Super Doctor - Chapter 67

Zhao Qilong smirked at Xu Ze across the table, his eyes glinting with malice. Today, he vowed, I’ll humiliate this damned apprentice and wipe away my past shame.

With a leisurely wave, he summoned the waiter and murmured a request. Moments later, the server produced a menu and handed it over with a polite smile.

Zhao Qilong accepted it with exaggerated grace, offering it to Sun Lingfei. “Lingfei, why don’t you order first?”

Sun Lingfei eyed his sudden cheeriness with suspicion. What’s he plotting?

Her answer came the instant she opened the menu. A French-only menu.

Her jaw tightened. This snake.

While Sun Lingfei had studied in France for a year—making the menu no challenge—Xu Ze would be floundering. Lavilla French Restaurant always has Chinese menus, she fumed. But demanding one now would seem petty.

Unfazed, she placed her order in flawless French, then turned to Xu Ze. “Let me recommend a few dishes for you—”

“Ah, Lingfei,” Zhao Qilong cut in, oozing faux concern. “Xu Ze rarely gets to enjoy French cuisine. Since I’m treating, let him choose what he likes.” He snatched the menu back and thrust it at Xu Ze, grinning like a shark. “Right, Xu Ze?”

Xu Ze scanned the rows of unfamiliar text, then Zhao Qilong’s smug face. Ah. A trap.

Sun Lingfei’s nails dug into her palms. He’s setting Xu Ze up for humiliation. “Xu Ze,” she urged, “their signature dishes are—”

Xu Ze silenced her with a calm smile and a shake of his head. Internally, however, he was screaming: Xiao Dao! EMERGENCY!

The AI’s voice chirped in his ear: “Yes, my dear Xu?”

“Some idiot’s trying to embarrass me. I need French—STAT!”

“French?” Xiao Dao’s pause sent Xu Ze’s stomach into freefall. If the system can’t help, I’m doomed.

“You’re a FUTURE super-AI! Don’t tell me you’re monolingual!”

“I know French,” Xiao Dao admitted. “But your clearance level can’t access it.”

Xu Ze nearly choked. “Override it! If I get humiliated today, YOU’RE getting formatted!”

“Is Sun Lingfei there?” Xiao Dao’s tone sharpened. “Is Zhao Qilong your LOVE RIVAL?”

“YES. Now HELP!”

The AI’s response was instantaneous. “Override initiated. For the sake of your dignity, the school belle, and CRUSHING THAT JERK, I’ll bend the rules!”

Xu Ze blinked. Since when is Xiao Dao this invested in my love life?

In the virtual space, Xiao Dao snarled at system alerts:

“Warning: Unauthorized function activation. Energy consumption tripled. Report filed to Central AI—”

“Pfft. Central AI’s not even in this timeline,” it scoffed. “Who’s gonna read that report? Dumb low-level protocols.”

Then it noticed the energy gauge plummeting and winced. “Damn. This’ll cost me.”

To Xu Ze, it barked: “Listen up! For the next 20 minutes, I’ll overlay French comprehension onto your vision and hijack your vocal cords for perfect pronunciation. Table manners data uploaded too. MOVE FAST—this drains power like crazy.”

Relief flooded Xu Ze. Though only 10 seconds had passed, Zhao Qilong’s sneer and Sun Lingfei’s worried glances made it feel like hours.

Now, as his eyes skimmed the menu, the once-alien text transformed:

Hors d’oeuvres: Foie gras terrine, rabbit pâté, orange-glazed prawn salad, smoked salmon, escargots…

Soups: Crème de tortue, soupe à l’oignon, crème de champignons…

Just as Xu Ze deliberated, Zhao Qilong leaned in. “Need help, Xu Ze? Or should I fetch a Chinese menu?”

Sun Lingfei’s eyes flashed. “Zhao Qilong, you—”

“Salade de poulet fumé, terrine de foie gras, soupe à l’oignon,” Xu Ze recited, his tongue rolling the Rs with Parisian precision.

The waiter’s eyebrows shot up. “Oui, monsieur.”

Zhao Qilong’s smirk shattered. His face cycled through shades of puce and lime as if he’d swallowed a live frog.

Sun Lingfei gaped. Since when does a non-language major speak French THIS fluently?

Xu Ze sipped his water, savoring the victory—and Xiao Dao’s gleeful whisper:

“NEXT TIME, ORDER THE ESCARGOTS. WATCH HIM CHOKE ON THE BILL.”