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

After accepting ten million, Father Lin left the Zhou Corporation.

Yan Xi was supposed to follow him back to the Lin family to pack her things, but she hesitated for a moment before gritting her teeth and trailing after Zhou Yanci instead.

Zhou Yanci had only taken a few steps when he noticed the little shadow following him.

"Why are you following me?"

Yan Xi lowered her head, struggling to find the right words.

"Senior, could you let me be an intern at the Zhou Corporation? I don’t need a salary—just food and lodging would be enough!"

Zhou Yanci frowned. "A student’s duty is to study. You should go back to Bowen."

Bowen High School provided dormitories, and the cafeteria was free, so Yan Xi wouldn’t have to worry about living expenses—at least not until after graduation.

"I don’t want to go back..."

"I’ve already secured a spot at Hai University. I don’t have to return to Bowen!" Yan Xi looked at Zhou Yanci earnestly. "I learn quickly! I can be your assistant, or do clerical work—I can even translate..."

Zhou Yanci understood. The girl probably didn’t want to go back and face the gossip surrounding the whole "real and fake heiress" scandal.

He sighed. "Come with me."

...

Zhou Yanci arranged accommodation for Yan Xi.

It was an apartment he owned in Hai City, bought casually during his student days as an investment.

He handed her the keys. "You can stay here until you leave for university."

Yan Xi shrank back slightly, and Zhou Yanci added, "Don’t worry, I don’t have a spare key."

The idea of a male landlord sneaking into a female tenant’s room at night was something Zhou Yanci would never do.

"That’s not what I meant!" Yan Xi said. "The rent here must be expensive. I can’t afford it..."

She had assumed the Zhou Corporation, as a major conglomerate, would have employee dorms—even shared rooms would have been fine. But this apartment was clearly high-end. To Zhou Yanci, it might be nothing, but Yan Xi had researched Hai City’s rental prices when planning to leave the Lin family. A place like this would cost at least five thousand a month.

Zhou Yanci waved it off. "I’ve already lent you ten million. What’s a little more?"

"What about the internship?" Yan Xi pressed.

"You’re still underage. Forget it."

Zhou Yanci had no intention of letting the Zhou Corporation get reported for employing child labor—especially a 15-year-old. He’d be summoned for questioning.

He pulled out his phone and transferred 100,000 yuan to Yan Xi via WeChat.

"This should be enough for you. Once you get your admission letter, you can tutor for extra income. With scholarships in university, you won’t have to worry about tuition or living expenses."

With three months until the college entrance exams and another two for summer break, the money would cover her needs.

Zhou ​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‍Yanci saw no reason to provide Yan Xi with a lifestyle matching that of a wealthy heiress. If she still wanted to live like one, she shouldn’t have left the Lin family.

Yan Xi was taken aback. "Senior, you don’t have to do this. I’ll figure out my living expenses myself, and I’ll pay you back for the rent too."

Zhou Yanci didn’t take it seriously. After all, Yan Xi was only 15.

Had she been 18, he wouldn’t have doubted her ability to earn money—with her academic record, tutoring alone could bring in a good income. But at her age, he dismissed it as an offhand remark.

.

After parting ways with Zhou Yanci, Yan Xi returned to the Lin family to pack her belongings.

—The contract with Father Lin stipulated that everything the Lin family had bought for her belonged to her, as part of the ten million she had returned. She had every right to take it all.

Yan Xi didn’t hold back. She packed up everything that was hers, leaving nothing behind.

The newer luxury items—clothes, bags—she set aside separately to sell at a secondhand luxury market.

Since they had been used, they wouldn’t fetch top prices, but she could still get ten or twenty thousand for them.

With money in her pocket, Yan Xi felt much more secure.

—She hadn’t accepted the funds Zhou Yanci transferred. After borrowing ten million from the Zhou family and being provided such a nice apartment, taking more would have felt shameless.

Once she finished packing and settling into the apartment, Yan Xi returned to school.

There were still things there she needed to collect, and she likely wouldn’t be back until graduation. Besides, Zhou Qingyu had lent her such a huge sum—she owed her a proper thank-you in person.

Today happened to be Bowen High School’s centennial anniversary celebration.

A banner hung at the school entrance, and the campus was nearly empty—most students were in the auditorium watching the gala.

Bowen High wasn’t like ordinary schools. Most of its students were from wealthy families, with the exception of the honors class, which consisted of high-achieving students who upheld the school’s academic reputation. Yan Xi had been one of the few heirs who made it into the honors class.

So while there were less than a hundred days left until the college entrance exams, most of the international class students were leisurely enjoying the show, while the honors class was still buried in textbooks.

Yan Xi stepped into the grand auditorium, its opulence gleaming under the lights. The spotlight centered on the stage, where Zhou Qingyu played the cello.

Truthfully, Yan Xi and Zhou Qingyu weren’t close.

Both of them attended Bowen High School, yet even after six years, they had never exchanged a single word.

Zhou Qingyu was beautiful, flamboyant, and dressed head-to-toe in designer brands. She was always surrounded by wealthy heiresses, and Yan Xi stood out like a sore thumb among them.

But when the truth about the "fake heiress" scandal came to light, everyone mocked Yan Xi for being an impostor who had stolen someone else’s place. Only Zhou Qingyu, while having her nails done by a hired manicurist, casually remarked, "Even if Yan Xi isn’t the Lin family’s real daughter, her grades are still better than yours."

She raised an eyebrow and glanced at the girl who had been the most vocal in her taunts. "You’re just bitter because she outperforms you in exams, aren’t you? How does it feel to be the eternal runner-up? I heard your dad hired a tutor charging 100,000 per session—why haven’t you surpassed Yan Xi yet?"

Then she turned to another girl. "Zhang Boyi only pursued Yan Xi and not you, so you resort to slandering her? Zhang Boyi has a thing for high achievers. If you could top the class in every subject, he’d probably chase you too. Why blame Yan Xi instead of your own failing grades?"

The girls’ faces flushed with humiliation under Zhou Qingyu’s sharp retorts.

"But she’s still an impostor! That’s undeniable!" one girl protested stubbornly.

Zhou Qingyu admired her freshly painted nails. "True, Yan Xi’s wealth might be fake, but her academic record is real. As for you—if you didn’t have your privileged backgrounds, what else would you have?"

No one had expected Zhou Qingyu to defend Yan Xi. They had no connection at all.

Even Yan Xi herself had no idea.

Fast forward to the present—after the cello performance ended, Yan Xi made her way backstage to find Zhou Qingyu.

As usual, Zhou Qingyu was surrounded by a crowd of admirers, all fawning over her.

"Miss Zhou, your performance was amazing!" Li Qingqing gushed. "All eyes were on you! I even saw reporters taking photos—you might be on TV tomorrow!"

Zhou Qingyu smirked. "Sweet talker." She removed the necklace from her neck and tossed it to Li Qingqing. "Here, take it. I never wear the same thing twice."

Li Qingqing was overjoyed.

Beside her, Chen Nian’s eyes sparkled. "Miss Zhou, I took some stage photos of you—they’re so flawless they don’t even need editing! I can send them for your social media!"

Zhou Qingyu glanced at Chen Nian’s DSLR and, seeing the quality of the shots, casually slid off her bracelet and handed it to her.

"Yours too."

Li Qingqing and Chen Nian were ecstatic.

This was the perk of sticking close to Miss Zhou—hand-me-down luxury goods were a regular bonus.

Yan Xi knocked on the dressing room door.

Zhou Qingyu was removing her makeup when she spotted Yan Xi’s reflection in the mirror.

"Leave us," she said to the others.

Once they were alone, Zhou Qingyu removed an earring and asked offhandedly, "Did you settle things with the Lin family?"

Yan Xi replied sincerely, "Miss Zhou, thank you."

"Nothing to thank me for." Zhou Qingyu continued wiping off her makeup. "It was my father who lent you the money, not me. For a businessman like him, nothing comes free. I’m sure he made you sign some kind of indentured contract, didn’t he?"

Yan Xi thought of the ten-year employment agreement and nodded.

"Exactly." Zhou Qingyu shrugged. "This was a transaction, not charity. No need for gratitude—unless you default and need my help, then you can thank me."

To Zhou Qingyu, it was no big deal.

But to Yan Xi, even a conditional loan was a lifeline.

After parting ways with Zhou Qingyu, Yan Xi returned to her classroom to pack her books.

Unlike the elitist international class, the honors class prioritized academic merit. Whoever scored highest earned respect.

So even after the scandal, most classmates were merely surprised—some even sympathized, thinking Yan Xi had gotten a raw deal.

Once she finished packing, Yan Xi bid farewell to her classmates and left.

At the hallway restroom, she suddenly overheard Li Qingqing and Chen Nian gossiping—

"Zhou Qingyu is so generous!"

"Well, she was born lucky. Flatter her a little, and she just hands over expensive jewelry like it’s nothing!"

"She acts like she’s still the heiress, but she’s clueless! Zhou Yanci’s already joined Zhou Corporation—it’ll be his someday. Zhou Qingyu’s fate is the same as ours: a marriage alliance. Her cello skills? Just a bonus for her future husband’s family!"

"Exactly. Does she really think she’ll inherit Zhou Corporation?"

"Hey, do you think if we stay close to her, we might get introduced to Zhou Yanci someday?"

"Hahaha, dreaming big, aren’t you?"

"Why not? Zhou Qingyu’s so gullible. We just need to sweet-talk her into setting us up!"

"Good point! Hahaha—"

Their laughter echoed mercilessly from the restroom.

Yan Xi found it unbearable to listen.

Suddenly, she heard Li Qingqing’s voice again, “Hey, Chen Nian, my zipper’s loose. Can you fix it for me?”

“Sure.”

The two of them promptly entered a restroom stall.

—They could’ve fixed it in front of the sink, but that would’ve been a bit too indecent. A stall was more appropriate.

Yan Xi set down the book in her arms and stepped into the restroom.

“It’s here, on the back. Feels a bit loose.”

“Let me take a look…”

Yan Xi remained silent as she wedged the mop handle against the door to keep it shut.

Then, she picked up a bucket full of filthy water and, without hesitation, poured it over the top of the stall door!

“Ah—!”

“Ah—!”

Screams erupted from inside the stall.

“What lunatic just poured water on us?!”

“This water stinks! It’s disgusting!”

The two of them banged frantically against the door, trying to break free, but the mop held the handle firmly in place, trapping them inside.

Yan Xi simply dusted off her hands, picked up her book, and walked away without a second glance.

Back at the apartment, Yan Xi turned on her computer and got to work.

Zhou Yanci had assumed that, as a minor, Yan Xi would struggle to find a job—and she had considered that too.

So, she turned to the internet, offering translation services.

Her English was decent—she’d scored a 7 on the IELTS exam—and she’d even helped Father Lin with translations before.

At first, progress was slow. But Yan Xi translated quickly and accurately, dedicating every waking hour outside of meals and sleep to her work. Clients, impressed by her speed and quality, kept coming back.

After a month of relentless work, she finally earned enough to transfer the first installment of her rent to Zhou Yanci.

When Zhou Yanci saw the 5,000-yuan transfer on WeChat, labeled “Rent” by Yan Xi, he was stunned for a long moment.

He’d underestimated her.

Life settled into a routine. With translation work keeping her busy, Yan Xi didn’t find her situation all that difficult.

But a few days later, her homeroom teacher suddenly called her back to school.

Her guaranteed college admission had been revoked.

For a moment, Yan Xi didn’t understand—until she saw Li Qingqing and Chen Nian in the office. Then, it all made sense.

The homeroom teacher sighed regretfully. “Xi Xi, how could you bully your classmates? That’s not right!”

Li Qingqing smirked triumphantly. “Losing your admission is getting off easy! If you don’t want to be expelled, you’d better get on your knees and apologize to me right now!”

That day, Li Qingqing had spent hours scrubbing herself clean after the filthy water incident. She’d been so furious she could’ve exploded. Luckily, a classmate had seen Yan Xi leaving the restroom—otherwise, they’d never have caught her!

Chen Nian chimed in, “Yeah! You have to apologize! And write a public confession in front of the whole school!”

The homeroom teacher hesitated. Yan Xi was one of her favorites—she’d always thought the girl was so well-behaved. But even she knew pouring dirty water on someone was wrong.

“I can apologize. I can write the confession,” Yan Xi said calmly. “But the reason I poured water on them was because they were badmouthing a classmate in the restroom. That should be included in the confession—otherwise, my apology wouldn’t be sincere.”

Li Qingqing and Chen Nian froze in panic.

Yan Xi had no connections—they could easily strip her of her admission and force her to apologize. But if Zhou Qingyu found out they’d been mocking her in the restroom, they’d be finished at Bowen High!

Chen Nian was terrified. Even Li Qingqing felt a flicker of fear.

“Forget it!”

Li Qingqing didn’t want this blowing up in their faces. “Consider this us being generous and letting you off this time. Don’t expect another chance!”

With that, she and Chen Nian stormed out of the teacher’s office.

The homeroom teacher turned to Yan Xi. “Xi Xi, why were you so impulsive? You’ve lost your guaranteed admission—now you’ll have to take the college entrance exams…” Though Yan Xi was a top student, the teacher worried about the unpredictability of exams.

She knew Yan Xi had been taking translation jobs—many of which she’d recommended herself. Adding exam prep on top of that might be too much.

“It’s fine, teacher. I’ll do well.”

After leaving school, Yan Xi took the bus back to her apartment.

Near the apartment, in a narrow alley, she bought dinner—a small bowl of wontons.

Cooking took too much time, and eating out was expensive. The alley vendors were cheap.

But after just a few steps, shadows fell across her path.

Li Qingqing and Chen Nian stood before her, flanked by several other girls.

Bowen High had its share of bullies.

Before, Yan Xi’s academic excellence had shielded her—as long as she didn’t misbehave, the teachers would protect her.

But now, things were different.

Li Qingqing reached out and slapped the bowl from Yan Xi’s hands. The wontons spilled onto the ground, the savory broth splashing across the pavement. The delicate white dumplings scattered in the dirt.

“Oops, no dinner. What a shame~”

Li Qingqing ground her foot into the fallen wontons, crushing them into the mud. “What even is this? So filthy—not even a dog would eat it!”

Chen Nian laughed. “Isn’t it exactly what a dog would eat?”

Yan Xi stared fixedly at the two girls. "Li Qingqing, Chen Nian, bullying is something you can report to the police."

"Report to the police?"

Li Qingqing laughed even louder, shamelessly patting Yan Xi's cheek with the back of her hand. "Go ahead, call them! But do you have any evidence? Any witnesses? Let’s see if the police even believe you!"

Unfortunately, there were no surveillance cameras in this alley.

Yan Xi quietly reached into her sleeve, her phone hidden as she fumbled to dial "110."

Before the call could connect, a blinding beam of headlights suddenly illuminated the scene.

"Who the hell is that?!" Li Qingqing shouted. "Can’t you see there are people here?!"

Yan Xi thought she heard a scoff, followed by the roar of an engine. A red Ferrari came barreling toward them!

Li Qingqing, Chen Nian, and the others panicked, scattering in all directions before the car could reach them. Some even tripped and fell in their haste.

But the Ferrari showed no signs of slowing down—until it screeched to a halt just a meter away from Yan Xi.

Everyone was stunned, and Li Qingqing, still furious, opened her mouth to curse again.

Then she saw the girl in the driver’s seat.

—Zhou Qingyu.

Li Qingqing froze. The other girls around her did too.

Zhou Qingyu, wearing sunglasses, rested one hand on the steering wheel, eyeing Li Qingqing with amusement.

"Li Qingqing, seems like you’ve been having fun while I was away," she said, glancing at Yan Xi and the spilled dumplings on the ground. "Bullying now, huh?"

Li Qingqing immediately threw an arm around Yan Xi’s shoulders, forcing a laugh. "Bullying? No, no—this is all just a misunderstanding!"

"Misunderstanding? The police are already on their way. I’m the witness," Zhou Qingyu pointed at the dashcam in her Ferrari, "and there’s your evidence."

Li Qingqing paled. "Miss Zhou, you’ve got it all wrong! Aren’t we friends? There’s no need to involve the police, right?"

Zhou Qingyu propped her chin on her hand. "Friends? Weren’t you the ones calling me stupid behind my back?"

Li Qingqing’s mind went blank.

So not only had Yan Xi overheard her and Chen Nian’s conversation that day—Zhou Qingyu had too.

Zhou Qingyu ignored Li Qingqing’s panic and turned to Yan Xi, honking twice.

"What are you standing around for? Get in."

Still dazed, Yan Xi didn’t fully grasp the situation, but she obediently climbed into the Ferrari’s passenger seat.

With a sharp turn, Zhou Qingyu sped out of the alley.

Behind them, police sirens wailed.

School bullying might not be a crime, but punishment was inevitable.

---

The Ferrari raced down the road, windows down as the early spring wind whipped through the cabin.

Yan Xi clutched her seatbelt and asked timidly, "Do you even have a driver’s license?"

Zhou Qingyu grinned. "What kind of question is that? You think my dad would give me a car without one? You’re the first person to ride with me—lucky, huh?"

Yan Xi nodded hesitantly.

The way the young mistress drove was terrifying—she’d already overtaken several cars.

But if she had a license, it should be fine.

Then Zhou Qingyu added excitedly, "Though I just got it today. There’s too much traffic—I can’t even enjoy driving properly!"

Yan Xi: ???

How much more "enjoyment" did she want?

This was driving, not racing!

Suddenly, a wild boar darted onto the road.

It moved too fast, panicked and zigzagging across the street. Zhou Qingyu slammed the brakes, but it was too late. She yanked the steering wheel hard to the right—

The red Ferrari veered onto the sidewalk and plunged straight into the river!

Yan Xi found the whole situation absurd.

Getting into Zhou Qingyu’s car was one thing, but a wild boar escaping from who-knows-where and causing a crash? That was beyond ridiculous.

The river wasn’t deep, but half the Ferrari was submerged. Yan Xi and Zhou Qingyu swam out through the open windows, scrambling onto the muddy riverbank—

Thankfully, Bowen High had swimming classes.

Drenched, their hair dripping, the two stood on the rocky shore like a pair of drowned rats.

A cold breeze blew past, making them even more miserable.

Zhou Qingyu: "..."

Yan Xi: "..."

It was only then that Yan Xi remembered. "Ah, you’re…" the girl from five years ago at Pine Crane Cemetery, the one who couldn’t afford lilies.

That girl had been so disheveled—Yan Xi had never connected her to the glamorous young mistress.

"Ugh, so annoying!" Zhou Qingyu wrung out her clothes. "Why do you always see me at my worst?"

Yan Xi suddenly understood why Zhou Qingyu had helped her. She said earnestly, "Even soaking wet, you still look beautiful."

Zhou Qingyu blinked at her.

Then she laughed—a sound like a clear mountain spring, or the warm breeze of early spring.

"Yan Xi, you’re actually kind of fun."

She slung an arm around Yan Xi’s shoulders. "I’ve decided—you’re my friend now!"

Under the setting sun, the two stood side by side, their shadows stretching long across the ground. Another cold gust made them shiver in unison.

But for some reason, Yan Xi felt warmth blooming in her chest.

—The End—