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

After chatting with Ye Luoyi, Yan Xi returned to the RV.

By 10 PM, the livestream had ended, and all cameras inside the RV were turned off. The curtains were drawn open as Yan Xi and Zhou Qingyu curled up on the bed, waiting for the northern lights outside.

Bored from the wait, Zhou Qingyu pulled out her phone to browse social media.

The moment she opened any app, the trending topics were flooded with discussions about Pei Yubai and Ye Luoyi. Since the backlash wasn’t directed at her, Zhou Qingyu was more than happy to indulge in the gossip.

The exposé on Pei Yubai consisted of just a few lines with no concrete evidence, but netizens were quick to dissect every clue—

[Ye Luoyi’s debut drama was Riding the Waves. The director’s Weibo has no posts except for the official announcement, but! He comments “Happy Birthday” on Ye Luoyi’s posts every year—right on the dot!]

[Check out the Bilibili edits! Someone compiled all the moments Qin Li and Ye Luoyi shared the screen during livestreams. The way they looked at each other—if that’s not love, I don’t know what is!]

[Remember last year’s rumor about Ye Luoyi having dinner with Producer Chen? The PR team called it a “friendly gathering,” but a man and woman dining alone at a high-end restaurant at night? Yeah, right.]

Once given a direction, netizens scrutinized every frame and sentence for clues. Tabloids eagerly jumped on the bandwagon, flooding the internet with gossip about Ye Luoyi’s alleged romantic entanglements.

Zhou Qingyu was thoroughly entertained, occasionally sharing the juiciest bits with Yan Xi.

Yan Xi reminded her, “Make sure you’re using a burner account. Don’t accidentally like anything and get caught by fans…”

Zhou Qingyu froze—her fingers had already hit “send” before her brain could catch up.

She ​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‍quickly checked, but the comment section was overflowing with reactions, burying her reply in the sea of responses.

Yan Xi frowned. “What did you comment?”

Zhou Qingyu chuckled awkwardly. “Nothing serious… It’ll get buried anyway…”

But within minutes, Zhou Qingyu’s name was trending too.

#Zhou Qingyu Comments on Ye Luoyi’s Scandal—Legendary! #

Tabloids screenshotted her reply: just two words—[Legendary].

[LMAO, did the princess forget to switch to her alt account? Remember when she got dragged for liking Ye Luoyi’s hate posts before?]

[Turns out, the princess was right all along.]

[Insiders always know the tea~]

[Princess, don’t just lurk—spill some more!]

[The tables have turned. I can feel the satisfaction radiating from those two words.]

[Who wouldn’t celebrate their rival’s downfall? I’d set off fireworks!]

[Just fireworks? For her status, it should be a whole light show!]

Zhou Qingyu was surprised. Usually, when celebrities accidentally engage with scandalous content, they’d get roasted—but this time, netizens were memeing and even begging for more gossip?

“My public image has really improved,” Zhou Qingyu mused.

Yan Xi pinched her cheek. “The masses have good taste!”

How could anyone dislike someone as gorgeous and adorable as her princess?

While Zhou Qingyu’s reputation flourished, Ye Luoyi’s situation worsened.

The S-tier drama Seeking Immortality, which had previously announced Ye Luoyi as the female lead, was now bombarded by fans demanding a recast. Since filming hadn’t started yet, the production team swiftly complied.

Seeking Immortality released a statement confirming they would replace the female lead. Soon after, brands Ye Luoyi endorsed terminated their contracts, and streaming platforms erased her name from their actor credits—though her works remained available.

Ye Luoyi was teetering on the edge of career collapse.

The only reason she hadn’t fully “crashed” was the lack of irrefutable evidence. Morality lines were blurry, unlike legal boundaries.

“Ye Luoyi’s done for,” Zhou Qingyu declared, lounging on the bed. The RV’s heater kept her warm despite her thin sleepwear as she swung her bare feet carelessly. “If Tianhui handles this well, she might recover. If not, she’s finished in this industry.”

Pei Hanli spoke coolly, “If she stays at Tianhui, it won’t be handled well.”

Zhou Qingyu considered it. True—as long as Ye Luoyi remained tied to Tianhui and Pei Yubai, the rumors would persist. And wasn’t Pei Yubai the reason she was in this mess to begin with?

Would Ye Luoyi leave Pei Yubai?

The thought alone thrilled Zhou Qingyu.

“If Ye Luoyi leaves Tianhui, their stocks will plummet,” Zhou Qingyu said. “Though after today, they’ll drop anyway.”

With Tianhui’s top actress embroiled in scandal, a market dip was inevitable.

Pei Hanli smirked. “Serves Pei Yubai right.”

Yan Xi had been quietly listening until Pei Yubai’s name came up. “President Pei, aren’t you and Pei Yubai brothers? Why the bad blood?”

“Family feud!” Zhou Qingyu glanced at Zhou Yanci. “Same as my family.”

Pei Hanli poured mulled wine, handing a cup to Zhou Qingyu.

“It’s different. Pei Yubai and I are estranged because he’s my father’s illegitimate son. We’re not true brothers—how could we get along?”

Zhou Qingyu and Zhou Yanci stared at him in shock.

Pei Yubai had never dared to reveal this to Zhou Qingyu, so she’d been clueless. Zhou Yanci, too, was hearing about Pei Hanli’s family background for the first time.

Zhou Qingyu scoffed. She’d never understood why Pei Yubai, as the “second young master of the Pei family,” had been so fixated on her. Now it made sense—he was desperate for power and money.

What a shame Tianhui only gets a stock dip. They should go bankrupt!

Yan Xi fell silent after her question. The system had warned her against leaking plot details, but if Pei Hanli was the one revealing the truth, did that count? Zhou Qingyu should have known earlier.

As they talked, a brilliant light streaked across the sky outside.

The northern lights had arrived!

In the freezing night, the aurora danced over Gibson Valley—ribbons of emerald and violet weaving through the darkness, illuminating the entire sky.

The four threw on their down jackets and stepped out of the RV.

The crew was already scrambling to capture the spectacle. This was premium footage, guaranteed to boost the show’s ratings.

Director Yu was especially emotional, clutching his camera like a lifeline. “Do you know how hard I’ve worked? Out of seven celebrity pairs, two have imploded mid-filming!”

Editing out Qin Li’s scenes had been a nightmare, and now Ye Luoyi’s footage—all of it—had to go. The show was running out of usable material.

But the aurora? This was the universe’s reward for his suffering.

Yan Xi was photographing the aurora when she heard Director Yu’s complaints. Smiling, she comforted him, "Do we really have to delete Ye Luoyi’s scenes?"

Director Yu was startled and looked at Yan Xi in disbelief. "So the rumors about Ye Luoyi are fake?"

"That depends on what you’re referring to. If you mean the rumors about her sleeping her way to the top, then yes, that’s fake. But if you’re talking about her accepting resources from admirers without refusing, that’s probably true."

"It’s all about which part you focus on—the truth or the lies."

Meanwhile.

Ye Luoyi and Su Lingling had already arrived at the airport.

The entire way, Ye Luoyi had been in contact with her lawyer—Shang Lin. Since she had decided to leave Tianhui, she could no longer rely on their PR team and had to handle many things on her own.

"First, sue Pei Yubai for defamation and damaging my reputation. Demand a public apology. Then, I’ll terminate my contract with Tianhui. Since their CEO spread rumors about me first, the penalty fee should be negotiable—it doesn’t have to be as high as stated in the contract."

Shang Lin, who was still in the country, had already mobilized her team to handle the online backlash.

"Understood, Miss Ye. We’ll discuss the details further once you return."

"I’ve booked the earliest flight. I’ll be at your law firm first thing tomorrow."

After hanging up, Su Lingling excitedly grabbed Ye Luoyi’s hands. "Yi Yi, you’ve finally decided to leave Pei Yubai!"

Ye Luoyi nodded.

Though she had argued with Yan Xi in the car earlier, she knew that 90% of her current predicament was because of Pei Yubai.

Ye Luoyi never considered herself some innocent little bunny. She was single, the men she interacted with were single—everything was consensual. Did she really deserve all the hate online?

No. It was Pei Yubai who made her look like a homewrecker, tarnishing her reputation even further.

If she wanted to turn things around, leaving Tianhui was the first step.

Seeing Ye Luoyi’s resolve, Su Lingling pulled out a bank card and pressed it into her hands. "Yi Yi, I know you don’t have the money for the termination fee. Here’s 30 million—use it!"

The Su family wasn’t as wealthy as Zhou Qingyu’s elite circle, and Su Lingling didn’t have a steady job, so this 30 million was her entire savings.

Ye Luoyi’s eyes welled up. She had held back her tears even when the internet was tearing her apart, even when Director Yu asked her to leave the show.

But now, the floodgates opened.

She hugged Su Lingling tightly. "Ling Ling, thank you."

Su Lingling patted her back. "What are friends for? You’ve always been there for me before!"

Ye Luoyi shook her head and held her even tighter.

Before, they were just friends—good-time friends.

But only in hardship do you see who truly cares.

……

"Yi Yi…"

Pei Yubai’s voice came from behind.

Ye Luoyi let go, and Su Lingling immediately stepped in front of her protectively when she saw who it was.

Ye Luoyi gently patted Su Lingling’s shoulder. "It’s fine."

She stepped forward and faced Pei Yubai. "The termination notice has already been sent to Tianhui. Is there something else, Young Master Pei?"

Pei Yubai’s heart ached. He had seen the notice but refused to accept it.

"Yi Yi, there’s no need for a lawsuit. I’ve already instructed Sun Qi to draft a statement clarifying that everything I said was nonsense… Yi Yi, please don’t leave me. I’m begging you…"

Ye Luoyi scoffed. "Oh, you’ll issue a statement—and an apology!"

"I will! I’ll go live right now, or post it on Weibo—I’ll apologize! It was my fault, all of it!"

He grabbed her hands desperately, but Ye Luoyi pulled away.

"Don’t joke around, Pei Yubai. At this point, do you really think I can stay at Tianhui? Impossible. I’ll sell the villa in Hai City—that should cover the penalty."

Pei Yubai’s eyes widened. "I don’t want the money. I only want you! Didn’t you ask me to choose? I choose you. There’s only you in my heart—now and forever!"

Ye Luoyi laughed coldly and slapped him across the face.

"Pei Yubai, did you really choose me? Or was it because Zhou Qingyu saw through your act and cut you off, leaving me as your last resort? I don’t need your leftovers!"

She didn’t want to waste more time on him. If they kept arguing, someone might film it and stir up more drama.

Just then, boarding was announced. Ye Luoyi and Su Lingling boarded the plane.

Pei Yubai followed, but luckily, their seats weren’t together, so he couldn’t bother her further.

Once the plane took off and all devices were switched off, Ye Luoyi connected to the in-flight Wi-Fi after they stabilized.

Lu Beiyu had sent her a WeChat message asking if she had boarded safely.

—The Lu family’s private jet was scheduled to pick up Lu Wanning from M Country tomorrow, so Lu Beiyu hadn’t left the show and was still in Queenstown.

[I’ve boarded,] Ye Luoyi replied.

Lu Beiyu: [Good!]

[Director Yu told me he won’t cut your scenes from the show. It’ll air as planned.]

Ye Luoyi was stunned. [Director Yu is being this kind?]

Lu Beiyu: [Yan Xi told him the rumors about you sleeping your way up were fake, and Tianhui issued an apology. So he’s taking a chance.]

Ye Luoyi froze, gripping her phone in silence for a long time.

Lu Beiyu might not fully understand, but Ye Luoyi knew—if her scenes remained in the final cut of "Journey," it meant she wasn’t canceled. Other platforms would still air her work, and producers would dare to cast her again.

Yan Xi might have just casually said a few words, but those words carried immense weight for Ye Luoyi.

She opened Yan Xi’s chat and sent: [Thank you.]

Yan Xi replied quickly: [No need. I only took back what you owed Qing Qing. The rest isn’t my concern.]

Ye Luoyi didn’t understand.

Meanwhile, in Gibbston Valley, the aurora shimmered brilliantly. Yan Xi and Zhou Qingyu took turns posing for photos under the dazzling lights when the system suddenly chimed:

[Ding! Ye Luoyi’s popularity has plummeted. Zhou Qingyu gains 5 points of luck. Current luck value: 85.]

Yan Xi gazed at the radiant aurora.

Ye Luoyi’s rapid rise to fame in two years was fueled by the Zhou family’s resources—essentially, she had siphoned Zhou Qingyu’s luck. Now, Yan Xi was reclaiming it.

As for the feud between Ye Luoyi and Zhou Qingyu, it all traced back to Pei Yubai. He was the real villain. If Yan Xi wanted to settle debts, he was the one to target.

……

"Xi Xi! What are you spacing out for? Come take pictures!" Zhou Qingyu called out.

Yan Xi snapped back to reality. "Coming~"

She joined Zhou Qingyu, striking poses for the camera.

Lu Beiyu played the role of photographer. The young master of the Lu family had many skills, and photography was one of them. After comparing shots taken by Pei Hanli, Zhou Yanci, and Lu Beiyu, Zhou Qingyu concluded that Lu Beiyu’s photos were the best.

Pei Hanli also approached, wanting a picture with Zhou Qingyu.

Zhou Yanci reacted swiftly, grabbing him by the collar.

Pei Hanli: "...Bro, spare me!"

Zhou Yanci tossed him aside. "You're not suited for Qingyu. You're too scheming."

"I’m not scheming toward the young miss!" Pei Hanli quickly tried to appease him.

Zhou Yanci shot him a sidelong glance. "What exactly do you like about Qingyu?"

Zhou Yanci couldn’t even recall any significant interactions between Pei Hanli and Zhou Qingyu—at most, they’d crossed paths at a few high-society banquets. How could that lead to affection?

Pei Hanli grinned. "The young miss is lovable in every way! She’s beautiful, good-tempered, sweet-natured, and kind-hearted..."

Zhou Yanci: ?

He reached out and pressed a hand to Pei Hanli’s forehead.

"Have you lost your mind? Spouting nonsense now?"

Pei Hanli brushed off Zhou Yanci’s hand, his playful gaze turning serious. "Zhou Yanci, I mean it. To me, the young miss is truly that perfect."

The aurora shoot marked the perfect end to their trip to Country X.

Originally, the production team had planned to stay an extra day in Queenstown, giving the guests a free day to explore. But the city was too cold, and Zhou Qingyu disliked such weather. The flight back to Hai City took twelve hours—departing late at night meant they could sleep on the plane and wake up just in time.

So, Zhou Qingyu and Yan Xi packed their bags and flew home overnight.

Zhou Yanci couldn’t leave yet; he still had to inspect operations at other royal hotels in Country X, delaying his return by a day.

Zhou Qingyu was even happier—the best outcome was Zhou Yanci not tagging along.

At the airport, only the Zhou family’s private jet was visible—the Pei family’s was nowhere in sight. Pei Hanli eagerly approached. "Young miss, I thought we were leaving tomorrow and didn’t arrange a flight plan. Mind giving me a lift?"

Yan Xi: "..."

As if he’d "forgotten" to file a flight plan—the villain was clearly doing this on purpose!

But Zhou Qingyu didn’t seem to mind.

And since it was already 2 a.m., they’d just sleep on the plane anyway, so Yan Xi kept quiet.

Yan Xi and Zhou Qingyu shared a room. After freshening up, both curled up under the covers.

Yan Xi was exhausted—her small frame had endured a full day of trekking through the wilderness with a rifle, followed by staying up late for the aurora. The moment her head hit the pillow, she was out.

But Zhou Qingyu couldn’t sleep.

She usually avoided late nights, fearing dark circles, yet this cold, silent evening left her unusually awake.

Wrapped in a cashmere shawl, she slipped out of the room unnoticed.

Seated by the window in the lounge, Zhou Qingyu watched as the private jet soared through the clouds, the dark night swallowing the swirling mist. It felt as though they were flying toward some unknown horizon.

Zhou Qingyu realized she could no longer recall why she’d fallen for Pei Yubai.

The past two years felt like a hazy dream.

But memories from before that were resurfacing, as if someone had smudged them with an eraser, only for the original image to gradually reappear after she left Country H.

Two years was the dividing line.

Two years ago, she’d attended Old Man Pei’s birthday banquet with Zhou’s Father and fallen for Pei Yubai at first sight.

But what about before that?

Fresh out of university, returning home...

"Young miss, can’t sleep?"

Pei Hanli emerged from his room in black cotton sleepwear.

His collar was loose, likely rumpled from sleep, the top button undone to reveal his collarbone.

He settled onto the sofa beside her. "Should I warm some milk for you?"

Zhou Qingyu ignored the offer. Instead, she studied Pei Hanli, his features sharpening before her eyes, aligning with memories from two years prior. His handsome face carried a roguish charm, his fringe slightly covering his brows—except for the faint scar cutting through his left eyebrow.

She reached out, tracing the mark.

"Back then, I told you to get lost. Why did you still come looking for me?"

Pei Hanli’s breath hitched, her touch burning through him like fire.

This was something Zhou Qingyu had never brought up, and he’d assumed she never would.

"Because I couldn’t bear to stay away," he rasped.

He caught her hand, pressing a kiss to her fingertips.

He was terrified—terrified she’d react like she had two years ago, hurling an ashtray at him, screaming curses, demanding he vanish from her life.

That fear had made him tread carefully this time.

The young miss would never know, would she? That his twisted feelings for her hadn’t spanned two years—but twenty.

Pei Hanli would never forget.

Twenty years ago, after a vicious fight, his mother had stormed out, abandoning him in the Pei household.

Feng Meiyu had slipped in and secretly discarded him.

Seven-year-old Pei Hanli was sold to traffickers, then to a rural family. In those backwaters, boys were valuable—just not ones his age.

He’d tried escaping daily, only to be beaten and locked in the pigpen. His "parents" claimed breaking him this way would make him obedient.

For a month, he lived like livestock.

The spoiled young master’s edges were ground down—fighting pigs for slop, sleeping on filth, starving and freezing, wishing for death.

Then Zhou’s Father arrived for a charity trip.

He’d established a children’s education fund in Zhou Qingyu’s name and brought her along.

Disgusted by the village’s squalor, she’d wandered off seeking amusement—until she spotted the boy in the pigpen.

Half-dead, curled behind the fence, his pleading eyes fixed on the pristine young miss.

"Water… please…"

She handed him a bottle from the car. Instead of taking it, his filthy hands seized her wrist.

Horrified at being soiled, she’d fled crying to Zhou’s Father, demanding the boy be punished.

Yet that very act saved him.

Zhou’s Father had rescued him and alerted authorities, never realizing this was the Pei family’s lost heir. Ashamed, Pei’s father kept it from Old Man Pei, and the incident faded into obscurity.

Few knew the truth.

But Pei Hanli never forgot—how he’d deliberately dirtied Zhou Qingyu, gripping her wrist because she was his only hope.

From then on, his feelings for her twisted into something else, growing wilder with time.

He’d kept those desires buried—until Zhou Qingyu returned after university.

At first, it went smoothly. Twenty years meant no one understood the young miss better.

She’d been intrigued, finding him more attuned to her than past boyfriends. They traveled, attended concerts, danced by the lake at her villa.

Pei Hanli thought he’d finally have her.

Then, without warning, she fell madly in love with Pei Yubai—as if possessed.

She hit him with an ashtray, leaving a stark mark on Pei Hanli’s eyebrow.

She yelled, “Pei Hanli, get out. I don’t like you anymore.”

Pei Hanli refused to believe it. For a year, he persisted relentlessly.

He never told anyone about his pursuit of Zhou Qingyu—afraid that if his weakness were known, someone might hurt her. So even during that year of reconciliation, few were aware.

In the end, he painfully realized that his young mistress had truly fallen for his brother. He had once wanted to destroy that worthless bastard, that despicable illegitimate son. For twenty years, he had bided his time, plotting how to ruin that mother and son.

But the young mistress loved him. She loved Pei Yubai so much that Pei Hanli couldn’t bear to make her sad. Not only would he give up his plans against Pei Yubai—if Zhou Qingyu wanted Pei Yubai to inherit the Pei family’s empire, he would hand it over without hesitation.

Until Zhou Qingyu skipped Old Man Pei’s birthday banquet.

Until Pei Hanli learned that the young mistress had sent Yao Chi to break off their engagement.

The faint ember in his heart stirred once more.

…

In the private jet’s lounge, Pei Hanli kissed Zhou Qingyu’s fingertips. A tingling sensation spread across her skin, like tiny electric currents.

“Is the young mistress tired from the day? Let me massage your legs.”

Zhou Qingyu stared at Pei Hanli, her hazy memories sharpening. She recalled their past together—and the cold finality with which she had driven him away.

It was as if he had been erased from her world. But after she rejected Pei Yubai completely, every memory of Pei Hanli came flooding back.

Zhou Qingyu nodded.

Pei Hanli’s fingers glided over her jade-like calves, his touch just right. The night was cold, the cabin temperature perfectly set, yet Zhou Qingyu felt feverish.

She didn’t even know how they had gotten to this point.

Her breaths grew heavier as she tangled her fingers in his hair.

“Pei Hanli…” Zhou Qingyu bit her lip, stifling the shameful sounds threatening to escape. “Slow down…”

The quiet sound of wetness filled the air. The lace hem of her nightgown was pushed up to her waist, leaving only the cashmere shawl draped over her lower half.

Pei Hanli lifted his head, his sharp nose glistening.

“Young mistress, does it feel good?”

Zhou Qingyu clenched her teeth. “You’re so annoying.”

Pei Hanli chuckled. “My experience must be lacking. Let me try harder, young mistress.”

Zhou Qingyu gripped his hair again.

Her breaths came faster now, the suction sending fireworks exploding behind her eyes—bright, overwhelming.

The night was still long.

No one knew when it would end.