What Should I Do if My Best Friend Is a Green Tea? [Transmigrated Into a Book]

【What does this mean? Who actually owns this winery?】

【It’s already known that Ye Luoyi said the winery belongs to her friend, who let her have fun with it. The security guard, Adrian, also said that Ye Luoyi’s friend is the owner… Doesn’t this clearly show that Zhou Qingyu is lying? Does Zhou Qingyu think she can claim the winery as her own just because Ye Luoyi’s friend isn’t around?】

【But Zhou Qingyu wouldn’t be that stupid, would she? Claiming something that isn’t hers?】

【Maybe the winery really is Zhou Qingyu’s, and Ye Luoyi’s friend is Zhou Qingyu!】

【Hey, look at how ridiculous that sounds! Given the relationship between Zhou Qingyu and Ye Luoyi, is that even possible?】

【Oh, don’t rush! Let’s wait until Zhou Qingyu goes inside. Everything will be clear then! If the winery really is Zhou Qingyu’s, that’ll be quite interesting!】

Zhou Qingyu and Yan Xi walked into the winery. The security guard stepped out of the booth and asked in broken English, “Are you two guests invited by Miss Ye Luoyi?”

Zhou Qingyu raised an eyebrow, thinking to herself that she was the owner of the winery, yet now she was being treated as a guest. She was about to lose her temper when Yan Xi tugged at her sleeve and asked, “Qingqing, aren’t you the owner? Why doesn’t he recognize you?”

Zhou Qingyu paused. She hadn’t been here since she received the winery as a gift at sixteen. The guard looked to be in his early twenties, so he must have joined the winery in the past couple of years. It made sense that he didn’t recognize her.

Her anger subsided slightly as she explained to Yan Xi, “I haven’t been here in years. He’s new and doesn’t know me.”

Then, Zhou Qingyu glanced at the castle-like building deep within the winery and said disdainfully, “But treating the owner as a guest is a first for me. Ye Luoyi, you’ve got some nerve.”

【She hasn’t been here in years? Zhou is full of nonsense! Who would own such a huge winery and not visit for years? She’s been to the Li City Fashion Week plenty of times. Couldn’t she have dropped by?】

【Maybe she has people managing it for her? But saying she never visits her own property is hard to believe.】

【Zhou Qingyu was talking about buying a private jet yesterday! If she has that kind of money, a winery is nothing. She must have someone managing it!】

【Here’s a cold joke: she can afford a private jet and a winery, but can’t handle her own scandals? Really?】

Yan Xi opened her phone. “Qingqing, I think there might be a misunderstanding. Let’s see what’s going on first!”

She navigated to the trending page, where several hashtags related to *The Journey* were trending:

#Ye Luoyi Wine Giveaway#

#Ye Luoyi’s Winery#

#Ye Luoyi and Pei Yubai Are Super Sweet!#

#Ye Luoyi Let’s Travel Together#

Yan Xi looked surprised. “Didn’t Teacher Ye say the winery belongs to her friend? Why is she using the wine here for a giveaway?”

Zhou Qingyu quickly snatched Yan Xi’s phone and saw a fan-edited clip of Ye Luoyi announcing the giveaway rules.

Yan Xi had already asked fans to compliment Zhou Qingyu in the giveaway post. Ye Luoyi couldn’t copy that directly, as it would be too obvious. Instead, she only asked for retweets and comments, promising to give away wine to a hundred lucky fans as a thank-you.

The comments under the post were filled with praise for Ye Luoyi, along with many fans shipping her with Pei Yubai.

Zhou Qingyu’s mind was flooded with information. She didn’t know whether to be angrier about Ye Luoyi using her winery for a giveaway or about Ye Luoyi cozying up to Pei Yubai.

Perhaps because she was so furious, her brain was overloaded, and she didn’t know which issue to focus on. Instead, she calmed down.

The initial rage she felt about someone taking over her winery had subsided by half. Now, she was curious to see what tricks Ye Luoyi would pull in her own winery.

.

Outside the winery’s castle was a vast, endless lawn. Ye Luoyi had instructed Adrian to set up a long table on the grass, covered with a snow-white tablecloth. Next to the table were two barbecue grills. The show’s guests gathered around the grills, grilling meat and sipping wine.

Jiang Tao, munching on a skewer of roasted meat, scanned the expansive winery.

He didn’t know much about wine, but he was fascinated by the winery’s scenery. Although it was a wine estate, the layout and views were stunning. It probably used to be a private property of some royal family.

Jiang Tao’s new drama, *The Bottom Line*, had a scene involving a wealthy French tycoon. He needed some authentic settings to convey the character’s grandeur, and this winery was perfect.

Jiang Tao took the initiative to ask, “Luoyi, how close are you with your friend? I need some locations for my new drama. Could I borrow your friend’s winery for filming?”

Borrowing locations was common in the industry. If the filming time was short, it might even be free as a favor. Jiang Tao had won the Red Magnolia Award for Best Director. Although his recent works hadn’t performed well, his talent was undeniable, and future collaborations were still possible.

Thinking this, Ye Luoyi agreed on Pei Yubai’s behalf. “It should be fine. I’ll ask him later.”

Jiang Tao was thrilled. “Thank you so much!”

Ye Luoyi then asked, “Director Jiang, when are you planning to start filming?”

Jiang Tao was directing a serious drama. If possible, Ye Luoyi wanted to try her hand at it too. She was still young and could act in idol dramas, but after thirty, fans would criticize her for sticking to that genre. Now was the time to explore serious roles and prepare for a career transition.

Jiang Tao sighed. “The team is ready, but the funding hasn’t come through yet. If we secure the investment, we can start filming in half a month!”

Half a month… Ye Luoyi had an S-level fantasy romance drama starting soon. It seemed like there was no chance for her here. No matter how good Jiang Tao’s work was, serious dramas were hard to make popular, and suspense was even more niche.

On the other hand, the fantasy romance drama Ye Luoyi was about to star in was guaranteed to be a hit, with a solid chance of topping the charts.

Ye Luoyi gave up on the idea, but Qin Li also inquired about Jiang Tao’s new project.

Jiang Tao had already cast the male lead. Given Qin Li’s status, it was out of the question for him to play a supporting role. However, he could make a special guest appearance, which would be a nice gesture. Jiang Tao sent the first three episodes’ scripts to Qin Li.

As Jiang Tao and the others chatted, Zhou Qingyu and Yan Xi arrived on the lawn.

Zhou Qingyu raised an eyebrow. “Oh, what a lively scene! Everyone seems to be having a great time at this winery!”

“Of course we are!” Jiang Tao said carelessly. “Luoyi agreed to let me use the winery for filming later! Zhou Qingyu, if you agree to play the mafia princess in my drama, this winery could be yours in the show!”

Zhou Qingyu narrowed her eyes at Jiang Tao. “I’m not interested!”

Jiang Tao stomped his foot in frustration. “Zhou Qingyu, I’m doing this for your own good! You need to work on your acting skills! I’ll reluctantly let you join the cast with investment and play the mafia princess…”

Yan Xi quietly tugged at Xiao Yu’s sleeve. “Teacher Xiao, haven’t you secured the funding yet?”

Xiao Yu smiled bitterly. “It’s not that easy.”

A production team without capital backing couldn’t survive—unless the director or producer had their own money. But Jiang Tao wasn’t in that category.

Three failed projects had made things even harder for him now.

So, aside from the lead roles, Jiang Tao was willing to make some concessions, like letting Zhou Qingyu play a minor role as the mafia princess. This way, he could secure some investment, which wasn’t a bad deal for him.

This was Jiang Tao’s biggest compromise. If he gave in any further, even the lead roles would be up for grabs, and the final product would just be another capital-driven mess, a repeat of his past failures.

But how could a minor role like that attract investment?

Yan Xi knew Qin Li’s involvement was inevitable.

The good thing was that Qin Li’s acting was decent—not as good as Shen Xinghe’s, but still commendable. Plus, he could recognize a good script and wouldn’t let others tamper with it.

The bad thing was that Jiang Tao would never be able to create his most satisfying work.

Life always has its regrets.

“Zhou Qingyu, trust me!” Jiang Tao coaxed. “I’ve worked with newcomers before. Their acting was worse than yours, but under my guidance, they outperformed you! I believe in you! No matter how bad your acting is, I can direct you well!”

Zhou Qingyu’s face turned dark with anger. She had come to pick a fight with Ye Luoyi, but Jiang Tao was even more annoying. “My acting is bad? Your directing is worse! Even if every script in the entertainment industry is trash, I won’t act in your drama or invest in it!”

Jiang Tao: “Zhou Qingyu, I’m doing this for your own good. Why can’t you understand?”

Zhou Qingyu: “Get lost!”

Yan Xi: “…”

Xiao Yu: “…”

Yan Xi looked at Xiao Yu with a hint of melancholy, "Have you ever thought that the reason you can't secure investment might be because Director Jiang is just... well, terrible? He practically scares investors away!"

If Jiang Tao had been a bit more charming, maybe even just complimenting Zhou Qingyu on her looks, Zhou Qingyu might have invested a million!

Xiao Yu sighed bitterly, "If he had the skills to secure investments, would we have flopped three projects in a row before?"

Ye Luoyi, seeing that everyone had arrived, instructed the servants to bring out a new batch of wine.

Her demeanor was graceful, and even while pairing barbecue with wine, she exuded an air of elegance.

"Today is the first day of our trip, and since everyone is here, why don't we toast to it?"

The guests raised their glasses in agreement.

Zhou Qingyu swirled her wine glass, the deep red liquid swirling within the transparent crystal. "Ye Luoyi, I heard this winery belongs to a friend of yours. Who might that friend be?"

Zhou Qingyu's expression darkened, and she emphasized the word "friend" noticeably.

Ye Luoyi knew Zhou Qingyu had feelings for Pei Yubai, and her current demeanor clearly showed jealousy.

Ye Luoyi smiled softly, "Just a close friend. He's not in the industry, so even if I told you, you wouldn't know him."

[I know, I know~ It's Second Young Master Pei~]

[Second Young Master Pei really isn't in the industry. Aside from Ye Luoyi and the artists from Tianhui, not many people know him. Ye Luoyi isn't lying.]

[Look at Zhou Qingyu, she's clearly jealous. What's the matter? Second Young Master Pei dotes on Ye Luoyi! Know your place—you're just a side chick!]

[Stop flaunting yourself, side chick! Second Young Master Pei loves Ye Luoyi and will never choose you! You're nowhere near as good as her!]

Zhou Qingyu's expression darkened further. Ye Luoyi, feeling pleased, stood up gracefully. "It's time for the giveaway! Excuse me for a moment while I draw the winners for my fans."

Drawing winners on Weibo was as simple as a tap of a finger.

Yan Xi suddenly spoke up, "Teacher Ye, didn't you say this winery belongs to your friend? Aren't you going to call and ask before giving away so much wine?"

Su Lingling chimed in, "Given Ye Luoyi's relationship with that friend, there's no need to call. A hundred bottles of wine? It's no big deal!"

Zhou Qingyu chuckled faintly, "True, it's just a hundred bottles of wine."

Ye Luoyi noticed the disdain in Zhou Qingyu's eyes and felt a sudden, inexplicable sense of foreboding.

But she couldn't quite place what it was. The giveaway was already set up, and it was too late to back out now.

[If this winery belongs to Zhou Qingyu, things are about to get interesting!]

[No way, Ye Luoyi wouldn't be so tactless as to give away someone else's wine, right? That's practically stealing!]

[If the winery were Zhou Qingyu's, she would've made a scene the moment she walked in. She wouldn't have sat quietly this long. It can't be hers!]

[Zhou Qingyu's been so quiet, there's no way the winery is hers.]

[I bet a hundred packs of spicy strips! Zhou Qingyu definitely doesn't own this winery!]

At 4:30 PM, the results of Ye Luoyi's Weibo giveaway were announced, and a hundred lucky fans won bottles of wine.

Ye Luoyi smiled sweetly at the camera, "The results are out! Congratulations to the hundred winners! My assistant will contact you soon for your shipping addresses. Once again, congratulations!"

Most viewers in the live stream lamented their bad luck for not winning, though a few celebratory comments popped up.

[A bottle of wine worth 100,000 yuan! So jealous of this sister!]

[Why don't I ever have such good luck? Ugh!]

[One bottle is 100,000 yuan, so a hundred bottles would be 10 million! Ye Luoyi's friend is so generous!]

[If this isn't love, what is? I'm totally shipping them!]

Without the need for hired promotion, Ye Luoyi's giveaway quickly climbed to the top of Weibo's trending list.

—After all, even among wealthy celebrities, giving away a million yuan is rare. Who has ever seen someone give away 10 million?

Ye Luoyi scanned the comments and the trending page, all filled with praise for her. The fatigue from the morning and the frustration of temporarily falling behind in popularity vanished. She was over the moon.

Zhou Qingyu watched Ye Luoyi's excitement with great interest. She found it all quite amusing because the more excited that innocent, flower-like face became, the more humiliated she would feel later.

Zhou Qingyu swirled her wine glass, her gaze fixed on the deep red liquid. "A 2009 vintage is decent, but I recall this winery's star product is the 1982 vintage."

Zhou Qingyu wasn't particularly fond of wine, but having grown up with her father, Zhou Yanci, she had tasted enough fine wines to recognize their vintages.

Su Lingling snapped, "Zhou Qingyu, you're being so ungrateful! It's not your winery, and you're already being treated to wine. Why are you nitpicking the vintage?"

Zhou Qingyu ignored Su Lingling and instead smiled at Yan Xi. "Yan Xi, would you like to try the 1982 vintage? My treat!"

The stage was set, and Yan Xi wasn't about to refuse Zhou Qingyu's offer.

She nodded eagerly, like a chick pecking at rice.

"I'd love to!"

Zhou Qingyu then took Yan Xi's hand and led her toward the castle.

"Zhou Qingyu! That's someone else's property! You can't just barge in!" Su Lingling shouted.

Qin Li's face darkened. "Zhou Qingyu, you're being so disrespectful!"

The other guests shared the same sentiment. This was Ye Luoyi's friend's winery. How could Zhou Qingyu just walk into the castle without an invitation?

Adrian tried to stop Zhou Qingyu, but Louis stepped in to block him.

Zhou Qingyu's memory of the castle was a bit hazy, but her father, who loved wine, used to bring her and Zhou Yanci here often when she was younger. As they walked, fragments of her memory resurfaced, and without needing guidance, Zhou Qingyu led Yan Xi straight to the underground wine cellar.

The other guests hurried after them.

While the others were anxious, Ye Luoyi remained calm, a faint smile on her lips. She was almost hoping Zhou Qingyu would lose her mind with jealousy and embarrass herself on the show.

[Wait... isn't this Zhou Qingyu's first time here? How does she know the castle so well?]

[The wine cellar is pretty hidden. How did she find it so easily?]

[Zhou Qingyu clearly knew where she was going. She must have been here before!]

If they thought about it carefully, the guests might have realized how smoothly Zhou Qingyu navigated the castle, as if it were her own home.

But they were too focused on stopping her to notice.

Seeing the wine cellar door tightly shut and requiring a password, the guests breathed a sigh of relief.

Thank goodness. With the password, Zhou Qingyu wouldn't cause any more trouble.

Qin Li glared at Zhou Qingyu, pointing at her. "Zhou Qingyu, this is someone else's wine cellar! You're being so rude!"

Su Lingling added, "Zhou Qingyu, get this straight. This is Second Young Master Pei's winery, not your home!"

Kang Boye played the mediator, trying to smooth things over. "Let's just take a look, learn something, and then head back up, okay?"

"Just a look?" Zhou Qingyu raised an eyebrow. "How can we just look? Yan Xi wants to try the 1982 vintage!"

With that, Zhou Qingyu stepped forward, entered the password, and with a click, the wine cellar door opened in front of everyone.

Zhou Qingyu waved to Yan Xi, "Come on, Yan Xi! Pick whatever wine you like. Don't be shy!"

"Okay!"

Yan Xi happily followed Zhou Qingyu into the wine cellar to choose a bottle.

Outside, all the guests were stunned.

Adrian broke free from Louis's hold and rushed to the wine cellar door. Seeing it open, he was equally shocked.

He forgot to speak English and muttered in French, "How is this possible? Only the old butler and the owner know the password to this cellar!"

Louis, standing behind Adrian, deliberately translated his words.

In an instant, Ye Luoyi's face turned pale. She dug her nails into her palm to stay composed, unaware that her pale pink nail polish was staining her skin.

"What's all this noise about?"

A sound echoed from the stairwell as an elderly man in his sixties, trembling slightly, made his way down to the underground wine cellar. Seeing so many people gathered at the cellar entrance, the old butler, Bruce, was furious. He sternly questioned Adrian, "Why are there so many people here? And why are they in the underground wine cellar?!"

Adrian lowered his head and replied, "These are Pei's friends. Pei told me to entertain them properly..."

"And you opened the underground wine cellar for them?!" Bruce shouted, his voice filled with anger. "This cellar contains the boss's most precious collection of wines! It's not something to be shown to just anyone!"

Adrian stammered, "I... I didn't know! That woman entered the password herself, and the cellar door just opened!"

Bruce was stunned. The password lock on the underground wine cellar was highly complex and shouldn't have been so easily breached.

At that moment, Zhou Qingyu and Yan Xi emerged from the cellar, each holding a bottle of selected red wine.

Though it had been seven years since they last met, Bruce immediately recognized Zhou Qingyu. His eyes welled up with warmth, and the anger in his expression vanished, replaced by a joyful smile.

"Miss! You're here!"

Zhou Qingyu smiled back and replied in French, "Bruce, it's been a long time."

Those simple words carried more meaning than a thousand sentences ever could.

[Zhou Qingyu actually speaks French? I thought she didn't since she's been speaking Chinese with Louis all this time!]

[The old man seems to be the manager of the winery! Can someone translate what he and Zhou Qingyu said?]

[The old man scolded Adrian for bringing so many people here. When he saw Zhou Qingyu, he said, "Miss, you're here," and Zhou Qingyu replied, "Bruce, it's been a long time."]

[Wow! She knows the wine cellar password, and she's familiar with the winery's butler. It's obvious Zhou Qingyu is the real owner of this winery!]

[Ye Luoyi was showing off Zhou Qingyu's winery to Zhou Qingyu herself and even used Zhou Qingyu's wine for a giveaway? Oh my, this is so awkward I could dig out an entire vineyard!]

The guests finally began to grasp the situation, but many were at a loss for words.

Jiang Tao scratched his messy hair, using his ability to quickly piece together the scenario. "So, Luoyi just hosted us at Zhou Qingyu's winery and even used Zhou Qingyu's wine for a giveaway? That's just too much!"

His voice was loud, echoing through the ancient stairwell, with the phrase "too much" reverberating back.

Su Lingling was in disbelief. She had been gloating in front of Zhou Qingyu earlier, only to find out that the winery actually belonged to Zhou Qingyu?

She turned sharply to Ye Luoyi. "Yiyi, didn't you say the winery belonged to Pei Yubai? Why is it Zhou Qingyu's now? How did this happen?"

Ye Luoyi's mind was a jumbled mess.

How could she have known? When Pei Yubai had brought her here before, he had clearly said the winery was his! Even the old butler, Bruce, and Adrian had treated them with respect!

How could Zhou Qingyu be the real owner?

She had just been showing off in front of Zhou Qingyu, and now the live-stream audience had seen everything. In their eyes, she must look like a complete fool!

No wonder Zhou Qingyu hadn't exposed her earlier—she must have wanted to see her make a fool of herself!

Bruce glanced at Ye Luoyi and suddenly remembered. "I remember you. Pei brought you here last year!"

He spoke in English, so Ye Luoyi understood him perfectly.

Ye Luoyi clenched her teeth. "At that time, didn't you say Pei was the owner of the winery?"

Bruce knew about the marriage arrangement between the Pei and Zhou families, but since it hadn't been publicly announced, it wasn't his place to reveal it. Even if the marriage were to happen, the winery was Zhou Qingyu's pre-marital property, not Pei Yubai's.

Bruce explained, "Actually, Pei was handling the winery's affairs on behalf of Miss Zhou at that time. She told us that Pei had full authority to represent her."

So, he had full authority—but only as a representative, not the owner.

Ye Luoyi finally understood. Pei Yubai had said what he did because of his pride. Even when she called him earlier, he hadn't come clean, all because he wanted to save face.

But now, she was the one who had to bear the consequences of his pride!

[Wait, what's the relationship between Pei Yubai and Zhou Qingyu? Why would Zhou Qingyu let Pei Yubai handle her winery?]

[Wasn't it said that Zhou Qingyu had a crush on Pei Yubai and interfered in his relationship with Ye Luoyi? But from the looks of it, Pei Yubai and Zhou Qingyu seem to be on good terms!]

[This winery is worth hundreds of millions. Even if Zhou Qingyu didn't have the time, she could have hired professionals. Why would she entrust it to Pei Yubai unless their relationship is more than just casual...]

[This feels like a juicy scandal! I'm even more curious about this love triangle now. It's definitely not as simple as Zhou Qingyu being the third wheel!]

Like the live-stream comments, Ye Luoyi also sensed something was off.

Pei Yubai had told her that Zhou Qingyu liked him, but he had no interest in her.

But if their relationship was such that he could handle her winery's affairs and even make the staff think he was the owner, how could their relationship be ordinary?

Ye Luoyi suddenly had a new understanding of the relationship between Zhou Qingyu and Pei Yubai. At the very least, it wasn't as simple as she had previously thought.

Gritting her teeth, Ye Luoyi reluctantly approached Zhou Qingyu. "Qingyu, I'm really sorry. I had no idea you were the owner of this winery! I only came because I called Pei Yubai, and he said it was fine... Please calculate the losses, and I'll compensate you for everything!"

At this point, Ye Luoyi had no choice but to take responsibility. Fortunately, they had only opened a few bottles of wine and hosted a simple barbecue, so the expenses wouldn't be too high.

Zhou Qingyu hadn't expected Ye Luoyi to actually pay. Even with the hundred bottles of wine, the cost wouldn't be that significant. But seeing Ye Luoyi humbled and apologetic gave her immense satisfaction.

Zhou Qingyu was about to say it wasn't necessary, wanting to show her magnanimity.

But Yan Xi suddenly tugged at Zhou Qingyu's sleeve and shook her head.

Yan Xi stepped forward and politely addressed Ye Luoyi. "Miss Ye, Qingyu isn't unreasonable. We know this was all a misunderstanding, and you didn't mean any harm. Besides, the barbecue and wine were enjoyed by everyone, so let's consider it Qingyu's treat for the guests."

If Zhou Qingyu were to say this herself, it might come off as sarcastic. So, Yan Xi felt it was better for her to deliver the message.

Her words eased the tension among the guests.

They still had to travel and film the variety show together, and Yan Xi's attitude reflected Zhou Qingyu's. Both sides wanted to avoid escalating the situation, so this minor issue could be resolved peacefully.

Then, Yan Xi's tone shifted. "However, those hundred bottles of wine are quite expensive. Since it was your giveaway, it wouldn't be fair for Qingyu to cover the cost, right? The total comes to ten million. Miss Ye, would you prefer to pay via Alipay or WeChat?"

Ye Luoyi's eyes widened in shock.

Ten million? That's practically robbery!

Zhou Qingyu was also surprised. She had asked Bruce earlier, and the wines were worth just over a million. She had thought a million was no big deal, and demanding repayment might make her seem petty.

But now... ten million?

Even for a wealthy woman like Zhou Qingyu, ten million was a sum worth considering.

"Isn't that right?" Yan Xi tilted her head. "I saw your live-stream giveaway, and it said each bottle was worth a hundred thousand. A hundred bottles would be ten million, wouldn't it?"

Then, Yan Xi smiled, revealing her cute canine teeth. "It's okay, Miss Ye. If ten million is too much, we can just cancel the giveaway. After all, the prizes haven't been sent out yet. What do you think?"