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

【Wuwuwu! Host! Shen Xinghe is so pitiful! That expression he just made, he looks like he's about to shatter!】

【Host, think of a way to help him! Even a supporting character's life matters!】

The little glowing ball in Yan Xi's mind was tearful, but Yan Xi remained silent, quietly watching Shen Xinghe film his scenes.

The medium and long shots of the grand scene had already been completed. Now, they were switching perspectives to shoot close-ups and detailed shots.

Most of these shots didn't involve extras, as the focus would be on the main and supporting actors, emphasizing their emotional changes.

But even in these types of shots, Yan Xi noticed that Shen Xinghe was acting with great dedication. She stood behind the director with Qiao Yan, watching the monitor. Although Shen Xinghe's face was blurred and his features indistinct on the screen, on set, he was fully immersed, not missing a single emotional beat.

Out of the corner of her eye, Yan Xi saw Shen Xinghe's sports bag resting on the stone bench where he had been sitting earlier, with a script placed on top.

Compared to the scripts of other actors, Shen Xinghe's script was thicker. Yan Xi flipped through it casually and realized it wasn't the script for "The Decisive Battle of Luo City." In the crew, only named roles received full scripts. For extras like Shen Xinghe, who only had a few lines, the crew would at most hand out a few pages of scene descriptions.

So, this stack of Shen Xinghe's scripts was a collection of all the minor roles he had played, filled with dense notes and annotations.

"This guy, he's acting pretty well!"

During another take of Fang Sui's close-up, the assistant director finally noticed Shen Xinghe, who was standing silently behind Fang Sui. Despite the blood and dirt smeared on his face, his clear eyes were captivating.

"He's not bad," the director, who had been watching the monitor, also noticed Shen Xinghe. 【Host! Shen Xinghe caught the director's attention!】

The system was so excited it was bouncing around: 【As expected, talent shines through! Do you think the director will give him more screen time since he's so dedicated?】 But after the director called "Cut," he summoned the makeup artist and pointed at Shen Xinghe, "Put some darker powder on that guy. He can't upstage the male lead when he's standing next to him."

The system...

Yan Xi...

Qiao Yan noticed Yan Xi's gaze lingering on Shen Xinghe and patted her shoulder, "Supporting roles always have to tone down their appearance for the lead, let alone extras. In costume dramas, the male lead has to stand out."

Her eyes fell on Shen Xinghe's sports bag, which, aside from the thick script, also held his personal resume.

In the resume photo, Shen Xinghe, free from the dirt and grime of his makeup, revealed a handsome and clean-cut face.

Her talent scout instincts made Qiao Yan take a second look, and she murmured, "185 cm tall, good looks, and solid acting skills. He's got potential. Do you like him? I can ask the director to give him more scenes, but he's still just an extra. I can't do much beyond that."

Yan Xi asked curiously, "With Shen Xinghe's qualities, wouldn't you want to sign him?"

Yan Xi remembered when she had gone to Xingyao to find Zhou Qingyu, she had also encountered Xingyao's talent scouts. They had been willing to sign her just based on her looks. "In the entertainment industry, luck plays a big part," Qiao Yan shrugged. "I can see he's good-looking because I happened to see his resume. But on camera, look at the director's monitor—Shen Xinghe doesn't stand out as much."

"And also..." Qiao Yan sighed deeply, "I remember the name Shen Xinghe. He was blacklisted once."

Yan Xi's eyes widened with curiosity.

Qiao Yan quickly opened the floodgates of gossip, grabbing a handful of melon seeds with one hand and wrapping the other around Yan Xi's shoulder. "This was before Xingyao was even established! I only heard about it through the grapevine! Shen Xinghe was good-looking and caught the eye of the boss of Huamei while working as an extra. The boss wanted to keep him as a sugar baby, but Shen Xinghe refused, so Huamei blacklisted him."

"Huamei isn't a top-tier entertainment company, but no one was willing to go against capital for a small actor. People gave Huamei face when they could, and Shen Xinghe's career was derailed."

"Two years ago, Huamei's artists started falling from grace one after another, and the boss of Huamei also fell from power, so the blacklist no longer existed. But an artist's prime years are limited, and Shen Xinghe is already 29. Which company would be willing to invest in an older artist now?"

"Life only gives you a few chances."

"The Bottom Line" had also been Shen Xinghe's chance, but unfortunately, he missed it. After filming a few more close-ups, the scene of the male lead storming the imperial city was officially completed.

A few rumbles of thunder echoed across the sky. It was the peak of summer, and thunderstorms were common. Soon, rain began to pour down.

Zhou Qingyu contacted Yan Xi, saying her scenes were done and that Xiao Meng would pick her up in the company van. The two of them would take a private jet back to Hai City. Yan Xi hadn't brought an umbrella, so she found shelter under a building, waiting for Xiao Meng to arrive. A gentle touch on her shoulder made her turn around, and she saw Shen Xinghe standing behind her.

He had changed back into his regular clothes, removed the wig, and washed off the dirt and blood from his face, revealing a clean and handsome face.

He pulled an umbrella out of his bag, "Didn't bring an umbrella? You can borrow mine." "What about you?" Yan Xi took the umbrella.

Shen Xinghe smiled, "I just rolled around in the dirt for half the day. Getting a little wet won't hurt."

He looked up at the sky, where dark clouds blotted out the sun, and thunder rumbled in the distance. "You should head back soon. A typhoon's coming, and there'll probably be more heavy rain after this." As he spoke, he used his sports bag to shield his head and was about to dash into the rain when Yan Xi suddenly called out, "Shen Xinghe!"

Shen Xinghe paused and turned to look at her.

Rainwater dripped from the eaves onto Shen Xinghe's black hair. Beneath the wet strands was a face that, despite its roguish charm, still radiated sincerity. His peach-blossom eyes, glistening in the rain, were even more captivating.

Yan Xi took a deep breath, "I'm your fan. Keep going, okay?" Shen Xinghe was stunned for a long moment, staring at Yan Xi. His peach-blossom eyes reddened.

"Thank you," he said.

Yan Xi tried to return the umbrella, but Shen Xinghe didn't take it. After saying thank you, he turned and left.

Watching his retreating figure, the system in Yan Xi's mind was tearful. (Wuwuwu! Host! Shen Xinghe is so handsome! His eyes are so bright, like stars in the night sky!)

【He works so hard but still hasn't made it big! The entertainment industry is so unfair!】 Yan Xi looked down at the folded umbrella in her hands, "Yeah, it really is unfair." Soon, the thunderstorm stopped.

The sky gradually darkened, and in the distance, the sunset burned like a blazing fire. A magnificent rainbow arched across the horizon, its seven colors intertwining, connecting heaven and earth.

Yan Xi arrived at the airport in the company van. Just as she stepped out, she saw Zhou Qingyu arriving as well. Zhou Qingyu had changed back into casual clothes, but her hair was still styled in a traditional updo, giving her the aura of a classical beauty from afar.

"A typhoon's about to hit Hengdian," Zhou Qingyu grabbed Yan Xi's hand and boarded the private jet. "We need to hurry. I don't want to take the high-speed train—it's exhausting."

Once on the private jet, Zhou Qingyu finally relaxed enough to let the makeup artist finish removing her makeup. The traditional updo was dismantled, and the classical beauty transformed back into a modern city woman. The plane had already taken off, and outside the window, the sky was a dusky blue, with large swathes of clouds drifting by like sheer veils.

After finishing her makeup removal, Zhou Qingyu turned to face Yan Xi directly. Her eyes were sharp, filled with a questioning look. "Alright, spill it. You wandered around the set all day, didn't come to visit me, but went to 'The Decisive Battle of Luo City' crew instead. Which little actor caught your eye?" Yan Xi chuckled awkwardly, "You already know!"

Qiao Yan wouldn't keep secrets from Zhou Qingyu, so Yan Xi had expected Zhou Qingyu to find out. She just hadn't expected the report to come so quickly—she had only just admired Shen Xinghe's beauty, and Zhou Qingyu already knew everything.

Yan Xi pulled out her phone, showing the photos she had secretly taken of Shen Xinghe. "This little actor is quite handsome, don't you think?"

Zhou Qingyu looked at the phone screen, which was filled with behind-the-scenes photos of Shen Xinghe from "The Decisive Battle of Luo City." He was wearing armor, his face smeared with dirt, making it hard to see his features clearly. But in the last photo, Yan Xi had taken a picture of Shen Xinghe's resume photo, and Zhou Qingyu finally saw the resemblance.

"Isn't this the male lead Jiang Tao picked before?"

"Yeah," Yan Xi looked at Zhou Qingyu eagerly. "When I saw the audition clips Jiang Tao shared before, I thought he was quite handsome..."

Zhou Qingyu pouted, "So you were already charmed by him back then? Men these days are all foxes, seducing young girls with just their looks!"

She then noticed Shen Xinghe's age on his resume, "29 years old, nine years older than you. Isn't that a bit old?"

Yan Xi choked on her water and coughed twice.

Hmm, Shen Xinghe is 29. What does that have to do with her? Why compare him to her? Yan Xi replied seriously, "But Shen Xinghe is good-looking! You know me, I’m shallow—I just like attractive people..."

"That's true," Zhou Qingyu nodded in agreement, "Otherwise, we wouldn’t have become best friends."

Yan Xi: "..."

Yan Xi shook off the question marks in her head and steered the conversation back on track, "The key point is, we won’t get to see his work anymore. Director Jiang is replacing him with Qin Li as the male lead. Shen Xinghe has lost his chance. What a pity..."

Zhou Qingyu asked, "Do you like him?"

Yan Xi corrected her, "It's the love of a fan!"

Zhou Qingyu laughed, "You should’ve said so earlier. Suspense dramas might not make big money, but if you like it, I’ll invest in Jiang Tao’s project."

"We’re the investors. Deciding who gets to be the male lead is just a matter of saying the word!" Yan Xi felt a bit embarrassed, "Two million isn’t exactly cheap..."

Zhou Qingyu shot her a disdainful look, "Who do you think you’re looking down on? Two million? Do you think I can’t afford that?"

"Besides," Zhou Qingyu raised an eyebrow, "The incident where Da Jiajun slandered you was most likely orchestrated by Qin Li."

"Why would he slander me?" Yan Xi asked innocently.

"Who knows? The man’s just sick!" Zhou Qingyu cursed angrily, "Bullying my people and still wanting to be the male lead? Dream on! Even without the Shen Xinghe situation, he wouldn’t stand a chance in the entertainment industry!"

The two chatted for a while longer, with Zhou Qingyu sharing some entertainment industry gossip. In just an hour, the plane had already landed in Hai City. As they disembarked, Zhou Qingyu grabbed Yan Xi’s arm, "Stay with me during the summer break. Going back to the dorm would be awkward."

Yan Xi froze for a second, "Why would it be awkward?"

Zhou Qingyu looked at her suspiciously, "Didn’t you fall for your roommate’s boyfriend?"

Yan Xi: !!!

It had been almost a week, and she had almost forgotten about that.

Yan Xi scratched her head, stammering, "It is a bit awkward... but all my stuff is in the dorm. I need to go back and get it. Besides spending the summer with you on the variety show, I also need to find an internship..."

"Alright, I’ll have Xiao Meng take you back to the dorm to get your things. Come back early to keep me company."

"Okay~"

Zhou Qingyu headed back to her luxurious apartment first, while Yan Xi breathed a sigh of relief and got into the van heading to Hai City University.

On the way, the system popped up: 【Host, are you tricking the young lady into supporting a man?】

Yan Xi shot the system a glare, "What nonsense are you talking about? Investing in 'The Bottom Line' will earn Xingyao at least 100 million in the future. How is that a trick?"

The system was shocked: 【You sounded so emotional, I thought it was for Shen Xinghe!】

【So Shen Xinghe is just a tool! Your real target is 'The Bottom Line'!】

"Not exactly," Yan Xi propped her chin on her hand, gazing at the bustling traffic outside the window, "Investing in 'The Bottom Line' can make money, boost Qingyu’s luck, and maybe even help Shen Xinghe. Killing three birds with one stone—why not?"

Of course, even without Shen Xinghe, Yan Xi was confident she could persuade Zhou Qingyu. Over the years, Zhou Qingyu had sent her many red envelopes. Yan Xi didn’t accept the large ones, but she had saved up quite a bit from the smaller ones. Before joining the 'Luocheng Decision' crew, Yan Xi had hired a computer expert to photoshop a picture of Da Jiajun meeting Qin Li in private. Then, she had the system send the photo anonymously to Wu Liao. It was reasonable for Da Jiajun, after his career setback, to seek out the mastermind behind it. Whether the photo was real or fake didn’t matter—Yan Xi’s goal was simply to let Zhou Qingyu know that Qin Li was the one who had framed her. That was enough. So even without Yan Xi’s interest in Shen Xinghe, Zhou Qingyu would have ensured Qin Li didn’t get the male lead role. Zhou Qingyu had always been someone who held grudges. Yan Xi had specifically gone to the 'Luocheng Decision' set to see Shen Xinghe, just to assess whether he was worth helping.

If possible, she’d lend a hand.

If not, changing the male lead wasn’t a big deal.

By the time Shen Xinghe left the set, it was already dark.

After parting ways with Yan Xi, he rushed to another set to play the role of the female lead’s deceased older brother, with two more lines than in 'Luocheng Decision.'

In previous years, when Huamei hadn’t gone bankrupt yet, Shen Xinghe’s situation was even worse—he could only land background extra roles. This year, he finally started getting roles with lines, like the brother role today, which not only had lines but also a name. However, this would be the last time.

His phone showed not only the payment from the crew but also a text from his aunt: 【Xinghe, your mother’s condition has worsened. The doctor says she needs to be transferred to a larger hospital for treatment. It’s inconvenient for you to take care of her in Hengcheng, right? This job is unstable, and you’re not getting any younger. Why don’t you come to Hai City? I’ll have your uncle find you a stable job there, and you can take care of your mother.】

Shen Xinghe gripped his phone tightly, his knuckles turning white.

After a while, he replied: 【Thank you, Aunt. Let’s do as you suggested.】

The thunderstorm in Hengcheng had stopped early, leaving the air humid and warm. Shen Xinghe slipped his phone into his pocket and walked through the narrow alleys between ancient buildings, eventually arriving at a barbecue stand.

This was a famous barbecue spot in Hengcheng, open every night with decent prices and good food. Extras often came here for a bite after filming. Jiang Tao sat in a corner, a table full of skewers and two opened bottles of beer in front of him.

"It’s my fault, brother!" Jiang Tao gestured for Shen Xinghe to sit down and downed the foamy beer in one gulp, "When I make a comeback, I’ll definitely cast you as the male lead next time!"

The shop owner brought over sizzling skewers, the aroma of the meat enticing. Shen Xinghe didn’t eat—he hadn’t touched late-night snacks in years to maintain his figure. For extras, maintaining a figure wasn’t necessary, but Shen Xinghe had always been disciplined. Every day after filming, he would work out for an hour without fail. Shen Xinghe poured himself a beer and clinked glasses with Jiang Tao, "Director Jiang, if it weren’t for you advancing my payment, I wouldn’t have been able to cover my mother’s medical expenses. I owe you. You’ve already helped me so much. As for the payment... I’ll find a way to repay you."

When he auditioned for 'The Bottom Line,' Shen Xinghe hadn’t held out much hope. The chances of an extra landing a lead role were slim. When Jiang Tao offered him the role and even agreed to advance his payment due to his mother’s illness, Shen Xinghe felt like he had won the lottery. Now, losing 'The Bottom Line,' everything had simply returned to the way it was.

Sometimes, Shen Xinghe felt that perhaps this was more realistic.

Overnight fame?

That was too unrealistic.

Jiang Tao waved his hand, "Strawberry Network is investing anyway, so your payment isn’t a big deal. Just take it. Your mother’s health is what matters."

"Besides, even if you can’t play the male lead, there are other roles in my script! Huamei has gone bankrupt, so no one’s holding you back anymore..."

Shen Xinghe clenched his cup, his eyes darkening.

After a moment, he relaxed his grip, "Director Jiang, I’m quitting the industry."

Jiang Tao was shocked, "Because of your mother?"

Shen Xinghe nodded.

If he had landed the male lead role in 'The Bottom Line,' he would have earned enough to transfer his mother to a better hospital and hire a caregiver. Without that opportunity, Shen Xinghe would likely have to find a stable job and take care of his mother himself.

As for medical expenses, his mother didn’t have insurance, so he’d have to figure something out. "Acting is too unstable. Even if I get a role, it takes time for the show to air," Shen Xinghe said with a bitter smile, "I can only go this far."

"But you clearly love acting!" Jiang Tao protested.

In daily life, Shen Xinghe was like a socially awkward introvert, but the moment the camera focused on him on set, he came alive, and the bland script suddenly became vivid.

Jiang Tao had seen many actors. Most entered the industry because of their good looks, either for money or fame. Few genuinely loved acting and excelled at it.

Shen Xinghe, however, was perfectly suited in both appearance and talent, and he worked hard.

All he lacked was opportunity.

But opportunity was the most crucial thing in this industry.

Jiang Tao felt a pang of regret. Qin Li wasn’t bad, but he clearly could have made a better choice.

Not knowing what to say, Jiang Tao downed another glass of beer, feeling like his beer belly was growing even larger.

Shen Xinghe also took a sip of his drink but didn’t eat anything else. Years of habit had conditioned him to drink even plain water sparingly, fearing bloating the next day. Suddenly, a ringtone broke the silence—it was Jiang Tao’s phone.

Jiang Tao, already heavily intoxicated, answered the call in a daze. “Who is it? It’s the middle of the night! Can’t you let a man enjoy his late-night snack?” The person on the other end paused for a moment before speaking. “Director Jiang, hello. I’m Fang Yue, the project director at Xingyao. Our company is interested in investing in your project.”

“Xingyao? Zhou Qingyu’s company?” Jiang Tao pointed at his phone and laughed, turning to Shen Xinghe to vent. “Zhou Qingyu’s company! The young miss actually wants to invest in me? Hahaha, I must be hallucinating! I’m getting old—just a few drinks and I’m already this drunk…” Shen Xinghe glanced at Jiang Tao’s phone screen, which displayed an unknown number. He didn’t think much of it and instead poured Jiang Tao a glass of water to help him sober up.

“Scammer!” Jiang Tao yelled into the phone. “Pretending to be Zhou Qingyu to trick me? I just filmed a variety show with her yesterday! She never mentioned anything about investing! You scammer! I don’t have any money, so stop trying to cheat me!” With that, Jiang Tao angrily hung up.

“Scammers these days have no shame!” Jiang Tao grumbled. “Targeting small-time directors like me! First, they tricked me into investing, and now they’re after my money! All I want is to make a good film! Why is it so hard?”

What was supposed to be a casual late-night meal to smooth things over between Jiang Tao and Shen Xinghe ended up with Jiang Tao drowning his frustrations in alcohol.

After the meal, Shen Xinghe helped Jiang Tao out of the barbecue stall.

The night was deep, and apart from a film crew shooting a night scene, the streets were empty. A taxi pulled up not far from the stall, and Xiao Yu hurriedly stepped out, taking Jiang Tao from Shen Xinghe’s hands.

“How much did he drink?” Xiao Yu complained. “Old Jiang? Old Jiang? Are you still conscious?”

“Not much,” Shen Xinghe replied honestly. “Just two bottles of beer.”

“His alcohol tolerance is something else,” Xiao Yu said, patting Jiang Tao’s cheek. “Old Jiang! Wake up! We’re heading to Hai City tonight!”

Jiang Tao jolted upright like a carp leaping out of water. “Wife, have you lost your mind? Strawberry Network gave us two days! Why are we going to Hai City so early?” Xiao Yu smacked his head lightly. “Then why did you drink so much? Jiang Tao, listen up! Xingyao wants to invest in us, and they’ve asked us to go to Hai City to discuss the details!” After splashing cold water on his face, Jiang Tao finally sobered up. He stepped out of the bathroom to find Xiao Yu and Shen Xinghe waiting outside.

Jiang Tao rubbed his hands excitedly and leaned closer to Xiao Yu. “Wife, is it true? Zhou Qingyu is really investing in us?”

Xiao Yu nodded. “I was just as surprised when I got the call from Xingyao. I even double-checked with Qingyu on WeChat. She confirmed it’s true, but the investment amount isn’t finalized yet. They need to review our project before deciding on the sum.”

“Yes!” Jiang Tao clenched his fists in excitement and turned to Shen Xinghe. “Xinghe, don’t quit the industry! We’ve got a new investor now, so you can still be the male lead!” Shen Xinghe nodded blankly, still processing the rollercoaster of emotions he’d experienced in a single day.

Shen Xinghe asked, “Would Miss Zhou invest in *The Bottom Line* without any conditions? There must be something else, right?”

“Of course, there are conditions,” Xiao Yu said calmly. “Investment without strings attached? That’s too good to be true.”

Jiang Tao’s face fell. “Are they forcing someone into the cast? Who? The female lead? I’ve already told Zhou Qingyu she’s not suitable for the female lead in *The Bottom Line*! I’d rather cast Qin Li than use her!”

Shen Xinghe’s heart sank as well. He had read the script and knew the character of the female lead. If it came down to it, casting Qin Li as the male lead would indeed be a far better choice than having Zhou Qingyu play the female lead.

It wasn’t that Zhou Qingyu wasn’t good, but her image didn’t align with the female lead’s character. Jiang Tao valued Shen Xinghe’s talent, and Shen Xinghe knew that. But he also knew that Jiang Tao would ultimately choose the option that was best for the project.

*The Bottom Line* was an excellent script, and it deserved the most fitting cast. Thinking this, Shen Xinghe didn’t want to put Jiang Tao in a difficult position. “Director Jiang, it’s getting late. I should head out.”

He turned to leave, but Xiao Yu suddenly called out to him, “Xinghe, come back! Why is everyone so downcast? I haven’t even told you Xingyao’s condition yet!” Jiang Tao, not wanting to reopen Shen Xinghe’s wounds, nudged Xiao Yu subtly. “Wife, you know how these investors are. Forcing someone into the cast—what good can come of that?”

Xiao Yu blinked. “But the person Xingyao wants to cast… is Xinghe!”

Jiang Tao froze.

Shen Xinghe was also stunned, taking a long time to process the words.

Xiao Yu looked at the two of them with a smile. “The only condition Xingyao has is that the male lead of *The Bottom Line* must be Shen Xinghe.”