I Conquer the Entertainment Industry with My Medical Skills - Chapter 18

Graceful dance moves accompanied the captivating melody, drawing more and more people onto the dance floor.

Seeing her awkward movements, her partner took the lead, guiding her into a spin. They moved like two butterflies dancing in flight, An Ningqing using the pull and tug to subtly place her fingertip against the woman’s wrist.

“Miss An, you’re quite different from what the rumors suggest.”

“Oh, really?”

An Ningqing refused to comment on her original self, nor did she care about the world’s opinions of her. She lived entirely by her own whims.

The woman before her moved with effortless ease, a quality that resonated with An Ningqing’s own temperament.

She had spent the day exploring the cruise ship, learning that it was hosted by the youngest daughter of the gambling tycoon. This pampered princess, adored by all, was known for her insatiable appetite for pleasure, indulging in both men and women. Her romantic history rivaled even the most scandalous celebrity gossip.

Yet this didn’t deter her from continuing her pursuit of pleasure, flitting between beautiful women and handsome men, with no shortage of suitors eager to throw themselves at her feet.

“Miss Li, despite your cold constitution, your health has been well-maintained over the years. If you wish to marry and have children in the future, as long as you avoid falling into the millennia-old ice cave a second time, there should be no complications.”

“So, can we end this game of cat and mouse now?”

Li Jing never expected An Ningqing to see through her so easily. Falling into the ice cave had been a childhood mishap born of recklessness, nearly costing her life. The Li Family had kept the incident a closely guarded secret, known only to a few within the clan—not even Qian Lingling was aware of it.

“Wow, I’m starting to believe Lingling’s hype. No wonder she raves about you so much.”

“An Ningqing, I think I’m starting to like you.”

The words came as naturally as saying, “I’m starting to admire you.”

Xie Anran, dragged reluctantly onto the dance floor by her sisters, finally squeezed her way to their side. Just as she leaned in to listen, Li Jing’s sudden confession struck her like a thunderbolt. Her face darkened like the bottom of a pot, and in a fit of anger, she abandoned her dance partner, grabbed An Ningqing, and yanked her away. “Li Jing, if you’re feeling horny, go find one of your little lovers. Don’t harass my fiancée.”

An Ningqing looked genuinely surprised. “Third Miss is here too?”

Xie Anran glared at her, her arm tightening around An Ningqing’s waist like a dragon clutching its precious gem. “What, you can come but I can’t? If I hadn’t come, I would have missed this spectacular drama.”

She had deliberately planned to give An Ningqing the cold shoulder for a few days, which was why she had come to the cruise ship to clear her head.

But she never expected this. Never in a million years.

Good thing she came.

Li Jing wasn’t angry at all. Her teasing gaze flickered between the two women. “But what if I just want to bother Miss An? What then?”

Xie Anran snorted. “Feel free to try.”

Seeing how easily Xie Anran was provoked, Li Jing shrugged, showing no embarrassment at being caught. She smiled brightly and, as she left, winked playfully at An Ningqing, whispering in her ear, “Come to my room tonight. I’ll be waiting.”

Then, with an air of complete disregard for anyone else’s feelings, she sauntered away.

Xie Anran was so furious she felt like her head was about to explode. Grabbing An Ningqing by the waist, she practically dragged her out of the ballroom, pulled her onto the deck, and pinned her against a corner. “You impatient woman! Couldn’t you wait even a few days?”

“What?”

“Do you even know what kind of person Li Jing is? You dance with her, and she’ll say she likes you today, then dump you tomorrow. You have no idea how fickle she is. Her little black book is as thick as your brick-sized novels!”

“That’s quite a lot.”

“You bet.”

The two even shared a moment of mutual appreciation before Xie Anran suddenly snapped back to reality. “An Ningqing, don’t try to change the subject!”

An Ningqing had no idea what nonsense the other woman had been spouting all night. She had only come here out of consideration for Xie Anran’s feelings. “Third Miss, I have other matters to attend to this evening. I must take my leave.”

The real patient must be in Li Jing’s room.

This repeated air of mystery had thoroughly piqued her curiosity.

Xie Anran’s eyes burned red with anger. She had clearly heard Li Jing’s suggestive invitation earlier, and An Ningqing was already rushing off to accept it?

Furious, she snapped, “Do you think I’m dead?”

An Ningqing tilted her head, studying her for a moment. “Of course not, Third Miss. I wish you a lifetime of smooth sailing. I hope you enjoy the rest of your trip.”

With that, she turned and walked away.

Xie Anran clenched her fist and slammed it against the wall. Ouch, my hand hurts!

When Luo Ling found her, Xie Anran was drinking alone at the bar, having already downed several glasses. Luo Ling asked suspiciously, “Where’s An Ningqing? Why are you alone?”

Xie Anran snorted through her nose. “Don’t mention that woman to me. Want a drink?”

That detestable woman, Xie Anran thought. Even as she left, she’d given a sarcastic “Have fun!” Well, Xie Anran was having plenty of fun now.

Seeing that Xie Anran’s mood was even worse than before they boarded the cruise, Luo Ling said, “Sure, I’ll drink with you.”

Xie Anran propped her head up, watching the bartender perform his cocktail magic with glazed eyes. “Why does Li Jing, that fickle woman, still have so many people fawning over her? Is she some kind of reincarnated enchantress with boundless charm?”

“Don’t be ridiculous. It’s all just superficial flirting.”

“Hmph. How do I compare to her?”

Luo Ling gave her a surprised look. “Didn’t you used to despise these kinds of comparisons?”

“There’s really nothing to compare.”

Li Jing? She just had more money. Xie Anran had money too. As for looks? Xie Anran didn’t think her appearance was inferior to Li Jing’s.

“Did you have a fight with your man?”

Luo Ling had heard about the incident at the ball—the whole “raging for a beauty” drama. Seeing Xie Anran’s frustrated expression, she guessed, “Sometimes, you just need to sweet-talk women.”

How?

That woman wanted to sleep with her.

If she refused, the woman would just find someone else.

Xie Anran had never encountered such a desperate woman in all her life.

The more she thought about it, the angrier she became. She slammed her hand on the table. “I don’t want this fiancée anymore!”

Meanwhile, An Ningqing, the “disposable” woman, was brought by Qian Lingling to Li Jing’s luxurious seaside apartment. Qian Lingling explained the earlier trials: “They also had to consider basic security. My guarantee wasn’t enough because they’d once encountered an assassin disguised as a doctor. Fortunately, it was a close call. But since then, security has been much stricter.”

An Ningqing had already experienced “kidnapping” and a “car accident.” Now, hearing about “assassination” here, she realized that even in this seemingly peaceful era, some dangers still persisted across time and space.

Li Jing opened the door, wearing a black silk robe. Seeing the corridor was empty, she invited them in and offered them glasses of red wine. “I apologize for testing you earlier. It’s just that my stepmother has seen so many doctors, both traditional Chinese and Western, that she’s lost hope.”

An Ningqing took a polite sip of wine. “Take me to see the patient.”

The ocean-view suite included an adjoining room.

An Ningqing entered alone. A beautiful woman sat on the sofa, her naturally curly golden hair framing a pair of stunning sky-blue eyes—clear, pure, and captivating. Yet her frail frame made her seem almost childlike as she curled up on the sofa. “Hello, Miss An,” she greeted, her accent slightly foreign, not quite standard Mandarin.

Exotic beauty, An Ningqing thought. She twitched her nose. “I’d like to take your pulse first.”

Li Jing’s stepmother, Anne, extended her hand. “Miss An, do you also deliver babies?”

An Ningqing’s fingertips gently rested on Anne’s excessively pale and delicate wrist.

Anne tensed. “What is it? Is something wrong with my health?”

“Miss Anne,” An Ningqing began, “I need to ask you some personal questions about you and your husband. I understand this may seem intrusive, but it’s crucial that you answer honestly. It’s very important.”

Anne bit her lip. “What do you want to know?”

The two women remained in the room for two hours.

Qian Lingling, who had nearly fallen asleep outside the door, and Li Jing both stood up as An Ningqing emerged.

An Ningqing nodded to them, her expression calm. “I’ll be heading back now.”

Qian Lingling quickly said goodbye to Li Jing and hurried after her. “How is she? Is there still a chance?”

The question was veiled, but considering Miss Anne’s recent assassination attempt, An Ningqing smiled. “Patient confidentiality, I’m afraid. I can’t disclose that information. If you want to know, you’ll have to ask Miss Anne yourself.”

Qian Lingling suddenly laughed. “I didn’t expect you to react so quickly. Now I can rest assured.”

With that, they parted ways and returned to their respective rooms.

All the way back, An Ningqing pondered the story of Anne and her seventy-year-old husband. A nineteen-year-old girl wanting to bear children for a man old enough to be her grandfather, having struggled for so long, and still blaming herself… To protect her reputation, Miss Anne’s wishes had to be fulfilled. An Ningqing was so absorbed in her thoughts that she only noticed the mushroom squatting on the ground, drawing circles, when she reached her room. “Third Miss?”

Xie Anran’s cheeks flushed crimson, her body reeking of alcohol. Her gaze, still misty with tears, held no hint of malice.

It was clear she had drunk too much and stumbled into the wrong room.

An Ningqing swiped her card to open the door. Before she could call hotel staff to help Xie Anran back to her room, the woman lurched inside, pinning An Ningqing against the wall. With a kick, she slammed the door shut. Her fuzzy head burrowed into the nape of An Ningqing’s neck, nuzzling repeatedly. The heat of her breath, undeniably intense, spread down An Ningqing’s neck, seeping into her heart.

Unable to break free, An Ningqing reached for the needle at her waist. But Xie Anran, surprisingly quick, seized her hand. This position irked her, and she couldn’t help but warn, “Xie Anran.”

Xie Anran ignored her, muttering, “No scent.”

She was clearly quite drunk.

An Ningqing didn’t want to argue with a drunk. Softening her tone, she said, “Xie Anran, let go. You’re hurting me.”

Hearing this, Xie Anran simply buried her face deeper into An Ningqing’s neck. The two stood entwined like intertwined branches, their necks pressed together. “An Ningqing,” Xie Anran murmured, “I promised you. I’ll sleep with you tonight.”