I Conquer the Entertainment Industry with My Medical Skills - Chapter 36

An Ningqing nearly blurted out her agreement.

But when she remembered Xie Anran’s ulterior motives, she awkwardly turned away without responding.

In the past, she had often kept patients overnight, but that was strictly for medical care. Keeping Third Miss Xie here now might send the wrong message. An Ningqing suddenly said, “Right, I still need to build a dedicated patient room.”

Xie Anran: “???”

This woman’s talent for playing dumb is truly top-tier.

An Ningqing, eager to start building, simply dragged Xie Anran back to the car. “Give me some paper and a pen.”

“What do you need those for?”

“To sketch out the design so I don’t forget later.”

Curious to see what she would come up with, Xie Anran retrieved a stack of paper and a black pen from the glove compartment. An Ningqing tested the pen and began drawing. As Xie Anran watched, she was astonished. “Have you studied design before?”

“No.”

“Your drawings are incredibly precise.”

Even drawings measured with a ruler might not achieve this level of accuracy. If she hadn’t seen An Ningqing draw it herself, she would have sworn it was computer-generated.

Xie Anran clicked her tongue in amazement, unable to resist propping her head on her hand and gazing at the woman beside her. An Ningqing was a treasure trove of surprises, constantly revealing new wonders. Just how many secrets does she still have hidden?

This is truly exciting.

The drawing on the paper was remarkably lifelike, capturing even the individual bricks and tiles of the house. Under An Ningqing’s pen, the miniature estate seemed to come alive, though the version on the paper was a scaled-down rendition.

As soon as Xie Anran saw An Ningqing sketching a large area and labeling it “medicinal herbs,” she couldn’t help but interject, “Don’t make it all herbs! Add some orchids, peonies, and lilies here. Just roses would be too monotonous. If you like swings, we could build one, or maybe a gazebo over there. Oh, and what about a swimming pool?”

An Ningqing protested, “I don’t like swimming. Let’s skip the pool.”

Decades of ingrained habits made her uncomfortable wearing a swimsuit in an open-air pool, even when no one was around. The memory of nearly drowning on the cruise ship was still vivid in her mind.

“No pool, then how about a greenhouse? You could grow your precious herbs there, protecting them from the elements. If they died from exposure, you’d be heartbroken.”

They treated every pinch of medicinal powder like a treasure.

A pile of medicinal herbs was worth more than a room full of precious roses.

Xie Anran had a precise understanding of what An Ningqing cherished most. As they leaned their heads together in the back seat of the car, discussing designs, they unconsciously drew closer. Their breaths mingled briefly, their thighs and knees occasionally brushing. Strands of Xie Anran’s hair fell distractingly onto An Ningqing’s paper, her warm breath ghosting across An Ningqing’s ear. The pen in An Ningqing’s hand abruptly stopped.

Too close.

She could even smell Xie Anran’s fragrance—a faint blend of Tranquil Spirit Incense layered with citrus notes, like the sun’s warmth wrapped in layers.

“What’s wrong? Why did you stop?”

“Nothing.”

An Ningqing quietly shifted away. Xie Anran saw her subtle movement clearly, amused and annoyed. Avoiding me so obviously? I won’t let you have your way. With a mischievous glint in her eyes, Xie Anran moved closer again. “Why don’t we draw together?”

Draw together?!

A hand reached around from behind, boldly grasping An Ningqing’s hand. With a gentle tug, Xie Anran pulled her back into her arms. “Let me demonstrate.”

Xie Anran wore a mischievous smile. “You love pomegranates, right? Let’s add two pomegranate trees here, and we’ll put the apple tree in this corner.”

Her drawing style was quite abstract, with just a few quick strokes to represent each tree. The branches were bare, completely devoid of leaves. Her style differed significantly from An Ningqing’s realistic rendering, yet the two styles blended surprisingly harmoniously on the same sheet of paper. An Ningqing, initially resistant, grew curious as she watched Third Miss Xie add intricate details to her design.

“What do you think?”

“Isn’t my drawing not bad either?”

“…But we should add some climbing vines here. How about grapevines?”

When the grapes ripen, we can relax in the pavilion and pick the ripe grapes to eat.

An Ningqing turned her head, her warm lips brushing against Xie Anran’s assertive cheek. Both women froze, the atmosphere gradually becoming charged. Just as An Ningqing tried to pull back, Xie Anran grabbed her wrist. “An Ningqing, you’re seducing me.”

Unexpected.

An Ningqing opened her mouth to protest, but Xie Anran had already lowered her head and kissed her, silencing her words.

The thin paper crumpled under the force of their embrace.

A warm breeze gently brushed through the roses in the manor garden, causing the blossoms to sway joyfully as if celebrating something.

Half an hour passed before An Ningqing finally emerged from the car, her face flushed crimson and her legs slightly unsteady. The fresh air seemed to revive her, and she couldn’t help but glare at Xie Anran, who stepped out from the other side.

Xie Anran licked her lips with satisfaction, the woman’s resentful glance only fueling her desire to pull her back into the car for another kiss.

Too bad that phone call came at such an inconvenient time.

“This manor needs a manager,” Xie Anran remarked.

“Hmm,” An Ningqing replied sullenly, unwilling to engage with her. But upon reflection, Xie Anran was right. The manor was too vast; she needed not only a manager but likely several staff members to divide the work.

Xie Anran took her phone aside and quickly summoned someone for An Ningqing. A man in his fifties arrived, and Xie Anran introduced them. “Qin Xun, you can trust him completely. He’s a professional. Leave all the manor management to him.”

“Uncle Qin, this is your future employer, your boss, and my fiancée.”

Qin Xun glanced at An Ningqing in surprise. “Very well, Miss.”

Qin Xun was a natural at handling things. When the deliverymen arrived with the saplings and medicinal herbs, he efficiently organized the arrangements without needing any intervention from An Ningqing or Xie Anran. Xie Anran whispered in An Ningqing’s ear, “Qin Xun’s father was my grandfather’s estate manager. He grew up in our household, so you can trust him completely.”

An Ningqing nodded. “Thank you, Third Miss Xie, for finding me such a capable assistant.”

Xie Anran scoffed lightly. “If you really want to thank me, how about showing some actual appreciation?”

An Ningqing instinctively took two steps back.

“I need to return to my apartment tonight.”

“What did you say?!”

Having largely achieved her objective, An Ningqing quickly fabricated an excuse. “My manager sent me a script recently. I need to start preparing for work soon, so I might not have as much time.”

Xie Anran narrowed her eyes. “You can read it at my house. I won’t disturb you while you’re studying the script.”

True, she wouldn’t disturb me.

But the Third Miss was notorious for her surprise attacks, leaving An Ningqing constantly on guard.

An Ningqing racked her brain. “Third Miss, I don’t think your parents or your brother would be happy to see me. My presence would only disrupt your family harmony and make them dislike me.”

Xie Anran felt as if a bucket of cold water had been dumped over her head, instantly extinguishing the warmth in her heart.

An Ningqing returned to her apartment as planned, but she stood upstairs watching the car below. It remained parked for several minutes before finally turning around. Third Miss Xie must be furious, and deeply so.

Should I try to appease her?

No, the more I appease her, the more she’ll take advantage.

An Ningqing rubbed her face and sank back onto the sofa, calling Guan Lang to discuss her return to work. Guan Lang was naturally delighted. He’d never managed an artist who’d been inactive for two or three months straight. First Third Miss Xie, then Miss Li from the Li Family… each one a temperamental VIP he couldn’t afford to offend.

If An Ningqing remained inactive for another two months, the public and her fans would practically forget she existed.

The immediate priority was to regain popularity and solidify her online presence.

What could be faster and more effective than joining a variety show?

“The Li Family even sent over a script earlier. Want to take a look?”

“Sure.”

An Ningqing’s upcoming schedule included participating in a variety show, auditioning for a script role, and shooting an advertisement and magazine spread. Glancing at her itinerary, she saw a month packed solid with work.

Yet her thoughts drifted to—

I wonder where my next patient will be.

But when Guan Lang brought the variety show contract for her to sign, An Ningqing’s eyes lit up. “《Wilderness Survival》? Does this show have many participants?”

Guan Lang looked shocked. “This is a wildly popular variety show! Didn’t you watch the previous season?”

An Ningqing shook her head.

“Perfect timing then,” Guan Lang said. “Since you’re free today, catch up on the previous season’s episodes. That way you’ll know what to expect. When filming starts, make sure to stay aware of the cameras and don’t show any fear. The viewers love watching you guys get scared out of your minds.”

An Ningqing stared at him, speechless.

The viewers’ tastes are truly… unique.

She never got around to reading the script. Instead, she curled up on the sofa with a pillow and started binge-watching the previous season. Right on schedule, she went to bed, not deviating from her health-conscious routine. By the time she finished watching all the previous episodes of Island Survival,

filming was about to begin.

Island Survival was a survival game show that tested the celebrities’ courage and survival skills.

Though she had never participated in a variety show before, An Ningqing wasn’t nervous. After all, she and Xie Anran had only recently escaped Li Xianzong’s private island. The adventures on that island, she figured, couldn’t be too different from this.

Their meeting point was a large bus that would take them to the harbor. From there, they would travel by boat to their final destination: Xunqin Island.

An Ningqing arrived at the bus almost exactly on time.

She was only carrying a large suitcase. Remembering Xie Anran’s earlier complaints, she had specifically swapped out her smaller suitcase for a larger one.

As an entertainer, An Ningqing knew she needed to pack at least two extra outfits. For shoes, she opted exclusively for flats—practical and comfortable for walking, essential for a survival game where heels would be impractical.

“Sister An is finally here!”

“Gentlemen, aren’t you going to show some chivalry?”

Chen Cheng called out from the bus just as An Ningqing boarded with her suitcase. She greeted the group and made her way to the back. Midway, someone deliberately shifted toward the window seat, but An Ningqing ignored the gesture and continued walking.

…

Before leaving, Guan Lang had crammed the guest list into her brain through endless nagging, forcing her to cram for this social exam.

Now, An Ningqing was still struggling to match names to faces.

The bus was lively with over a dozen people. While a few faces were familiar, most had never crossed paths with her original self. Yet, in front of the cameras, everyone displayed an unnatural enthusiasm.

Maintaining a polite smile, An Ningqing checked her phone and saw a message from Xie Anran:

Where are you? I’m at your door. Open up!

Not home. Working.

After a long pause, no further messages arrived. An Ningqing suspected Third Miss Xie was about to throw another tantrum, but she couldn’t placate her now—the bus was already moving.

She was the last celebrity to board.

The atmosphere on the bus was lively, filled with laughter and chatter.

Suddenly, a young man in the front row turned around and offered her an open bag of potato chips.

“Sister An, these chips are really good. Want some?”

“No need to thank me.”

“I also have dried plums, strawberries, and milk candies here. Which one do you want?”

The boy blinked innocently, as if he’d bring his entire stash of snacks over for her to choose from if she didn’t pick one. This was Lu Lu, a singer and dancer who had absolutely no connection to the original owner of her body.

Some people are just naturally friendly, treating everyone like family, An Ningqing thought.

If Guan Lang hadn’t given her a crash course on the guests half an hour earlier, she might not even have known his name.

An Ningqing recalled the dried plum candy Xie Anran had given her on the plane—sweet and sour, with a pleasant flavor. She chose the dried plums. “Thank you.”

Ding—

A new message.

An Ningqing, remember you’re a woman with a fiancée. Stop looking around and flirting with everyone.

“……”

Look at this.

The Third Miss is so angry she’s starting to talk nonsense.