I Conquer the Entertainment Industry with My Medical Skills - Chapter 48

An Ningqing found it somewhat surreal to see Xie Xuanze so animated. This man, who hadn’t broken down upon learning he was paralyzed, was now on the verge of collapse because of the noise from his neighbor’s apartment.

Realizing his voice couldn’t compete with the deafening music, Xie Xuanze glared at An Ningqing. “Tell him to shut up.”

An Ningqing raised an eyebrow. “You called me here for something this trivial? I’m very busy, Eldest Young Master Xie.”

He hadn’t mentioned a word about the Xie Family’s affairs, including the Third Miss Xie. Had he given up entirely and stopped caring?

Or perhaps Uncle Qin had revealed some details.

Xie Xuanze’s anger flared. “I can’t sleep or eat properly! How is that trivial?” Before An Ningqing could respond, he continued, “I’m a patient! Is this how you care for patients? Ranran was right about you after all.”

An Ningqing calmly reminded him, “Xie Wenyan went abroad to find your parents. Do you think he’ll succeed?”

Xie Xuanze’s rage deflated like a punctured balloon, vanishing in an instant.

The room fell into an oppressive silence, starkly contrasting with the boisterous revelry next door, creating a jarring sense of isolation.

“I’ll get back to work now. Have Uncle Qin call me if you need anything.”

“Wait,” Xie Xuanze said, his bloodshot eyes fixed not on An Ningqing but on the antique lantern hanging overhead. Only upon closer inspection did he notice the delicate paintings of court ladies adorning its surface. He realized he hadn’t had a chance to truly examine the room before. “How is Ranran doing?”

The thought of Xie Anran softened An Ningqing’s heart. “She’s been incredibly busy, so much so that she barely has time to apply her medicine or even eat. She’s even started to find the boxed meals surprisingly palatable. If no one were supervising her, she might only eat one meal a day.”

An Ningqing still remembered Xie Anran’s enthusiastic recommendations of gourmet dishes on the cruise ship.

Now, this pampered heiress, born with a silver spoon in her mouth, was single-handedly shouldering the massive, crumbling mess left behind by the Xie Corporation.

Xie Xuanze clenched his fists, his voice hoarse. “I want to see her.”

Remembering the note she had left, An Ningqing wondered if the Third Miss had seen it. “Just wait a bit. She should be here soon. You’ll see her then.”

Xie Anran stormed back to her office, where she spotted the note pinned beneath the pen holder. She immediately recognized An Ningqing’s distinctive handwriting—especially since her name was written on it.

An Ningqing’s handwriting was unmistakable.

The fury ignited by the shareholder meeting’s barrage of criticism dissolved into laughter when Xie Anran saw the little figure on the paper. “So, she wants me to come personally and beg for forgiveness? That was a miscalculation on her part.”

Her original plan had been to wait for An Ningqing to arrive, then use the opportunity to have her examine her injuries and apply the medicine. Instead, they hadn’t even met, and An Ningqing had seen through her scheme, leaving Xie Anran on the defensive.

“Third Miss, there’s another meeting you need to attend.”

“Cancel it. I’m taking the day off.”

Carrying a bundle of thorns on her back was out of the question.

Upon reaching the estate gates, Xie Anran discovered she would be subjected to a body search. She immediately called An Ningqing. “This young lady has arrived. If you insist on a search, I’ll reluctantly allow it—but you’ll have to come here personally. Search me however you like.”

The two bodyguards exchanged awkward glances.

Is this something we’re supposed to hear?

An Ningqing didn’t come. The walk from the estate gates to the villa was too long, and unlike Lu Lu, she couldn’t ride a bicycle. Instead, she ordered the guards to let Xie Anran pass without obstruction.

Xie Anran moved freely through the estate, taking in the scenery: stray dogs and cats roaming the grounds, An Ningqing’s workshop and patient rooms, and the ethereal crystal greenhouse shimmering under the night sky. These additions breathed life into the once-barren estate, which had previously contained nothing but roses. “Not bad at all,” she murmured.

Before her car even reached the villa, a flash of pale yellow darted across her path.

Lu Lu was skateboarding. Bored out of his mind, he had his assistant deliver a mountain of equipment, the skateboard being just one item. In short, there wasn’t a sport he hadn’t tried—only those that failed to capture his interest.

“Whoa!”

“Who’s that?”

When An Ningqing finally saw the person, she found Third Miss Xie scowling, her face as dark as ink, frighteningly black. Just moments ago, her tone on the phone had been perfectly normal. Clearly, something had happened in the interim. “Who dared to anger our Third Miss?”

An Ningqing had a table of food prepared, guessing Xie Anran hadn’t had time to eat yet. Even if she had, it wouldn’t matter—it would just extend her post-meal digestion time.

She took Xie Anran’s hand and guided her to the arranged seat. “No matter who angered our Third Miss, we should eat first. I’m a bit hungry. Aren’t you?”

Xie Anran pinched An Ningqing’s fingertip hard. “Hmph.”

Unfazed, An Ningqing released her hand and began serving her food. Seeing Xie Anran pick up her bowl and chopsticks, she casually asked, “Staying here tonight? I’ll have Uncle Qin prepare a room for you.”

“Cough, cough, cough. An Ningqing, are you doing this on purpose?”

“Third Miss, remember to chew slowly and thoroughly while eating.”

Xie Anran saw An Ningqing’s sly smile and knew she was up to no good again. Yet she couldn’t help but adore this side of An Ningqing. “No need to prepare a separate room. I can just share yours. It’s not like we haven’t slept together before.”

An Ningqing didn’t find this inappropriate at all. Her only thought was whether her bed was big enough.

Feeling she had scored a victory, Xie Anran pressed on when An Ningqing remained silent. “What? Not happy about it? You were just inviting me to stay here.”

An Ningqing calmly replied, “I’m not unhappy. I was just thinking the bed might be a bit small for Third Miss Xie to stretch out comfortably.”

Xie Anran choked again. “Just eat.”

Once I’m full and have the energy, I’ll deal with this woman, she thought. Otherwise, she’ll say whatever comes to mind—a paper tiger, all talk and no bite. As she ate, her stormy expression cleared, and she glanced at An Ningqing twice. “Honestly, isn’t it a bit improper to have a man staying here? If someone saw, they might think I’m wearing a green hat.”

“Huh? But you’re not wearing a hat,” An Ningqing replied.

Xie Anran wanted to kick her, but missed. “What ‘huh’? Stop playing dumb.”

“But your brother is staying here too,” An Ningqing pointed out. “He and Lu Lu get along quite well.”

Xie Anran: “???”

Her face filled with confusion. “My brother… he’s actually on good terms with that hip-hop kid?”

An Ningqing was surprised Xie Anran knew what Lu Lu did. “Didn’t you already know everything? You should also know that Lu Lu came here solely for medical treatment. I only greeted him on the day he arrived.”

Xie Anran finally seemed satisfied.

After finishing their meal, An Ningqing took her to admire the medicinal herbs she cultivated and the special varieties transplanted into the crystal greenhouse. “Do you want to see your brother? He wants to see you.”

Xie Anran knew exactly what kind of person Xie Xuanze was. “Has my brother been causing you any trouble these past few days?”

Remembering Xie Xuanze’s exhausted expression from being constantly disturbed by Lu Lu, An Ningqing smiled enigmatically. “You’ll find out when you see him.”

After dropping Xie Anran off, An Ningqing didn’t stick around as a third wheel. She figured Xie Xuanze probably didn’t want to see her again, so she went to check on the puppies and kittens. Freed from their cages, the animals frolicked freely on the grass. Even the rabbits had gnawed a patch of lawn bare. Despite their limps and missing paws, they seemed remarkably cheerful.

“Sister An, I’m so glad to finally see you.”

“Mm.”

An Ningqing pretended not to know about his “heroic deeds.” “Are you settling in well here?”

Lu Lu was more than settled in. “I think your medicinal soup is magical! I’ve only been drinking it for two days, and my throat already feels so much better. Sister An, you’re amazing! But if I skip a day, will that scratchy feeling come back?”

“Finish the two doses for this month first.”

“Okay, I’ll definitely take my medicine seriously. Oh, Sister An, can I visit my friend next door? He seems really eager to see me dance. I’ve choreographed a new routine recently and need an audience. Plus, we’ve been communicating telepathically for ages.”

An Ningqing’s eye twitched slightly. If she hadn’t seen Xie Xuanze, she might have almost believed him. After a moment’s hesitation, she said, “His situation is delicate. He’s at a critical stage of treatment, so it’s not convenient for him to see visitors or leave his room. Otherwise, all the progress we’ve made could be undone. So your dance might need a different audience. I actually have a great recommendation.”

Lu Lu: “Huh?”

An Ningqing pointed at the cats and dogs running, rolling, and digging all over the ground. “I think they could be your audience.”

Lu Lu looked bewildered. “Well, I guess that’s not a bad idea, but Sister An, why did you suddenly decide to get pets? And they all seem a bit… unusual.”

“I don’t plan to keep them permanently. I want to treat their illnesses. Once they’re healthy, I’ll probably have to release them. I can’t possibly care for so many.”

“!!!”

Lu Lu felt like An Ningqing was radiating divine light. How could someone be so beautiful, kind-hearted, and fond of animals? When he was a child, his family had a dog that was tragically hit by a car. He cried for days and vowed never to get another dog again. “Sister An, I have an idea! Would you mind hearing it?”

The two of them squatted side-by-side, discussing the animals’ future right in front of the furry crowd.

When Xie Anran arrived, she saw them huddled together, their heads nearly touching. “What are you two doing?”

Lu Lu turned to see Xie Anran glaring down at him with sharp eyes. He quickly stood up, having heard rumors about the Third Miss Xie. “Third Miss.”

An Ningqing waved her over, her tone conciliatory. “Why don’t you take a look and see if any of them catch your eye? We can keep them as pets.”

Xie Anran’s rising anger vanished instantly. She nudged Lu Lu aside and crouched down in his place. “Why the sudden interest in pets? Uncle Qin told me you suddenly brought in over a hundred of them.”

And they’re all injured.

Some are lame, others have broken claws.

Not a single one is whole and healthy.

Could this be a coincidence?

Xie Anran pressed further, “Do you even like keeping pets?”

An Ningqing smiled at her. “It’s alright. It mostly depends on you. I had Uncle Qin bathe them, and the veterinarian gave them their vaccinations and deworming treatments. They’re very clean now—you can hold or pet them.”

Perhaps because they were being fed regularly, with meat added to every meal, the little creatures seemed to have adopted the “whoever feeds me is my mother” mentality. The animal world really was that simple.

While a few remained wary, hissing and only eating after the two-legged creatures had left, most of the little ones behaved quite docilely.

Xie Anran adored fluffy things. Who could resist the charm of a fluffy little animal? Otherwise, she wouldn’t have kept a plush toy on her bed for so long, hugging it to sleep every night.

Yet, precisely because of that plush toy, the mere thought of it now made her nauseous.

So, despite gazing at the animals for a long time, she didn’t reach out to touch them.

Until a snow-white cat approached her, nuzzling its fluffy head against her palm and brushing its tail against her calf. Beneath her hand, she could feel the vibrant pulse of life.

An Ningqing looked at her encouragingly. “It seems to really like you. Why don’t you pet it?”

Cats are notoriously picky. They often disdain humans they don’t approve of, refusing even to be touched. But when they find a favored owner, they’ll shower them with affection, purring, rubbing, and kneading with their paws.

After a moment’s hesitation, Xie Anran reached out and stroked the cat. The white cat rubbed back even more enthusiastically, arching its back against her palm. Finally, Xie Anran couldn’t resist and picked it up. Only then did she notice that the cat was missing a front leg and its right eye. The remaining eye was a striking emerald green.

“Qingqing, let’s keep it.”