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

Pei ​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‍Hanli, as a young master of his stature, naturally had no idea how to give a massage.

This was his first time serving someone. As he held Zhou Qingyu’s delicate calf in his hands, it felt like cradling the finest porcelain in the world—one wrong move, and it might shatter.

Such a gentle kneading did absolutely nothing to relax the muscles in her leg.

Zhou Qingyu frowned. "Pei Hanli, did you skip lunch? Put some strength into it!"

Pei Hanli wasn’t annoyed. "Then I’ll use more force."

This time, he clearly misjudged the pressure. Zhou Qingyu instinctively kicked him away.

"Pei Hanli, that hurts!"

The onlookers gasped.

This was the eldest young master of the Pei family! How bold of the young miss!

Pei Yubai sneered inwardly. Who could tolerate Zhou Qingyu’s temper? He had only humored her to secure the Zhou family’s resources. Pei Hanli, the golden boy of the Pei family—how could he endure such humiliation from Zhou Qingyu? And in front of so many people, no less!

Pei Yubai had never liked Pei Hanli, but for once, he found him somewhat agreeable, even feeling a sense of camaraderie. He couldn’t wait for Pei Hanli to teach Zhou Qingyu a lesson, to show her who truly treated her best!

Zhou Qingyu’s kick had been forceful. Pei Hanli staggered slightly, his pristine shirt and suit now slightly disheveled.

He looked up at her. "My apologies, I misjudged the pressure. I’ll go lighter this time."

Zhou Qingyu scoffed. "One last chance. If you still can’t do it, get lost."

This time, Pei Hanli adjusted his strength, starting gently and gradually increasing the pressure. He watched as Zhou Qingyu’s furrowed brows slowly relaxed, confirming he’d found the right balance.

Zhou Qingyu sighed in satisfaction, the soreness in her calf easing considerably.

"Hmph, that’s more like it. You’re much more useful than your useless younger brother."

Pei Hanli chuckled softly. "As long as the young miss is pleased."

Nearby, Pei Yubai’s expression darkened further. He clenched his jaw so hard it felt like his teeth might crack. Zhou Qingyu and Pei Hanli chatted idly, completely ignoring him—her ex-boyfriend and former fiancé.

Pei Yubai tightened his fists and stormed off without a backward glance.

Among the spectators, another person was lost in thought—Yan Xi.

She had been sitting beside Zhou Qingyu the entire time, watching her and Pei Hanli intently.

In her mind, she asked her system, "System, can you hear my heartbeat?"

The system countered, Host, can you hear my heartbeat?

Oh wait, I don’t have one. But I can simulate one for you with data streams! Thump-thump-thump! So fast!

Both Yan Xi and her system were utterly stunned.

Especially Yan Xi, her voice trembling. "If I remember correctly… isn’t Pei Hanli the novel’s villain?"

You remember right! He is!

"Then how can Qingyu be with him? It’s too dangerous!"

The system sighed. But the young miss is also a villain! In Ye Luoyi’s eyes, we’re all the antagonists!

Yan Xi: "…"

After a short break, filming resumed.

Pei Hanli helped Zhou Qingyu put on her shoes. He still had work to attend to, so he didn’t linger on set, leaving once filming began.

Zhou Qingyu dusted off her dress—though there was no dust—and stood up.

Yan Xi scurried over. "What’s going on between you and Pei Hanli? When did you two get so close?"

Zhou Qingyu looked baffled. "What do you mean? I just had him give me a massage."

"But… isn’t that inappropriate?"

"Why would it be?"

Zhou Qingyu flicked her hair over her shoulder. "I’m this gorgeous. Letting him massage me was doing him a favor. If anyone’s at a disadvantage here, it’s me!"

A breeze swept past, tousling the strands of hair framing Zhou Qingyu’s face. For a moment, Yan Xi felt as though Zhou Qingyu existed on a different plane from everyone else—so beautiful it was as if God had granted her an extra layer of filters.

Before Yan Xi could react, her system chimed in—

The young miss is so pretty!

Host! I think the young miss is right!

Letting Pei Hanli massage her was a favor to him! What’s there to worry about?

Yan Xi: "…"

.

After leaving the set, Pei Yubai returned to the Pei residence.

Just two days ago, while in Country H, he had confidently declared that he would bring Zhou Qingyu back to the Pei family that evening. But Zhou Qingyu stood him up, and the grand dinner the Pei family had prepared for the two of them went to waste.

Pei Yubai had been afraid of facing Old Man Pei’s scolding, so he’d delayed his return. But two days had passed—he couldn’t put it off any longer.

More importantly, Tianhui couldn’t afford to wait.

In truth, Zhou Corporation’s decision to terminate their contract renewal shouldn’t have hit Tianhui this hard. Tianhui was a top-tier company in the industry, with plenty of renowned artists under its banner.

But Pei Yubai was aggressive in his business approach. Whenever a promising project arose, he would invest heavily to maximize capital turnover. This made Tianhui’s year-end financial reports look impressive, earning him Old Man Pei’s approval.

The downside? If the cash flow broke, multiple projects would grind to a halt.

In the film industry, halting production was disastrous. Sets were built, actors and crew were on standby, yet filming couldn’t proceed. Money kept pouring in with no returns, and the financial deficit would snowball.

Pei Yubai had poured nearly all his personal funds into covering the losses, but it wasn’t enough. Even if he resolved the immediate crisis, several other Tianhui-backed projects still needed funding.

He had no choice but to turn to Old Man Pei for help.

Old Man Pei sat on the sofa, his face dark as thunder.

"You acted so recklessly without considering the consequences? With Tianhui’s scale, how could you invest in so many projects at once?"

Pei Yubai kept his head down, not daring to speak.

But this was how Tianhui had operated for the past two years! Whenever funds ran short… Zhou Qingyu would cover the gap. He’d never faced such dire straits before!

"Grandfather, please help me bridge the gap. Just fifty million—fifty million is all I need!" Pei Yubai pleaded.

Old Man Pei scoffed. "You’re the Pei family’s second young master, yet you can’t even scrape together fifty million?"

Pei Yubai stayed silent. Before this, he’d not only used his own money but also taken out loans. He wouldn’t have come to Old Man Pei unless absolutely desperate.

Old Man Pei tapped his cane thoughtfully.

Fifty million was nothing to him, but the Pei family had no interest in the entertainment industry. When he’d allowed Pei Yubai to establish Tianhui, it was merely to test his capabilities. If this illegitimate son proved competent, he might have earned a place in the Pei Corporation.

But clearly, Pei Yubai lacked the skill.

Old Man Pei said coolly, "If a small company can’t be managed properly, just shut it down."

The Pei family could afford to lose one subsidiary.

Pei Yubai’s head snapped up. "Grandfather! Tianhui is my life’s work!"

What mattered more was that Pei Yubai understood—if Tianhui collapsed, it would mean his complete expulsion from the Pei family. Old Man Pei would most likely hand over all his shares to Pei Hanli in the future.

Pei's Father was equally anxious. "Dad, Yubai is still young. Give him another chance!"

Old Man Pei dismissed the plea with a wave. "If he can't handle a crisis this small, what will he do when the Pei family faces real trouble in the future? Who will he turn to for help? If he doesn’t have what it takes, he shouldn’t even think about stepping into the Pei family again!"

With that, Old Man Pei left in displeasure, leaning heavily on his cane.

Pei Yubai was utterly defeated.

The resentment in his heart grew thicker. They were both Pei family heirs, so why did Pei Hanli start at the top while he had to claw his way up from the bottom?

It was so unfair!

Pei's Father didn’t look pleased either. Ever since Mother Pei passed away, Pei Hanli had stopped acknowledging him as a father, showing respect only to Old Man Pei. If Pei Hanli really took over, Pei's Father would have to live under his own son’s thumb.

"Dad!"

Pei Yubai pleaded desperately. "Tianhui can’t go under! We can’t afford to lose it!"

Pei's Father scowled. "Look at you, panicking over Tianhui like this! I’ll arrange a gathering tonight to pull some strings for you. A few million is nothing—we’ll get it. Don’t be so pathetic!"

That night, Pei Yubai attended the dinner Pei's Father had arranged.

Though Pei's Father wasn’t particularly capable, he had plenty of connections. As the eldest son of the Pei family, the people around him were no ordinary figures. To them, a few million was pocket change, and they’d invest just to give face to Pei's Father and Old Man Pei.

But asking for money was never easy. Pei Yubai drank himself into a stupor, his stomach burning with pain.

Late into the night, he dragged his exhausted body around, sending each guest home safely.

His assistant, also drunk, called a driver for Pei Yubai and shoved him into the passenger seat.

"Mr. Pei, where to?" the driver asked.

Pei Yubai’s face was flushed red. Mixing liquor and wine was a surefire way to get wasted, and now, everything was a blur.

Back to the Pei mansion?

He didn’t want to go there—didn’t want to see Pei Hanli or Old Man Pei.

Shui An Lin Di?

That place was just a lonely, albeit well-located, temporary residence.

Almost unconsciously, Pei Yubai mumbled an address to the driver before passing out. When he woke up, the Ferrari was parked outside the Ye family villa.

The Ye family’s roots were in Hangzhou, but Ye Luoyi had bought this place herself after making it big in the entertainment industry. She lived here alone.

Sun Qi believed Ye Luoyi and Pei Yubai’s situation needed a cooling-off period, and Ye Luoyi agreed. She had turned down recent engagements to stay by Lu's Mother’s side while the Lu family searched for their long-lost child.

Learning that Yan Xi wasn’t the Lu family’s true heiress had secretly delighted Ye Luoyi. Since joining The Journey, this was the best news she’d received. But the real Lu family daughter had surfaced—only to vanish without a trace, despite the DNA match.

Ye Luoyi was exhausted. Back when she first entered the industry, before she even knew Pei Yubai, Lu's Mother had helped her immensely. Now that she was embroiled in a scandal as the "other woman," the Lu family could have easily smoothed things over—just a word from Lu's Mother would have sufficed.

But the sudden appearance of a blood sample matching the Lu family’s youngest daughter had consumed their attention. They were too preoccupied with finding the owner of that sample to spare a thought for Ye Luoyi.

Blood ties always came first.

The doorbell rang downstairs, jolting Ye Luoyi from sleep.

Wrapped in a silk shawl, she trudged down to answer it.

The moment she opened the door, she saw Pei Yubai slumped on the doorstep, completely drunk.

Instinctively, she tried to shut the door.

Pei Yubai reacted fast, wedging his hand into the gap.

"Luoyi, don’t push me away!"

Ye Luoyi pushed harder, her voice sharp. "Second Young Master Pei, shouldn’t you be chasing Zhou Qingyu instead? Apologizing at the airport, setting off fireworks in Han City—haven’t you made your feelings clear enough? If you like her, go after her! Why are you bothering me?"

"Luoyi! Believe me, please!"

Drunk and irrational, Pei Yubai forced the door open and rushed inside, pulling her into a tight embrace.

"Luoyi, I don’t have feelings for Zhou Qingyu—I had no choice but to act that way. You’re the only one I love. Not seeing you these past few days has driven me insane!"

"Pei Yubai, let go of me! You’ve played me twice already. We should have ended this long ago..."

She struggled, but her punches against his chest lacked force—she couldn’t bring herself to hurt him, even now.

Feeling her hesitation, Pei Yubai’s heart soared. He cupped the back of her neck and kissed her deeply.

The kiss was long, intense, and intoxicating.

Lost in the rush of pleasure, past grievances faded away. After a few half-hearted struggles, Ye Luoyi surrendered, melting into the moment.

What followed spiraled beyond her control.

Pei Yubai lifted her effortlessly, and she clung to him like a drowning woman, her nails leaving red marks down his back.

The night was sleepless.

Compared to Ye Luoyi and Pei Yubai’s eventful evening, the nightlife of a single person was far more mundane.

Take Yan Xi, for example.

After a peaceful night’s sleep, she woke up in her plush bed, prepared a nutritious breakfast for Zhou Yanci, and made sure he ate it before heading to Xingyao Entertainment.

Everything proceeded as usual—except for the odd, resentful look Assistant Sun gave her at the hospital.

Strange. What did he have to be resentful about?

If anyone was overworking him, it was Zhou Yanci. Some people just couldn’t direct their complaints properly!

Yan Xi ignored Assistant Sun. Today, Chu Tingbai was returning to Hai City, and she had a project to discuss with him.

In the Xingyao conference room, Yan Xi brought in Qiao Yan and Fang Yue to brainstorm the idol survival show. The meeting went smoother than expected. Though initially skeptical, the success of their recent concert had made them optimistic about the idol market.

Another factor was Xingyao’s recent profits—the company was thriving and could afford to take risks.

Thus, Chu Tingbai’s project was greenlit. The show would be called SevenPercent, selecting seven finalists from a hundred trainees to debut in a temporary group. A one-in-seven chance—hence the name.

The meeting concluded, and Chu Tingbai left in high spirits.

This was the project she had long awaited—finally securing investment left her exhilarated beyond words. Fang Yue, from the project department, would assist Chu Tingbai in completing this variety show.

As the meeting dispersed, Yan Xi stopped Qiao Yan alone.

"Lin Zhi told me you contacted Watermelon Video to get Han Shu onto their music competition show. Isn’t that a great opportunity? Why didn’t Han Shu go?"

Watermelon Video had a good relationship with Xingyao due to collaborations on Journey and concert projects. The Singer, their newly launched music competition, featured seven singers competing in an elimination format, with occasional guest challengers.

The show was perfect for Han Shu, and Yan Xi had been thrilled when she first heard about the opportunity. Yet, Han Shu had backed out at the last minute.

Qiao Yan stammered, "Even guest challengers need to attend an in-person audition. Today was the audition day for The Singer, but Han Shu couldn’t make it."

Yan Xi frowned. "Why not?"

"President Qu’s friend is celebrating her birthday, and she wants Han Shu to perform."

A question mark popped up in Yan Xi’s mind.

"Qu Yan? Zhou Qingyu’s aunt?" Yan Xi’s brows knitted tighter. "Wait—what does President Qu’s friend’s birthday have to do with our artist?"

Qiao Yan wore a complicated expression. "It’s like when a rich young lady pays someone to perform at her private concert. President Qu is Xingyao’s CEO. If she wants Xingyao’s artists to perform at her friend’s party, how can I say no?"

Yan Xi was speechless. She hadn’t interacted much with Qu Yan, but in her impression, Zhou Qingyu’s aunt was young and beautiful—only ten years older than Zhou Qingyu, being the younger sister of Zhou’s mother. Their relationship was close.

Yet, Qu Yan was using Xingyao’s artists for personal entertainment, and Qiao Yan hadn’t even tried to refuse.

Yan Xi’s gaze darkened. "Does Qu Yan often do things like this?"

Qiao Yan: "Yeah. Last time she threw a birthday party, half of Xingyao’s artists attended! Originally, she even wanted Shen Xinghe to liven up her recent party..."

Yan Xi’s eyes widened.

Qiao Yan quickly added, "But Shen Xinghe was filming at the time, and Director Jiang absolutely refused to release him. He even chased off Qu Yan’s assistant. So Shen Xinghe didn’t go—don’t worry."

Yan Xi let out a relieved sigh.

Then she shot Qiao Yan a sidelong glance. "Director Jiang knew how to refuse. Why don’t you?"

Qiao Yan looked miserable. "Director Jiang isn’t part of Xingyao! And he’s stubborn—he doesn’t care about offending people or getting blacklisted. But I do! Boss, have some pity on me. Qu Yan is Xingyao’s CEO—she could fire me in a second!"

Yan Xi sighed. "Sorry."

Qiao Yan was just an employee. She had spoken harshly in the heat of the moment.

"Don’t worry too much," Qiao Yan reassured her. "President Qu won’t go too far. It’s just singing..."

Yan Xi was still furious. "Just singing? Who knows what’s really happening there? How is this any different from what Han Shu endured in H Country?"

She had worked so hard to rescue Han Shu from H Country—not to send her back to singing birthday songs for someone’s entertainment!

"Where are they? We’re going there now!"

---

In the photography studio, Xu Yangyang had just finished shooting a commercial.

Her screen time was minimal—even in this small ad, she was barely more than a background prop.

Crammed in the shared makeup room for supporting actors, Xu Yangyang pressed a grimy powder puff against her face, its greasy texture making her skin crawl. Who knew how many bacteria lurked in that multicolored sponge?

Furious, she threw it aside.

Qiao Yan had promised her resources once she repaid the one million to the company. She had spent a fortune on that sum, even selling her designer bags to scrape together the money.

But what kind of "resource" was this?

A role any extra could play?

After Zhou Qingyu terminated Zhou Corporation’s partnership with Tianhui, she redirected their endorsements and ad opportunities to Xingyao’s artists. Many of them had gained exposure and popularity recently.

Compared to them, Xu Yangyang felt even more wretched!

As the shoot wrapped up, Brother Chen informed her she had no schedules for the next few days. Xu Yangyang could only go home, unsure when her next gig would come.

Back when she followed Zhou Qingyu, she at least got minor roles in web dramas. Now, even those scraps were gone!

In the underground garage, Xu Yangyang saw Yan Xi storm out of the elevator and rush toward her Mercedes.

A surge of desperation propelled Xu Yangyang forward—

"Yan Xi, we need to talk!"

She couldn’t go on like this. Xingyao would grind her into nothing.

Yan Xi’s expression was icy. "Move. I don’t have time right now."

The audition ended at 3 PM. It was already 2 PM—she had one hour to get Han Shu there. The Singer was a live broadcast. If Han Shu passed the audition, she could perform tonight.

And if all went well, Zhou Qingyu would gain fortune points by tonight!

"You promised me resources after I repaid the one million! Yan Xi, you can’t go back on your word!"

Yan Xi scoffed. "That money belonged to Qingyu from the start. Was it wrong to make you return it?"

"But—but you agreed—"

Yan Xi didn’t even glance at her. Lin Zhi, understanding the cue, yanked Xu Yangyang aside as Yan Xi slid into the Mercedes.

Master Zhao, sharp as ever, floored the gas, leaving Xu Yangyang no chance to chase after them.

Fuming, Xu Yangyang sprinted after the car, but two legs were no match for four wheels. By the time she reached the garage exit, she was drenched in sweat, shoulders shaking with rage.

Yan Xi was sabotaging her—she was sure of it!

But with Yan Xi as Xingyao’s VP, Xu Yangyang was powerless.

Gritting her teeth, she glared at the retreating Mercedes, fingers clawing at her sleeves as if she could tear them apart.

---

The birthday celebration was held at an upscale club in Hai City, known for its discretion. It catered to the city’s elite and celebrities, ensuring their privacy.

Han Shu walked down the neon-lit hallway in a slinky dress.

President Qu’s assistant said, "It’s just a few songs. President Qu’s friends adore your voice—you don’t mind performing, right?"

Yet Han Shu couldn’t shake her unease.

Back in H Country, her manager had said the same thing—just singing, just dancing.

Then, the demands escalated.

Like a frog in slowly boiling water, by the time she realized the heat, it was too late to escape.

Entering the private room, the man slung his arm over Han Shu's shoulder. "President Qu, is this the new artist from your company? Quite the looker!"

Han Shu recoiled with a startled scream, shrinking away.

The man feigned innocence. "Little sister, you're overthinking it. I didn’t mean anything by it—just thought you were pretty."

Qu Yan’s expression turned icy. "Han Shu, General Manager Feng is my client. This is incredibly rude of you!"

Han Shu lowered her head timidly. "I’m sorry..."

"Enough, enough," General Manager Feng waved it off magnanimously, patting her shoulder again. "Shu Shu must’ve misunderstood. No harm done! Sing a song for me, and I won’t hold it against you!"

Someone shoved a microphone into Han Shu’s hands while General Manager Feng grabbed another. "It’s my birthday today. Sing with me, and I’ll be easy to please!"

The crowd egged them on. "Sing! Sing!"

The romantic ballad’s instrumental began playing in the room—a song Han Shu used to love, but now it only filled her with disgust.

She glanced around and noticed other artists from Xingyao Entertainment, both men and women, sitting in silence. They seemed resigned to the situation.

Han Shu’s eyes reddened.

Just singing was already better than what she’d endured in Korea. But perhaps because she’d once held higher hopes, the reality now felt like a crushing disappointment.

The unfamiliar male hand resting on her shoulder only made her skin crawl.

General Manager Feng started singing first—his voice grating and off-key. After a couple of lines, it was Han Shu’s turn.

She gripped the microphone, frozen.

It was as if she’d forgotten how to sing, the lyrics slipping further from her mind...

"President Qu, what’s the deal? Your artist isn’t cooperating?"

"It’s just a song. Some nobody trying to act all high and mighty?"

"We’re only asking them to sing. It’s not like we’re doing anything else. Why’s she acting so scared?"

Voices swarmed around her, chaotic and overwhelming.

Han Shu’s instincts screamed at her to run.

Then—

BANG!

The door to the private room was kicked open, darkness ripped apart as blinding light flooded in.

Backlit by the glare, Han Shu saw Yan Xi stride into the room.