I Conquer the Entertainment Industry with My Medical Skills - Chapter 37

An Ningqing didn’t reply.

She had initially thought the Third Miss would calm down eventually.

But Xie Anran’s texts kept coming, one after another, a relentless barrage.

I was going to take you out to play, but you secretly went to work behind my back.

All the herbs in your manor have been planted, and you don’t even have time to check on them, you little ingrate.

When are you coming back?

She had entrusted all her work to Qin Xun these past few days. Perhaps by the time she finished her tasks this month, some of the medicinal herbs would have grown taller. A faint smile curved her lips as she popped a salted plum into her mouth.

The sweet and sour flavor danced across her palate.

Still, salted plum candies tasted better.

When no reply came after five minutes, An Ningqing finally responded:

I understand. Please thank Uncle Qin for me.

When filming officially begins, our phones will be confiscated, so I won’t be able to reply to messages.

This was to prevent Third Miss Xie from inexplicably getting angry again.

An Ningqing rested her head on her hand, gazing out the window. She should have given Xie Anran that medicinal prescription before leaving. When she returned, she would help the Third Miss regulate her health. It wasn’t a serious issue, but it remained a minor hidden risk.

As for the person who had administered the medicine…

They needed some knowledge of pharmacology and had to be someone close to the Third Miss, familiar with her habits and aware of her fondness for plush toys. The gift had come from Xie Xuanze, and both he and Madam Xie possessed some understanding of medicine.

But one was her brother, and the other her mother.

How could she subtly warn her?

The bus swayed and rumbled forward, traveling for over an hour. Just as some passengers began complaining about their aching bottoms from the bumpy ride, they reached their destination. From here, they would continue by boat.

The production team arranged two speedboats for the eight celebrity guests participating in this episode of the variety show. Including the crew, each speedboat carried four guests and two staff members.

An Ningqing, the singing and dancing idol Lu Lu, Best Actress Xi Jingya, and professional stunt actor Ji Yang were assigned to one speedboat. The slower boat carried the remaining participants.

The two speedboats shot off one after the other—literally flying. An Ningqing experienced a taste of speed and fury, nearly being thrown into the water until Xi Jingya grabbed her arm.

An Ningqing caught a faint medicinal scent emanating from Xi Jingya.

“Thank you,” An Ningqing said.

“You’re welcome,” Xi Jingya replied, immediately releasing her grip. She wore large-framed sunglasses, a long black dress, and a sun-shading fisherman’s hat, which she had to hold onto to prevent it from flying off in the speedboat’s wake.

An Ningqing tilted her head slightly and noticed the dark bruises hidden beneath Xi Jingya’s slipping sleeves.

She quickly averted her gaze—a patient.

Xi Jingya maintained a frosty demeanor throughout the ride. Fortunately, An Ningqing wasn’t one to force familiarity. The two women turned their heads away from each other, letting their hair whip wildly against their cheeks.

“This is so cool!”

“Can I drive? Let me try!”

“……”

Lu Luyangguang’s voice was bright and cheerful, but his words sent a chill through the group. Ji Yang quickly calmed him down, “We’ll definitely let you drive once we reach the island.”

“Right.”

The group collectively sighed in relief.

An Ningqing’s gaze drifted to Ji Yang’s hand behind his back. Oh, another patient, she thought with a faint smile, her mood brightening considerably.

I was right to choose this variety show after all.

The camera caught this moment perfectly. Seeing An Ningqing’s face practically blooming with joy, Xie Anran couldn’t help but scoff, “Laughing so happily now? When I asked you to go surfing with me, you said you were too busy. An Ningqing, you’re really something.”

When their group arrived at Xunqin Island, everyone had suffered the consequences of the speedboat ride, their clothes soaked to varying degrees. An Ningqing wrung out her skirt, squeezing out a trickle of water, and her hair dripped steadily.

The speedboat ride had been too exhilarating.

The female celebrities immediately requested to change into dry clothes at their accommodations, and the production team, showing some humanity, agreed.

The group consisted of eight members: four men and four women.

Their rooms were arranged in a popular guesthouse on the local island, which the production team had booked entirely. The artists stayed on the second floor, while the crew occupied the first.

Among the group, An Ningqing didn’t have any particularly close friends. She proactively asked to share a room with Xi Jingya, who agreed without hesitation. Chen Cheng, standing nearby, jumped in, “Sister An, I want to room with you too!”

“Sister Ya, can you switch with me? Please?”

“Well…” Xi Jingya hesitated.

An Ningqing didn’t understand why Chen Cheng was so insistent. After all, Chen Cheng was much closer to Jiang Tian, who was standing beside her. She pursed her lips slightly and replied, “Sorry, I don’t room with single girls. My fiancée wouldn’t be happy.”

Chen Cheng froze.

Everyone knew Xi Jingya was married and therefore not single.

Wow.

Are we even allowed to hear this?

The others stared at them, stunned.

Everyone present was aware of the relationship between An Ningqing and Xie Anran, but no one had ever brought it up directly. The women had maintained their silence, mainly because Third Miss Xie, though not in the entertainment industry, was even more famous than most celebrities. Given her special status, it was best not to gossip about her.

Xi Jingya chuckled. “So that’s why you chose me. Looks like getting married early does have its advantages. I’m truly honored.”

Everyone couldn’t help but laugh.

Chen Cheng awkwardly followed up with a dry chuckle. “Then I’ll share a room with Jiang Tian.”

With the brief interlude over, everyone collected their keys and returned to their rooms to change.

An Ningqing opened her suitcase and placed a jar of homemade ointment on the table. She had originally packed it as a precaution, thinking they might get scrapes or bruises while surviving on the deserted island. She never imagined it would come in handy so soon.

Xi Jingya changed into another long black dress, wrapping herself tightly and revealing only her ankles and wrists. Noticing An Ningqing fiddling with the jar, she asked curiously, “What’s that?”

“Homemade scar-healing ointment,” An Ningqing replied. “Even Third Miss Xie says it works wonders.”

Xi Jingya’s mind raced, but she didn’t respond. “The bathroom’s free now. You can change in there. Hurry up and get out of those wet clothes before you catch a cold.”

An Ningqing took her clothes and went inside.

kswl An An can’t stop mentioning Third Miss Xie, even in three sentences! Isn’t that love?

Absolutely true love!

Aaaaaah, lock them up already!

I’ll move the marriage registry here myself! Get married right now!

Hehe.

Hehe.

【Hee hee +10086】

【Am I the only one curious about that medicine? Is this just a subtle ad using the Xie Family’s name?】

【What are you talking about? Does our An An need to advertise? Besides, didn’t you hear? It’s An An’s homemade wound-healing ointment! Wait, our An An can even make medicine?! 666】

【Wow, is this for real?】

The camera zoomed in on the medicine. The bottle was plain plastic, looking cheap. The ointment itself was pitch-black, like mud, making it impossible to tell what it was.

Fans flooded Xie Anran’s WBo to ask about it.

Xie Anran couldn’t help but smirk. She had overheard An Ningqing’s words and grudgingly considered it a pass. “Finally remembers she has a fiancée. Hmph.”

But Xi Jingya…

Oh, right, she’s married and has a child.

Is this production team really that broke? They couldn’t even afford separate rooms and had to cram two people into one tiny space.

After criticizing the production team, Xie Anran turned her attention to the environment. The two beds facing each other were ridiculously small—not even half the size of her own. She’d never slept on such a tiny bed in her life. One wrong move and she’d fall right off!

Would An Ningqing be able to sleep comfortably?

After a thorough search, An Ningqing emerged wearing a T-shirt and shorts. She had chosen a pink tracksuit and styled her hair into a neat bun. On screen, she radiated youthful energy, looking like an eighteen-year-old high school girl. Xie Anran stared in awe, having rarely seen An Ningqing in such a vibrant mood.

Once dressed, the two headed to the meeting point, which was conveniently located right downstairs from their guesthouse.

Chen Cheng and the others were already waiting below. Spotting An Ningqing and Xie Anran, Chen Cheng squeezed through the crowd to approach them. “Sister An, Sister Ya, if we’re divided into groups later, should we team up?”

An Ningqing smiled. “Let’s just stick with the room assignments.”

Chen Cheng pouted, muttering under his breath, “Does the Third Miss really control even who you team up with? Sister An, won’t that be a problem for you? Will you only be allowed to collaborate with married partners from now on?”

The more An Ningqing listened, the more absurd his words sounded.

Anyone who understood basic social cues knew she had merely used the Third Miss as an excuse to avoid switching rooms with Chen Cheng.

Still, the Third Miss’s name certainly came in handy.

An Ningqing smiled sweetly at Chen Cheng, then pulled out her phone. “Why don’t you call my fiancée yourself and ask if she’ll get involved in this?”

Chen Cheng was dumbfounded.

Who just kicks the ball straight into someone’s face like that?

An Ningqing encouragingly held out the phone. “Go ahead. I’m actually quite curious to see if she’ll agree or disagree.”

She looked like she was thoroughly enjoying the spectacle.

The Third Miss had a terrible temper, but she was surprisingly easy to handle—provided you knew the right approach.

An Ningqing already knew the answer in her heart, but she wanted to test just how bold this person was, repeatedly causing trouble as if she were made of clay.

Chen Cheng retreated hastily, putting distance between them. “Haha, Sister An, I was just joking earlier.”

An Ningqing clicked her tongue in mock disappointment and was about to retract her phone when it suddenly rang. She glanced at the number, then at Chen Cheng, and asked gently, “Should I answer it?”

Chen Cheng’s smile faltered. “No, thank you.”

Every eye in the room turned to the phone. Oh, it’s a call from Third Miss Xie. She actually called.

It was quite miraculous.

An Ningqing publicly rejected the call in front of everyone.

Xie Anran called again, and she rejected it again.

The familiar pattern, the familiar formula.

Meanwhile, the people around her were growing numb. The ringing would blare in their ears, then stop, then blare again, then stop, repeating endlessly and making their hearts race.

A nearby staff member, sweating profusely, urged, “Teacher An, why don’t you just answer it?”

An Ningqing asked in surprise, “Is that allowed?”

“Yes, yes! Some people haven’t arrived yet anyway.”

“Alright then.”

She found a quiet corner and answered the call. Xie Anran’s vibrant voice immediately burst through the line: “An Ningqing, you hung up on me ten times! Ten times!”

An Ningqing hadn’t been counting. “I’m working. It’s not convenient to answer the phone.”

Xie Anran, who had been watching the live stream, saw everything clearly. “Stay away from that woman. She’s so annoying.”

An Ningqing hummed softly in agreement.

A moment of silence hung between them, so quiet they could hear each other’s breathing.

Just as An Ningqing suspected Xie Anran was about to hang up, a clear voice came through the line: “I don’t care about your work. Just don’t let it bother you.”

The corners of An Ningqing’s lips curved slightly upward.