I Conquer the Entertainment Industry with My Medical Skills - Chapter 44

“I’m going in to see my brother.”

“Go ahead.”

An Ningqing stood guard outside the ICU. Xie Xuanze had forced out the stagnant bl00d in his body earlier in a fit of anger and was now sleeping weakly. She wasn’t worried about him saying anything foolish to Xie Anran.

After all, he had never liked her.

When Xie Anran saw her usually confident and domineering eldest brother lying so helpless in the hospital bed, a wave of grief washed over her. The sight of his once-stylish hair shaved completely bald, leaving only a bare, egg-like head even beneath the white bandages, was particularly jarring.

She had imagined countless ways to break free from Xie Xuanze’s control, had even considered running away from home over a dozen times and fantasized about crushing her brother’s head under her heel five times. But she had never imagined it would end in such a tragic way.

“Brother, I’ll avenge you. Just wait for me.”

Composing herself, Xie Anran emerged to find four people standing beside An Ningqing. Two were dressed as doctors, and two as nurses, all towering over 1.8 meters tall. Their rigid posture immediately caught her attention. “They—”

An Ningqing knew that a crowd had gathered outside, including paparazzi and Xie Corporation shareholders. “I’ve devised a plan to help your brother leave the hospital unnoticed. These people came specifically to assist us, so we can trust them.”

The group looked like highly trained bodyguards—no, their demeanor was almost identical to the mercenaries she had seen at the Li Family estate. Could these people be working for Li Xianzong?

An Ningqing gripped her wrist. “As long as I’m here, your brother will live.”

Xie Xuanze had his own bodyguards, but when the accident occurred, the men who were supposed to protect him vanished without a trace and haven’t been seen since.

It wasn’t hard to conclude that the horrific car crash had been a premeditated murder attempt.

But why target them?

Xie Anran’s tense expression barely softened. “I trust you, but not them. Are they Li Xianzong’s bodyguards? To enter this hospital so easily, they must be highly skilled.”

Though she hated to admit it, the hospital’s security was like a sieve, riddled with loopholes.

With her brother here, he was no longer safe.

An Ningqing hadn’t expected to deceive Xie Anran’s sharp eyes. “The Third Miss truly has discerning eyes, seeing through their disguises at a glance. But they belong to me now.”

Xie Anran was surprised.

An Ningqing casually explained, “Because I hold Mr. Li’s life in my hands.”

Xie Anran gazed at the woman before her with a complex expression. She didn’t object further but listened to An Ningqing’s proposal. She walked back to the hospital entrance, drawing a barrage of questions from the assembled media.

“Third Miss, what are your thoughts on the car accident?”

“According to the current reports, the explosion injured over thirty people and killed five. More than a dozen families have lost loved ones. Third Miss, we’ve heard Young Master Xie suffered devastating injuries in the accident…”

Beep-beep—

At that moment, an ambulance conspicuously drove through the crowd of reporters. No one suspected that Young Master Xie, the subject of intense public scrutiny, was being spirited away right under their noses.

The hospital’s VIP ward now had additional bodyguards stationed around it.

Except for Xie Anran, no one was allowed to enter or leave the ward.

“How could my Eldest Young Master have become like this?”

“Enough, Uncle Qin. From today onward, you are not to leave my estate, not even a step.”

Qin Xun froze, tears still clinging to the corners of his eyes, making him look somewhat comical.

He clearly hadn’t anticipated that such an act—which in this modern world would be considered outright confinement—would befall someone like him, a man with one foot in the grave.

An Ningqing had a bowl of pitch-black liquid brought over and, smiling sweetly, handed it to him. “I’m sorry, Uncle Qin, but this is a loyalty-testing tonic. Only after you drink it will I trust you.”

Qin Xun was speechless.

Well, well, well, things have just gotten even more absurd.

Miss An truly lives up to her reputation as an actress. Her performance is flawless.

Qin Xun cleared his throat. “Miss, I cannot condone such actions. I believe—”

An Ningqing had no intention of listening to the old butler’s moralizing. She simply pushed the bowl closer, almost pressing it against his face. “Uncle Qin, what are you afraid of? If you remain loyal and don’t betray me, this is just a bowl of soup. The condition is that you stay until the Xie Family crisis is completely resolved. After everything is settled, you’re free to stay or leave as you wish.”

Qin Xun choked, his gaze sweeping over the towering bodyguards behind her, who had stood like gatekeepers since his arrival. Their unwavering stares, like those of guardian deities, conveyed a clear message: if he didn’t cooperate, he would never leave this place. Even television dramas wouldn’t dare portray such a scenario.

“Don’t worry,” An Ningqing said. “They’ve all drunk it. As long as you remain loyal to me, I guarantee you’ll live to be a hundred.”

Qin Xun picked up the bowl, pinched his nose, and drank it down. Only after finishing did he suddenly ask, “The Third Miss—”

An Ningqing had the bowl taken away. “She knows.”

Qin Xun sighed softly.

It wasn’t clear whether he was sighing for Xie Xuanze’s future or for the Third Miss’s ruthlessness.

Soon, the estate was filled with various expensive instruments. As soon as they arrived, the bodyguards methodically moved them into the medical room An Ningqing had designated. Security nets and surveillance cameras were erected around the estate, and waves of bodyguards arrived, each taking their assigned positions to guard the grounds.

Thus, An Ningqing’s estate security system was gradually perfected.

“Where are you now?” Guan Lang asked.

“At home.”

Guan Lang glanced around his empty apartment. The once-overflowing potted plants had vanished, along with An Ningqing’s clothes, books, and other belongings. The refrigerator was empty, just as it had been before she moved in.

Has she moved out?

When did this happen?

“Little Ancestor, tell me honestly, is another company trying to poach you? We’ve been revolutionary comrades for years! What kind of offer did they make? You can tell me a little…”

“No.”

An Ningqing didn’t have time for Guan Lang’s rambling. She was currently preparing Scarless Cream, also known as Scar Removal Cream, and her phone was getting in the way. She put it on speakerphone. “What do you want? Make it quick. I’m busy.”

Guan Lang glanced at the stacks of resources in his hands—something he wouldn’t have dared to dream of in the past. He rushed over immediately to deliver this surprise and warmth. “I’m afraid we need to meet in person to discuss this properly.”

An Ningqing rattled off an address.

Guan Lang suspected his “Little Ancestor” might have found another “dog” elsewhere. But considering An Ningqing’s current popularity, he didn’t dare overstep. He noted the address, set his GPS, and sped off, his mind racing with wild thoughts as he followed the navigation. It led him to the gates of a grand estate.

Outside the luxurious manor stood two bodyguards in sunglasses. When they saw his car approaching, their cold gazes swept over it from beneath their shades, and they reached for the walkie-talkies at their waists.

For a moment, Guan Lang wondered if he had the wrong address.

He backed his car up repeatedly until a bodyguard approached and tapped on his window. When the bodyguard spoke, his Chinese carried a thick British accent: “Please step out of the vehicle. We need to inspect your car.”

Guan Lang: “???”

Only after the bodyguard had thoroughly searched his car, inside and out, and confirmed it was clear, did he say, “You may proceed.”

His car was then driven to the villa, where someone took the keys and led him to a sofa, offering him a glass of water. He cautiously leaned forward and asked the impeccably dressed and neatly groomed butler, “I think I might be in the wrong place. May I ask the name of the estate’s owner?”

The butler clasped his hands in front of his abdomen, his face bearing a polite smile.

“Weren’t you here to see me?”

“Oh my god!”

Guan Lang jumped back in shock at the sight of An Ningqing, but his tense nerves relaxed slightly. He pulled her aside. “You know the owner of this place? Let me tell you, it’s unbelievably cool! They inspect your car before you even enter the estate, and then they search you head to toe at the gate. I’ve never—”

“I ordered them to do that.”

His rambling stopped abruptly.

Guan Lang glanced at An Ningqing, then at the impassive bodyguards surrounding them. “Is this the Third Miss’s estate? Ha ha, it’s truly magnificent! I’ve never seen such a grand estate before. First time.”

An Ningqing corrected him, “This is my home. You said you had something you needed to discuss with me in person.”

Guan Lang was starting to feel dazed. “Y-your home? You mean this entire estate belongs to you? Holy crap!” His mind raced back to the information he had filled out on her contract years ago. The sections for parents had been left blank. Later, he learned that An Ningqing had grown up in an orphanage. No wonder she was so easy to manipulate, he thought bitterly. Wait, does that mean she’s not an orphan? Or does she have some hidden, ultra-wealthy family, even richer than the Xie Family?

After all, the Xie Corporation was currently struggling to stay afloat.

The more he considered it, the more plausible it seemed.

Guan Lang suddenly felt the stack of resources he had brought burning in his hands. To the An Ningqing of the past, these opportunities would have been a godsend, the stuff of dreams. But now, compared to this estate, they seemed utterly insignificant. “I know this isn’t the time to bring this up, but the Xie Family is the Xie Family, and you’re you. You can’t just skip your scheduled appearances because of the Third Miss, can you? Besides, you’re hot right now. Directors and investors are lining up to work with you, and even the Company wants to groom you for stardom.”

He cautiously observed An Ningqing, noticing her expression remained utterly calm as he spoke. Her emotions were as flat as the straight line on a heart monitor after death, completely unwavering.

Not even these resources could stir her.

Has my time as her manager finally come to an end?

Guan Lang’s legs nearly buckled, and he almost dropped to his knees. “My little darling, my precious little darling! If you have any complaints, just tell me. I’ll do everything I can to get the company to meet your demands. The car company is even willing to provide you with a car, complete with a driver. We’ll assign you two assistants, and if you don’t like Su Guo, we can replace her immediately.”

“No need,” An Ningqing replied.

Guan Lang couldn’t tell if she meant she didn’t need the company car or that she didn’t want Su Guo replaced.

An Ningqing extended her hand. “Let me see those documents you brought. They’re for me, right?”

She remembered her schedule had been packed this month. There had been talk of a script earlier, but she’d been too busy to think about it lately.

Guan Lang hurriedly handed over the stack with both hands, his respectful demeanor even more impeccable than the butler’s. “Yes, that’s why I came today. Now that you have more options, you can choose whatever you like. If you don’t like something, we won’t pursue it.”

An Ningqing flipped through the documents one by one, but she couldn’t discern their quality or understand the entertainment industry’s unspoken rules. Nor did she need to. Previously, the original owner had been pushed forward by the company and her agent, taking any role offered and clinging to opportunities when none were available—she had no choice. “Can I keep these here?”

“Of course,” Guan Lang replied.

An Ningqing stood up. “Alright, I have other matters to attend to. Please make yourself at home.”

Guan Lang was somewhat unnerved by the bodyguards stationed throughout the estate. Each one looked stern and intimidating, their muscles appearing harder than his own fists. Trembling with fear, he retrieved his car and slowly drove away from the estate.

An Ningqing was too busy to check social media, completely unaware of the online storm brewing. She had no idea how many new followers she had gained through her appearance on Wilderness Survival.

If not for the horrific car accident that had catapulted her to the top of trending searches, the traffic she generated might have been even greater.

But she was focused on preparing the medicinal cream. Once the cream was ready, she checked on Xie Xuanze. He still lay motionless, as if dead. The mattress had been changed, and someone had replaced his clothes. A hint of color had returned to his face, and his eyelashes fluttered slightly.

“It seems Eldest Young Master Xie is adapting well. I thought you’d throw a tantrum and demand to go home.”

“Stop pretending to be asleep. Your body betrays you. Your heart is racing, and your breathing is uneven.”

A pair of crimson eyes glared at her.

Xie Xuanze had initially intended to ignore the woman, but she was so infuriating, buzzing around his ears like a fly. He desperately wanted to strangle her.

An Ningqing remained unfazed by the hatred in his eyes, instead waving the plastic bottle in her hand. “This is a specially formulated ointment for Third Miss. Don’t you want to know how Xie Anran is doing now? You can’t possibly think your parents can still protect her now that you’re gone.”

“Then I have some bad news for you. Since your car accident, your parents have been completely out of contact.”

“Why don’t you guess whether they’re dead or alive?”

Xie Xuanze’s breathing grew heavy and ragged.

An Ningqing didn’t wait for his response. “Next time you see me, speak properly. If I’m in a good mood, I might tell you more. Otherwise, you’ll spend the rest of your life lying here.”

With a saccharine smile, she turned and left.

Xie Xuanze was so enraged he nearly vomited bl00d again. In the end, he could only pound the bed in impotent fury.

An Ningqing instructed the two guards outside the door, “I’m going out for a while. Watch him carefully and make sure he doesn’t die.”

She drove to the Xie Corporation building and found the area bustling with activity. If it weren’t for the Xie Corporation Group sign, she would have thought she’d accidentally ended up at a hospital again. She sent Xie Anran a text message.

Half an hour later, an assistant led her through a back entrance to successfully reach the upper floors. “There’s a crowd gathering downstairs every day now. Some are even blocking the Xie Residence. Third Miss stayed at the company all night yesterday, working tirelessly.”

“The Xie Corporation’s stock dropped ten points today. The shareholders are in a frenzy. In short, Teacher An, you’re sure to cheer Third Miss up a bit.”

The assistant filled her in on the situation as they walked. An Ningqing listened quietly, piecing together the daily troubles Xie Anran must be facing. As long as Xie Xuanze remained out of the public eye, these problems would persist. But even if he did appear, what good would it do? The Xie Corporation’s future heir was paralyzed. What would shareholders and the public think?

And if news of Xie Lian and his wife’s disappearance were to break?

That would be a fatal blow to the Xie Corporation.

Could this be the outcome the mastermind behind all this was aiming for?

She smiled faintly. “Let Third Miss finish her urgent tasks. I’ll wait for her here.”

The assistant prepared a cup of coffee for her and then hurried off to other tasks.

An Ningqing propped her head up and opened today’s interview. Xie Anran was featured prominently, facing a barrage of increasingly sharp questions from reporters. When asked about her thoughts on the car accident, Xie Anran claimed to be a victim herself, understanding the families’ pain. She assured the public that the Xie Corporation would provide comprehensive support to the victims’ families, including funding children’s education and offering free medical treatment to those injured in the accident.

This strategy had salvaged some goodwill for the struggling Xie Corporation, earning widespread approval. However, many voices still demanded answers regarding Xie Xuanze’s involvement.

Before An Ningqing could finish reading, the office door swung open. Xie Anran entered expressionlessly, the scar on her face dramatically altering her aura, making her appear almost intimidating at first glance.

Yet every time An Ningqing saw that scar, she felt a pang of unease.

“What brings you here?”

“Come here.”

An Ningqing beckoned her over. Xie Anran visibly relaxed, a hint of weariness settling between her brows as she slumped casually onto the sofa. “If you need me in the future, just call or text. Don’t come to the office.”

An Ningqing turned Xie Anran’s face toward her. Xie Anran’s dejected expression vanished as she met the warmth in An Ningqing’s eyes. Only when a cool sensation traced the scar on her cheek did she react. “Did you add mint again? It stings a bit.”

“If you want to avoid scarring, apply it morning, noon, and night.”

“Will it really prevent scarring?”

An Ningqing leaned closer, the pungent smell of disinfectant clinging to her skin. “Third Miss, when have I ever deceived you? Why would you doubt my skills?”

Xie Anran lowered her gaze, noticing a faint mole on An Ningqing’s nostril. Propping herself up on the sofa, she let An Ningqing apply the ointment. “An Ningqing, if I can’t afford your fees someday, can I repay you in another way?”

An Ningqing raised an eyebrow. “What’s this? Does the Third Miss doubt her ability to seize power? Are you planning to hand over the Xie Corporation to someone else?”

“Don’t even think about it,” Xie Anran retorted. “You yourself said your fees aren’t cheap. I’m just worried I’ll wake up one day and suddenly be unable to afford your services. After all, it’s not just me.”

Even a fool could tell her brother was expensive.

An Ningqing gently rubbed the medicine into her skin, her tender touch and gentle gaze enough to drown a person. “Hmm, then how do you plan to repay me?”

Such a wonderful An Ningqing.

Xie Anran suddenly felt her fatigue vanish completely. She was ready to challenge those old geezers again. “Once I’ve dealt with them, I’ll give you anything you want.”

An Ningqing pressed the ointment into her hand. “I think you’re perfect just as you are.”

Xie Anran tilted her head.

After being awake for a full day and night, exhaustion had slowed her thoughts to a crawl.

An Ningqing traced her finger along Xie Anran’s tense jawline, then pinched it gently. “Third Miss, when I ask for my reward, don’t forget to give me your very best self.”