I Conquer the Entertainment Industry with My Medical Skills - Chapter 47

Lu Lu was busy exploring An Ningqing’s estate. He even had his assistant bring him a bicycle and spent the entire day riding around, taking photos of the scenery.

Flowers, lush green lawns, the exquisite glass greenhouse, and the building where he was staying—he refused to call it a hospital room.

Where in the world could you find a hospital room so perfectly suited to one’s tastes?

If there was any downside, it was probably his neighbor’s rather temperamental nature. Though they hadn’t met face-to-face, they had already established a basic form of communication.

An Ningqing remained completely unaware of Lu Lu’s activities. She was too busy to even see him after settling him in, instead having the butler deliver her specially formulated Chinese medicine to him three times a day.

“Oh, have someone gather some small animals that have been abandoned due to leg injuries or paralysis, or are near death. I have a use for them.”

“How many does Miss want?”

“A hundred for now.”

Qin Xun immediately instructed the bodyguards stationed outside to carry out the task. These bodyguards, who had learned Chinese specifically for An Ningqing, were always assigned her missions. Now, under their leader’s guidance, they began to learn Chinese, stumbling over each word.

“Why does Miss need small animals?”

“Miss’s orders are always strange.”

“We could just break their legs ourselves. That would save a lot of trouble.”

“NO.”

“Enough chatter. Get to work.”

By evening, all the animals An Ningqing had requested had arrived: cats, dogs, and two rabbits. To her surprise, she even found a hedgehog among them. The small creatures, confined to their cages in this unfamiliar place, alternated between howling and whimpering, their eyes wide with fear as they huddled uneasily in their cramped enclosures.

“Uncle Qin, have someone fence off an area and release them from their cages.”

“Prepare food they can eat daily. If you have time, give them a bath too.”

“Is Miss planning to keep them?”

“For now, we’ll have to.”

Qin Xun understood immediately and set about making arrangements. The bored bodyguards now had two new tasks: building shelters for the cats, dogs, rabbits, and hedgehog, and giving them baths.

An Ningqing was rushing out. She had an appointment with Vice President Lu today—the old man who had suffered angina yesterday. Arriving at Rende Private Hospital, she spotted several paparazzi staking out the entrance. These persistent reporters were still trying to get a scoop on Xie Xuanze.

It was understandable. The outside world was desperate for information about Young Master Xie’s condition. If they could get firsthand information, a few days of staking out would be worth it. But they were likely to be disappointed.

An Ningqing entered the hospital after disguising herself.

Vice President Lu personally greeted her, his gaze even more complex than before. After returning home yesterday, he had spent the entire evening contacting his friends, barely managing to persuade a few despite exhausting his arguments. Later, he overheard his younger relatives discussing some reality show they were obsessed with. When he checked it out, he was shocked to see An Ningqing among the participants.

Her knowledge of medicinal herbs far surpassed that of the hospital’s young staff. She even recognized herbs he himself had misidentified.

While most viewers focused on An Ningqing’s rustic lifestyle—gathering wild fruits, catching fish and chickens, and grilling meat—he had meticulously observed her herbal foraging throughout the show.

After watching, he barely slept a wink all night.

“You see, the real reason we invited you here is because they want to assess you. If more than half the hospital staff recommend you for certification, you won’t need to worry about your academic credentials. But there’s one condition you should know: your name would need to be affiliated with our hospital. Little Friend An, do you agree to this?”

“Thank you for your trouble, Old Master,” An Ningqing said, though she hadn’t truly expected him to go to such lengths to help her, given their lack of familial ties.

He led her directly to the conference room, a large space capable of accommodating dozens of people. As soon as she entered, all eyes turned to her. Most of the attendees were in their sixties, though a few, thanks to the world’s age-defying secret—hair dyeing—looked a decade or more younger.

White hair dyed black instantly rolled back the years to middle age.

Each person had a nameplate in front of them, bearing titles such as “Deputy Director of XX Hospital” and “Gynecological Expert of XX Hospital.” An Ningqing quickly scanned the room, mentally noting each individual’s area of expertise.

“This is Little Friend An, whom I mentioned earlier,” the Old Master announced.

“Please, take a seat.”

“Since Old Lu has vouched for your skills, I’ll be the one to test you.”

The speaker was a woman sitting closest to An Ningqing. She appeared to be in her fifties, but her neck wrinkles betrayed her true age of sixty-five. Her hair was meticulously styled, and her face was devoid of warmth, projecting an air of stern authority.

She was the first to speak up, and the others didn’t object, observing quietly. This showed her considerable authority among the doctors, or perhaps they had already discussed it beforehand. An Ningqing smiled warmly at her and gestured with a sweep of her hand. “Dr. Fu, please.”

The nameplate in front of Dr. Fu identified her as the Vice President of a Provincial Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital. She began immediately, “I recently encountered a female patient who was bleeding profusely outside of her menstrual cycle…”

An Ningqing listened intently, already formulating a solution in her mind. She reached out to Old Lu, who was standing nearby, for paper and a pen. “I’ll write the prescription directly.”

Someone suddenly interjected, “Such arrogance! Don’t you know who’s authorized to prescribe medication?”

An Ningqing ignored the comment completely, burying her head in her work and scribbling rapidly.

The other doctors craned their necks curiously, while Vice President Lu stood directly behind her, watching. His furrowed brow gradually relaxed as he observed, soon transforming into a beaming smile. When the prescription reached Dr. Fu’s hands, she was stunned by An Ningqing’s exquisite small-script calligraphy. With her trained eye, she recognized that such elegant penmanship required at least a decade of dedicated practice. “I heard from Old Lu that you didn’t attend university. Was it because you didn’t pass the entrance exam, or—”

An Ningqing replied simply, “Probably because I couldn’t afford it.”

The original owner of this body had been dirt poor, sending every penny of her meager wages back to the Welfare Home. The Home struggled to raise the children, with the older ones caring for the younger ones, and the younger ones tending to the infants. Everyone had a role to play. Once they reached adulthood, a portion of their earnings had to be returned to the Welfare Home.

Ultimately, it all came down to poverty. Otherwise, who wouldn’t prefer the carefree existence of an ivory tower?

Dr. Fu read aloud, “One handful of mugwort, half an ounce of fried gelatin powder, one mace of dried ginger, and five bowls of water. Simmer together and drink the decoction. First, boil the mugwort and ginger until reduced by half…”

Dr. Fu couldn’t resist asking another question. “A woman has just given birth and is experiencing continuous postpartum bleeding…”

An Ningqing asked a few clarifying questions, then swiftly began writing. In just half an hour, Dr. Fu had posed over a dozen questions, and she had prescribed over a dozen formulas, answering with remarkable fluency.

The elderly doctors, who had initially remained seated, were now staring in disbelief. Before they knew it, they had gathered around her, watching her write the prescriptions. A beautiful woman, beautiful calligraphy, and perfect formulas.

“Ah, this prescription is truly ingenious.”

“This formula is decent, but there must be better approaches.”

“Why have you included amoxicillin in this Traditional Chinese Medicine prescription? As a TCM practitioner, do you place more faith in Western medicine?”

“……”

Over a dozen people chimed in at once, turning the conference room into a bustling marketplace. After challenging the gynecology expert, An Ningqing proceeded to challenge the attending physicians in orthopedics, pulmonology, and gastroenterology.

By the end of the round, everyone’s throats were parched.

An Ningqing smiled serenely at them. “Since you’ve all posed your questions, allow me to present a case to you. I recently encountered a pregnant woman, nine months along, who had suddenly lost her ability to speak. Her family had sought medical help countless times, yet no satisfactory solution had been found. How would you approach this situation?”

The room fell silent. “Nine months pregnant and suddenly unable to speak? Was she born mute, or did the pregnancy cause it?”

“She wasn’t born mute,” An Ningqing replied.

“Did she lose her voice immediately after becoming pregnant, or only in the ninth month?”

“In the ninth month.”

An Ningqing took a sip of tea, observing them as they pondered and discussed among themselves. Just as she was about to reach for her phone, Dr. Fu leaned in. “Miss An, if you obtain your medical license, would you consider joining my hospital?”

Vice President Lu, who had been closely monitoring the situation, interjected, “Old Fu, you’re trying to poach talent right in front of me? That won’t do.”

The others: “!!!”

That cunning old woman.

Dr. Fu, unperturbed by having her scheme exposed, retorted, “Why not? Back then, none of you wanted to take responsibility or act as guarantors. Now you’re squawking like chickens?”

“That was before! We all agreed later, didn’t we?”

“Exactly, Dr. Fu, that’s unfair.”

“Then let’s go by seniority.”

“Dr. Fu, after decades of knowing you, I never imagined you’d be this kind of person. Now I see why you were so eager to volunteer first—you were just waiting to trap us!”

The group began airing their dirty laundry in front of An Ningqing, their arguments flying thick and fast. As the debate grew heated, with several participants red-faced and agitated, she cleared her throat to remind them, “Everyone, I haven’t even obtained my medical license yet.”

Dr. Fu, having single-handedly battled the crowd, remained calm and composed, without even a flush on her face. “Personally, I believe you’re qualified to skip straight to the evaluation stage. Special circumstances call for special measures. I vote in favor.”

As soon as she spoke, everyone remembered the real purpose of the meeting. They straightened their postures, as if they hadn’t been arguing vehemently just moments before. “Exactly! Miss An’s prescription is truly remarkable. Her medical knowledge rivals that of students who’ve spent five years in university. I fully support her.”

“Indeed. And to write such beautiful calligraphy, Miss An must have put in tremendous effort.”

“Count me in too.”

Vice President Lu was overjoyed. He tallied the votes and found unanimous approval. With these senior figures vouching for her, An Ningqing should pass the assessment without a hitch.

After the meeting adjourned, An Ningqing received a small stack of business cards, and her contacts list grew by over a dozen senior figures old enough to be her grandparents. Several even insisted on adding her on WeChat…

In short, her trip had been remarkably fruitful.

Feeling hungry, An Ningqing decided to find Xie Anran for lunch. As she was leaving, Old Mrs. Fu grabbed her arm with surprising strength for an elderly woman. “I’ve already solved the puzzle you posed earlier. Come, let’s discuss it over lunch.”

An Ningqing: “???”

Dr. Fu frowned. “What? You’re turning down my invitation to dinner? Do you know how many people would kill for a chance to dine with me?”

What could An Ningqing say? She had no choice but to humor the old woman. The two headed to the hospital cafeteria, where Vice President Lu spotted them and joined their meal. By the time they reached the cafeteria, a dozen more people had trailed behind them.

What started as a private dinner had turned into a hospital team-building event.

Many in the crowd recognized An Ningqing’s face. Seeing her surrounded by the hospital’s top figures, their eyes nearly popped out of their sockets.

An Ningqing didn’t have an employee meal card, but Dr. Fu did. She skillfully pulled out her card and asked, “What do you want? Order anything you like.”

Vice President Lu, slightly annoyed at being a step behind, quickly regained his composure when he remembered An Ningqing would soon be joining their hospital. He brightened up and said, “Little An, I’ll get you an employee card right away. You can come eat here anytime—the cafeteria is open 24/7.”

“Does everyone have their answers ready? Let’s discuss them over dinner.”

“I believe the fetus is affecting the mother’s condition. However, I wouldn’t recommend medication for pregnant women. Perhaps we should wait until after the child is born. If the mother still can’t speak then, we can prescribe medication.”

“I disagree. What if it’s not the fetus causing the problem? If the mother’s condition worsens, it could harm the fetus. By then, it would be too late.”

The group erupted into a heated debate, each arguing their point until their faces flushed crimson. An Ningqing found the scene quite enlightening. These elderly scholars were clearly passionate about academic inquiry, and their excitement often led to such heated exchanges. She’d better get used to it.

Her phone buzzed.

I ordered your favorites: ImageImageImage

Eat first. I’ll come by later to check if you’ve been applying your medication properly.

Xie Anran glanced at the message and realized she’d completely forgotten about applying the ointment. She hurriedly retrieved the tube from her drawer, but as her shapely bottom lifted from the chair, she quickly sat back down. If An Ningqing wanted to inspect her, let her.

After all, she had nothing to fear.

“Xiao An, whose answer do you think is correct?”

“Hmm…”

An Ningqing showed no embarrassment at being caught using her phone. She calmly placed it face down on the table and said, “I think all of your theories are excellent, but the patient I treated was unable to speak because the fetus was pressing on the meridians in her womb. This obstruction prevented the kidney meridian from connecting to her tongue, thus rendering her mute.”

The others pondered her explanation thoughtfully.

An Ningqing smiled. “I’m merely offering a different perspective. It might not be entirely correct.”

In any case, the woman regained her voice after giving birth.

This brief exchange only intensified their desire to explore further. Seizing the opportunity, An Ningqing excused herself to Vice President Lu and slipped away. However, her timing was unfortunate; Third Miss Xie had a shareholder meeting that afternoon, and the two didn’t cross paths.

Noticing the untouched jar of ointment on the table, An Ningqing realized Xie Anran hadn’t taken her advice seriously. She grabbed a piece of paper from a drawer and sketched a small figure kneeling at the manor gates, carrying a bundle of thorny branches on its back.

By the time An Ningqing returned to the manor, it was already late afternoon. She immediately went to check on the animals, singling out a small dog dragging its hind legs. The dog panicked at her approach, but its broken legs slowed it down, allowing An Ningqing to catch it easily.

Qin Xun watched from the side, his heart pounding with anxiety. “Miss, some of them haven’t been vaccinated. Be careful they don’t bite you.”

Earlier that day, two bodyguards had their arms scratched by cats, and another was bitten on the hind leg by a dog.

An Ningqing, wearing gloves, held the dog securely. “Uncle Qin, please contact a veterinary hospital and ask them to send an experienced veterinarian over. Ideally, they should bring their medical equipment too. Oh, and have them vaccinate these little ones and deworm them while they’re here.”

Qin Xun stared blankly.

He couldn’t shake the feeling that this beautiful estate was turning into an animal shelter.

It must be an illusion!

An Ningqing carried the dog back, stroking its small head. “There, there. Nothing worse could happen to you now.”

Sensing she meant no harm, the dog stopped struggling and allowed her to carry it into the studio. An Ningqing performed a CT scan, focusing on its hind legs. The scan clearly revealed fractures in both legs.

“The fractures are so clean and even,” An Ningqing murmured.

Only one possibility came to mind: human intervention. Someone had deliberately broken the dog’s hind legs, and due to lack of timely treatment, the bones had healed crookedly.

She looked at the puppy, its wet eyes wide and innocent, utterly unaware of its plight.

An Ningqing felt a pang of worry. Just then, there was a knock at the door.

Qin Xun had found a certified male veterinarian for her. The bearded man seemed surprised to see An Ningqing. Her face was instantly recognizable to anyone who followed dramas or variety shows, yet he calmly inquired, “I heard the boss keeps over a hundred pets. Are you here for vaccinations and deworming?”

An Ningqing invited him into the studio. “Come take a look.”

The veterinarian stared blankly.

Qin Xun watched the door close again, a knot of anxiety tightening in his chest. He decided to stand guard outside.

An Ningqing cut to the chase. “I need your help with a surgery. I’m not very experienced with pet medications, so I’d appreciate your assistance.”

The veterinarian’s eyes widened. “Wait, you’re planning surgery? What kind? Spaying or neutering?”

“Look here,” An Ningqing pointed to the CT scan. “I want to try setting its broken bones.”

The veterinarian stared in stunned silence.

Though she didn’t fully understand, she was deeply moved.

An Ningqing placed the dog in his arms and began writing a prescription.

“Have you never considered what would happen if the bone-setting fails?”

“If it fails, it’ll just be back to where it started, right?”

“……”

“But if I succeed, it could stand again and run freely. Don’t you think that’s worth trying?”

The male veterinarian fell silent, then asked after a long pause, “Are you truly confident? Are you sure you’re not gambling with its life?”

He recalled a wealthy woman who had brought in her two purebred dogs—a Corgi and a Labrador—both near death each time they arrived. The cause? Abuse.

After nursing the dogs back to health, they were soon brought back in the same condition, again and again. He could see the terror in their eyes, followed by a numb resignation.

An Ningqing said earnestly, “Let’s try. Check its condition and determine the best time for surgery.”

The male veterinarian nodded. “Alright.”

The dog was severely malnourished, little more than skin and bones. Fortunately, aside from the broken leg, it had no other health issues, making it a suitable candidate for surgery. The male veterinarian had his staff move the equipment to another room and anesthetized the dog.

An Ningqing watched curiously. “Is the dosage based on weight?”

The male veterinarian nodded, unable to resist his curiosity as he observed her enthusiasm. “Have you worked as a veterinarian before?”

An Ningqing couldn’t exactly admit she used to test medicines on herself, often getting poisoned in the process. While she had treated small animals, it wasn’t her specialty. “Cough, I’m a human physician.”

The veterinarian pondered for a moment before giving her a thumbs-up.

Once the anesthesia took effect, An Ningqing donned a white coat and began working diligently. The veterinarian assisted, constantly monitoring the dog’s breathing, heart rate, and other vital signs.

Despite their first collaboration, they worked surprisingly well together.

The surgery didn’t take long. An Ningqing first straightened the misaligned bone, then injected a dark, mud-like ointment. “What’s this supposed to do?”

“It’s still unclear. We’ll have to see how it goes.”

“???”

After suturing the wound, the surgery concluded.

An Ningqing entrusted the dog’s post-operative care to the veterinarian, each returning to their respective duties. Before she could even remove her coat, Qin Xun stood before her. “Miss An, the First Young Master requests your presence.”

An Ningqing was startled. “Has he finally come to his senses?”

No, that can’t be right.

Given Xie Xuanze’s haughty demeanor, it was impossible for him to have changed his mind so quickly—unless he needed something from her.

But even with his pride and self-respect nearly shattered, he hadn’t uttered a single word of “please.”

Qin Xun’s expression was difficult to describe. “Miss, you’ll understand when you see him.”

The patient’s ward was just a short walk from her studio, so An Ningqing, still wearing her white coat, arrived at Xie Xuanze’s door to hear explosive, passionate noises from the adjacent room.

Thump-thump-thump. The sound seemed to stomp on her heart, making her bl00d surge and burn. Above it all, Lu Lu’s exuberant singing pierced through the walls.

Just a bit hard on the eardrums.

An Ningqing: “……”

Qin Xun, after a long pause, finally explained, “Young Master Lu is very lively and energetic. At this time of day, he likes to throw… personal celebration parties in his room. He even tried to invite the First Young Master to join.”

This was practically dancing on someone’s pain.

An Ningqing pushed open the door. Xie Xuanze glanced at her listlessly before quickly averting his gaze. “I admit, your methods of torment are indeed quite refined.”

A deafening racket—thump-thump-thump-thump—blared clearly from the adjacent room.

An Ningqing even felt the room vibrating. The hastily constructed hospital rooms had poor soundproofing, but she had never imagined Lu Lu’s destructive energy could be so overwhelming.

Xie Xuanze’s head throbbed, his throat burned, and his ears rang incessantly. He hadn’t felt this miserable even when he first woke up from surgery. His voice hoarse, he still managed to shout in exasperation, “Get that snake-brained lunatic next door to shut up!”

Lu Lu seemed to hear his neighbor’s voice. He leaned out his window and yelled toward the open window next door, “What was that? Did you just call me? I think I heard you say my name! Do you want to come dance with me? Or I can sing while you dance!”

“Don’t be shy! Just call me ‘Brother Lu,’ and I’ll let you join the fun!”

“If you really don’t want to say it, just squeak once—or twice! Then I’ll ask Sister An to let you come over and play!”

“……”

Xie Xuanze slammed his fist on the bed in fury. “Get lost!”