unaffected, Qin Tuo grew even more confused.

Zhu Zifeng stared for a moment before turning back, a baffled expression on his face as he asked,

“What is it, Mr. Qin? Is there something wrong with that girl? Why do you keep staring at her?”

The question left Qin Tuo momentarily stunned.

His expression turned grave as he asked slowly,

“Young Master Zhu, when you looked at that girl just now, did you have any… special kind of reaction?”

The look of confusion on Zhu Zifeng’s face deepened. He shook his head and stated firmly,

“Not at all, Mr. Qin. I mean, she’s definitely pretty, but I didn’t feel anything else.”

Qin Tuo was utterly speechless, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.

Then, as if he’d just figured something out, a knowing smile spread across Zhu Zifeng’s face. He asked cautiously,

“Mr. Qin, have you been feeling a bit… pent-up lately? How about I find some girls to keep you company? I guarantee you’ll be satisfied.”

It turned out Zhu Zifeng thought Qin Tuo had *that* on his mind, so he thoughtfully offered to help him take care of it.

Hearing this, Qin Tuo gave a dry cough. He waved his hand and said awkwardly,

“That won’t be necessary, Young Master Zhu. Thank you for the kind offer. I think… I was probably just not fully awake a moment ago.”