I Conquer the Entertainment Industry with My Medical Skills - Chapter 22

Xie Anran wrinkled her nose in disdain before pushing An Ningqing toward the pool’s edge, tearing away the modesty towel as they walked. “Allowing this young lady to personally teach you is an honor.”

“No, no,” An Ningqing protested. She wanted nothing to do with this “honor.”

Xie Anran led her to the ladder at the pool’s edge. “Hold onto the ladder with both hands, just like you’d go down stairs. Let your body adjust to the water temperature first.”

She gave a quick demonstration, then stood in the pool, beckoning An Ningqing over.

Splash!

A man nearby dove in, sending water flying. He darted through the water like a fish, drawing shrieks of admiration from the girls clustered around him. Others clapped and whistled, creating quite the… commotion.

Xie Anran clapped her hands, drawing An Ningqing’s attention back to her. “Stop daydreaming. What’s so interesting about that overconfident showoff? Just because he has a few muscles doesn’t make him the modern-day Bruce Lee. Hurry up and get in.”

An Ningqing noticed that no one was paying attention to them. Their corner of the pool was secluded, with only a few scattered swimmers minding their own business. This gave her a small measure of comfort.

She descended the ladder step by step until half her body was submerged in the water, which turned out to be warmer than she had expected.

Perhaps because it was an outdoor pool, the water was surprisingly tepid.

Xie Anran extended her hand. “Hold my hand and relax. The pool isn’t deep. Take a few steps to test it.”

There was no need to test it; Xie Anran’s steady stance in the water made it clear.

An Ningqing’s feet touched the pool floor, buoyed slightly by the water, giving her the sensation of walking on cotton. It felt unsteady but not alarming. The water’s gentle caress against her legs, combined with Xie Anran’s reassuring grip, quickly eased her tense nerves.

“Take a few steps and see.”

An Ningqing felt as if she had regressed to her toddler years, when her master would dangle a pear-flavored candy in front of her with a bamboo stick. She remembered the candy’s taste—bitter at first, especially after taking medicine, gradually transforming into a sweet, pear-blossom-scented flavor. Her master would lure her forward step by step, only to shift the candy’s position just as she reached for it.

Is the Third Miss treating me like a child she’s teaching to walk?

As An Ningqing was lost in her memories, the hand beside her suddenly slipped away.

Instinctively, An Ningqing reached forward, her palm feeling the playful currents of the water. She quickly regained her balance, her feet still firmly planted on the ground. The water barely reached her shoulders, exerting a slight pressure on her chest, but it remained within her tolerance.

Xie Anran flashed her a radiant smile, then turned and plunged into the water, swimming away with the swiftness of a mermaid. Just as An Ningqing stood bewildered in the water, Xie Anran swam back, completing the round trip in the blink of an eye. She circled An Ningqing, laughing, before darting away again like a butterfly taking flight.

This woman…

She’s like a water sprite.

Wild and carefree.

After indulging in her aquatic revelry, Xie Anran remembered her mission for the day. After a few more laps, she seized the moment as An Ningqing was cautiously wading forward, emerging unexpectedly from the water. Water droplets cascaded from her hair onto An Ningqing’s face, tracing paths down her smooth cheeks like glistening tears or translucent pearls—a breathtakingly beautiful sight.

An Ningqing stumbled backward in shock, nearly falling into the water. Fortunately, Xie Anran grabbed her arm, pulling her back. An Ningqing’s mind flashed with an inappropriate phrase: lotus emerging from the water.

“The Third Miss is quite the swimmer.”

“Of course.”

To master this skill and make it look effortless, she had gone through over a dozen swimming coaches.

Xie Anran’s eyes sparkled. “Alright, let’s start with a practice swim.”

Xie Anran cupped An Ningqing’s chin with one hand, her palm pressing against her soft abdomen. The warmth of Xie Anran’s palm radiated through the thin fabric, transferring its heat to An Ningqing.

The intimate posture, combined with the stark contrast between their body temperatures, made An Ningqing’s lower abdomen involuntarily tighten. Xie Anran mistook this for nervousness, a common reaction among beginners. She recalled her own first experience, when her Second Brother had tricked her into the water, causing her to choke on several mouthfuls. “Relax,” she instructed. “Don’t dig your heels into the bottom. Imagine you’re a fish. Swim like a fish swims.”

Fish propel themselves upward through the coordinated movements of their tail fins and pectoral fins.

An Ningqing took a deep breath, her body trembling slightly. She tried to relax, letting her legs float up. A heavy sensation of tipping over washed over her as Xie Anran effortlessly pulled her forward less than half a meter.

Her pale, slender legs kicked weakly, splashing a few drops of water. Her full, rounded hips peeked in and out of the water, making Xie Anran’s heart itch. She suppressed the urge, gently patting the backs of An Ningqing’s knees. “You need to move too,” she prompted.

An Ningqing’s face flushed crimson as she struggled to stand up.

“Easy, easy,” Xie Anran said.

“Third Miss, could you please keep your hands to yourself?”

“I was just reminding you to cooperate, not just enjoy the ride. You need to move too.”

Xie Anran argued her case, then deliberately trailed her fingers lightly across An Ningqing’s exposed waist. The skin there was dazzlingly white. If I were really touching you, I’d trace every inch, she thought. An Ningqing instinctively tried to push her away, but in the struggle, she choked on more water. Seeing her distressed, Xie Anran quickly lifted her up, her hand accidentally brushing against something soft and round.

Xie Anran glared at her own hand, convinced it had to be chopped off for its disobedience.

In her panic, An Ningqing instinctively clung tighter to Xie Anran’s neck, as if grasping at a lifeline.

“Cough, cough, cough!”

“Are you okay?”

She choked, tears streaming down her face, her eyes red and swollen, making her look utterly vulnerable and fragile, as if she had been badly bullied. Her body pressed tightly against Xie Anran’s, she could clearly feel the other woman’s burning heat, so intense it made her heart race and her mind spin.

She patted Xie Anran’s shoulder. “Put me down. I need to go rest for a bit.”

Xie Anran didn’t release her. Instead, she carried An Ningqing straight to the ladder, had her grip the handrails, and effortlessly hoisted herself up. Then, she reached down and pulled An Ningqing up after her, handing her a bottle of mineral water. “Rinse your mouth out.”

An Ningqing’s throat was sore, so she declined the water. She wrapped herself tightly in a towel, still dripping wet and uncomfortable, and wiped her damp hair.

The pool was crowded with men and women. Many girls who could swim were clinging to men, kissing them passionately in the same way Xie Anran had held her earlier—bold, fervent, and intense.

An Ningqing’s gaze recoiled as if burned. She turned away. “Thank you, Third Miss Xie, but I’m tired. Let’s end the lesson for today.”

Without waiting for a response, she hurried away.

Xie Anran frowned, watching the retreating figure almost fleeing in panic. “I hadn’t even started teaching yet. Why is she so timid?”

Choking on water is certainly unpleasant, but what beginner doesn’t swallow a few mouthfuls?

So delicate—even more so than me.

She swam several more laps before joining the crowd, listening to their endless flattery. Soon, she lost interest, finding it utterly boring—not nearly as engaging as teaching An Ningqing had been.

So dull.

“You all have fun. I’m leaving.”

An Ningqing spent half an hour in the bathroom, her skin wrinkling from the soaking, especially her hands and feet. After applying lotion and blow-drying her hair, she methodically checked the refrigerator. Her fingers paused on a lemon before she closed the door and retrieved a stomach-warming tea bag from her suitcase, brewing herself a pot.

The room filled with the fragrant steam of tea. She took a sip, finally calming her turbulent thoughts.

Squatting on the bay window, she gazed outside. The weather was perfect, the sky and sea merging into a seamless horizon. She sipped her tea, admiring the view. When tired of watching, she leaned back against the window and flipped through a book, the tranquil moment fleeting all too quickly.

The brief voyage soon came to an end as the cruise ship docked.

An Ningqing couldn’t walk on her own; the bodyguards Li Jing had brought carried her luggage. Once the ship reached the pier, the Li Family’s helicopter would transport her to Li Xianzong’s private island.

Miss Anne was also going along.

The occupants of the room harbored their own hidden agendas, and no one spoke.

Knock, knock, knock.

The bodyguards immediately opened the door.

Xie Anran had originally planned to offer someone a ride after the ship docked. But when the door swung open, the room was packed with people, each positioned in a peculiar way. The outermost layer consisted of Li Jing’s four foreign bodyguards, tall and imposing, their waists bulging with concealed weapons, radiating an overwhelming sense of menace.

An ordinary person might well have been intimidated.

Li Jing leaned against the corner where the refrigerator met the table, idly playing with her phone. Next to her sat Anne, a stunningly beautiful Eurasian woman, her beauty as striking as a painted portrait.

An Ningqing sat calmly on the bed she had slept in, not even bothering to stand up when Xie Anran entered.

“What’s this? A farewell tea party?” Xie Anran asked. “Miss Li, you’re far too hospitable.”

She stepped into the room, thoughtfully closing the door behind her, ignoring the four bodyguards whose eyes widened like copper bells. She glided toward An Ningqing and sat unceremoniously on the mattress, declaring as if no one else were present, “I noticed you barely ate anything tonight. Once we dock, let’s find a place for some late-night snacks.”

An Ningqing replied, “I have other matters to attend to this time. Perhaps another time.”

Xie Anran shot her a look of exasperation, as if scolding her for not knowing what was good for her. “I’ve already made reservations at a restaurant, darling. What could possibly be more important than our date?”

Li Jing, checking the time, interjected, “Third Miss, didn’t Miss An tell you? I invited her to be a guest at our home, and she’s already accepted. Your date is destined to be canceled.”

Li Jing had expected Xie Anran to react with her usual fury.

Instead, Xie Anran smiled sweetly at Li Jing, her demeanor surprisingly calm. “How unfortunate. I also have some contractual details regarding Miss Li’s recent order that I need to discuss with you.”

Li Jing: “???”

What was there to discuss about a mere ten thousand nanny robots?

Anyone overhearing would have thought it was a multi-billion-dollar deal.

Xie Anran gripped An Ningqing’s hand tightly, her fingernails digging into the flesh. A distant yet elegant smile graced her face as she said, “Therefore, on behalf of my fiancée, I thank Miss Li for her hospitality.”