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

When it came to acting contracts, Shen Xinghe had heard the same line over and over: "I'm sorry, Xiao Shen, but we've found someone more suitable for this role."

"We think XX is a better fit. They have hundreds of thousands of followers on Weibo!" "Xiao Shen, your scenes were cut because the runtime went over, and the platform had some concerns..."

After hearing it so many times, Shen Xinghe had grown used to it.

But this was the first time someone had said, "We want to invest, and you're the only one we want as the male lead." Jiang Tao stared at the meeting time and location sent by Xingyao on his phone, taking a while to process it. He turned to Shen Xinghe and asked, "What's your relationship with Zhou Qingyu?"

Shen Xinghe answered truthfully, "We don't know each other. We just met once when I was an extra."

Jiang Tao was even more confused. "So, Zhou Qingyu has taken a liking to you?"

Shen Xinghe chuckled bitterly. "That's impossible, right?"

Even Shen Xinghe had heard the rumors about Zhou Qingyu's feelings for Pei Yubai. Pei Yubai was the second son of the Pei family. How could Miss Zhou give up on him and turn her attention to someone like Shen Xinghe?

The thought alone felt absurd to Shen Xinghe.

Jiang Tao was heading to Xingyao for a project meeting to pitch *The Bottom Line* to several of Xingyao's directors. This presentation would determine how much investment Xingyao would ultimately provide. Jiang Tao had previously submitted the script to Xingyao, but only the first three episodes and character profiles were included. Xingyao's internal evaluation had suggested an investment of 18 million yuan. However, if Jiang Tao's presentation went well, they might be able to secure more funding.

Xingyao had also specifically requested Shen Xinghe's presence.

The three of them booked the earliest high-speed train that night and rushed to Hai City without a moment's delay. A typhoon had swept through Heng City, and heavy rain battered the vegetation on either side of the tracks. Branches and leaves swayed in the wind, but the steel giant on the tracks continued its relentless journey forward. Late at night, the passengers in the carriage were fast asleep.

Shen Xinghe clutched the script, repeatedly reciting his lines.

He wasn't sure which scene Xingyao would ask him to perform during the presentation, so he tried to memorize as much as possible.

When Xiao Yu woke up, she saw Shen Xinghe sitting on a small chair in the aisle, the dim light from the overhead lamp casting shadows on his sharply defined profile. For a moment, Xiao Yu thought she was looking at Xiang Fei.

Xiao Yu reassured Shen Xinghe, "Even if Xingyao decides the scene for the audition, they'll give you time to memorize the lines. Don't worry too much."

Shen Xinghe smiled. "I can't sleep, so I might as well familiarize myself with the script." Heng City wasn't far from Hai City, and by the time they arrived, the sky was still dark. The three of them checked into a hotel, rested for a few hours, and arrived at Xingyao's headquarters at 9 a.m. sharp.

As a subsidiary of the Zhou Group, Xingyao's office was stylishly decorated, with its own building located in a relatively central area of Hai City. Qiao Yan's assistant met the trio downstairs and escorted them to the conference room. For entertainment companies, investments were always a big deal. Not only were Qiao Yan and Wu Liao present, but Fang Yue, the director of the project department, was also attending this investment meeting. Unlike previous meetings, where the main discussion was whether to invest, this time the focus was on how much to invest. Fang Yue, as the head of the project department, wasn't surprised by Miss Zhou's sudden interest in investing. As she flipped through the project proposal for *The Bottom Line*, she chatted with Qiao Yan, "A serious drama? Has Tianhui's vampire taken an interest in serious dramas lately?"

"Shh! Keep your voice down!" Qiao Yan covered Fang Yue's mouth. "That 'vampire' has a name—he's Little Pei! Don't call him that in front of Miss Zhou. She'll get angry!"

"Tch—" Fang Yue scoffed.

She didn't think much of a "boss" who relied on Miss Zhou's support. In her eyes, Miss Zhou was blind.

As for *The Bottom Line*, Fang Yue wasn't optimistic about it either.

Serious dramas had a low margin for error. They required excellent actors, a strong production team, a solid script, and a talented director—none of these elements could be lacking. In contrast, idol dramas could still become hits even if the production was a mess, as long as the male lead was charming. "But this investment has nothing to do with Tianhui," Qiao Yan whispered to Fang Yue. "It seems to be for that young actor."

Following Qiao Yan's gaze, Fang Yue spotted Shen Xinghe.

Fang Yue narrowed her eyes.

Shen Xinghe was seated toward the back. The fluorescent light above him was off, and the dim glow filtering through the half-closed blinds fell on his handsome forehead. His disheveled hair framed his clear, star-like eyes. After a couple of seconds, Fang Yue remarked, "Miss Zhou's taste has finally improved."

A few minutes later, Zhou Qingyu entered the room and took her seat at the head of the table. With her arrival, the project meeting officially began.

Jiang Tao had previously submitted the project proposal to several platforms and entertainment companies in hopes of securing funding, but this was his first time formally presenting the project. Before he began, he bowed deeply to Zhou Qingyu. Zhou Qingyu raised an eyebrow, surprised by Jiang Tao's gesture. "Miss Zhou," Jiang Tao said solemnly, "No matter how much investment I secure this time, I want to thank you."

"Xiao Yu always says I have low emotional intelligence and that I speak without considering the situation. And during the variety show, I often criticized you, which led to some unpleasantness between us."

"After my incident, I didn't think of bothering you because I assumed you wouldn't help me."

"But I never expected that, in the end, you would be the one willing to lend a hand." Initially, Jiang Tao hadn't had a favorable impression of Zhou Qingyu, given the abundance of negative rumors about her online and the number of directors in the industry who had criticized her.

However, after working with her on the variety show, Jiang Tao realized that wasn't the case. Although Miss Zhou could be domineering, she had a good heart.

Zhou Qingyu rested her chin on her hand, her gaze fixed intently on Jiang Tao.

She had never expected Jiang Tao to have a positive impression of her—they were merely business partners. But she hadn't anticipated this kind of gesture from him either.

Zhou Qingyu raised an eyebrow. "Jiang Tao, don't think that acting humble will make me increase the investment. We have professionals handling the evaluation and review. Trying to butter me up won't work."

Jiang Tao grinned. "No, no, I understand. I'm already grateful that you're willing to invest. How much I can secure depends on my own ability!" After the investment scam incident, Jiang Tao had become much less abrasive.

Once the thanks were out of the way, the project presentation officially began.

Jiang Tao was nervous. No matter how much experience he had, facing investors always left him feeling uncertain.

But as he delved into the presentation, his awkwardness and anxiety vanished. Jiang Tao seemed like a completely different person, fully immersed in explaining the project. This was the result of a year's hard work. He and Xiao Yu had repeatedly polished the script, and every word on the page felt alive to him. He knew every character and every plotline of *The Bottom Line* inside out.

When he finished his presentation, the conference room fell into a prolonged silence. Jiang Tao snapped out of his passionate state.

No reaction...

Why was there no reaction?

Was Zhou Qingyu dissatisfied?

Would they suddenly decide not to invest?

"Fang Yue," Zhou Qingyu called out first. Fang Yue was in charge of film and television investments and had the most authority in this matter. "What do you think is the ideal investment amount for this project?"

Fang Yue had a table in front of her, containing a professional evaluation of the project from all angles. She always scored projects based on this table during meetings, and by the time the presentation ended, her score was ready.

"Twenty million," Fang Yue stated the optimal investment figure based on her evaluation. This amount matched what Strawberry Network was willing to invest and was slightly higher than Xingyao's initial estimate after reviewing the script.

In truth, Fang Yue quite liked *The Bottom Line*. She thought it had the potential to be a hit.

But in the entertainment industry, whether a project succeeded often came down to luck. Fang Yue was a professional film and television investor. She wouldn't let her emotions cloud her judgment, nor would she bet on a project's success prematurely.

Twenty million was a figure Xingyao could afford, even if *The Bottom Line* flopped.

Qiao Yan and Wu Liao also agreed on the same amount—twenty million was the safest bet. Jiang Tao felt a pang of disappointment. He had estimated that thirty million would be ideal to achieve the best results. Thirty million wasn't a huge sum in film and television investments, but since *The Bottom Line* only had twelve episodes, it was still a significant amount. If he couldn't secure the funding... he'd have to cut corners in some scenes. "Alright, twenty million it is!"

Zhou Qingyu made the final decision. "As for the male lead..."

Jiang Tao quickly pulled Shen Xinghe over, "This, this is Shen Xinghe! You've seen his audition—he's the best choice for the male lead! If you don't believe me, let him perform a scene! Any scene will do!"

Zhou Qingyu glanced at Shen Xinghe and said, "Alright, let's see a scene then." She casually picked up a script, flipped through it, and pointed to a longer scene. "This one."

Zhou Qingyu hadn't read the script for *The Bottom Line*, but as an experienced actress, she knew that scripts were divided into scenes, with key scenes being more elaborate and transitional scenes being more concise. So, a longer scene was likely a pivotal one, rich in emotion and conflict—perfect for an audition.

However, when Jiang Tao saw the scene Zhou Qingyu had chosen, his face paled for a moment.

How should he put it? Zhou Qingyu had picked an exceptionally challenging scene.

It was a moment where the male lead, Xiang Fei, was nearly exposed, filled with external pressure and internal conflict. The emotional complexity made it a difficult scene to perform. Moreover, this scene was from the eighth episode. To maintain project confidentiality, scripts beyond the third episode were only in the hands of Jiang Tao and Xiao Yu. It wasn’t until Xingyao confirmed their investment that Jiang Tao shared the later scripts. Shen Xinghe definitely hadn’t seen this scene. This was going to be a headache.

Shen Xinghe didn’t say a word and immediately started memorizing the lines.

Xingyao had only given him five minutes, and there was no time for Jiang Tao to explain the scene. After five minutes, Shen Xinghe had to step on stage and begin his performance.

Jiang Tao felt his breath hitch. Five minutes! If Shen Xinghe could memorize the lines, that would already be impressive. How could they expect him to fully grasp the character’s psychology in such a short time? He shouldn’t have been so boastful earlier—he should have chosen the audition scene himself!

As Zhou Qingyu called out "Action," the performance began. The camera lens focused on Shen Xinghe, its red light glowing. Shen Xinghe opened his eyes.

Shen Xinghe’s scene partner was Wu Liao, who played a small-time thug who had discovered Xiang Fei’s true identity. The thug had seen a photo of Xiang Fei from his police academy days and was trying to blackmail him.

Wu Liao wasn’t much of an actor. He just recited his lines dryly from the script, and when the camera was on him, no one could get into the scene.

But when the camera turned to Shen Xinghe, the tone shifted entirely.

Shen Xinghe walked toward the thug. With every step, he exuded an eerie, chilling aura, as if he were walking down a dark, damp alley, shrouded in shadows.

His face was unnaturally pale, like that of a drug addict or a venomous snake flicking its tongue.

The thug was startled for a moment.

This was part of the script, but it was also Wu Liao’s genuine reaction to Shen Xinghe’s presence.

Then, Shen Xinghe grabbed a bottle and smashed it against his own head!

The bottle shattered into pieces, and a thick liquid—likely blood—trickled down Shen Xinghe’s forehead. The broken shards of the bottle glinted with an eerie green light, the sharp edges pointing directly at the thug’s nose.

"Who did you say I look like?"

A strange, viscous, and sickly emotion seemed to grow uncontrollably. Wu Liao forgot his lines, his legs giving way as he collapsed to the ground.

"Cut!"

Five minutes later, the scene ended. Jiang Tao snapped out of his daze and quickly called for the cut. Shen Xinghe emerged from his "drug-addicted" state, his face softening into a warm smile as he reached out to help Wu Liao up.

But Wu Liao was still shaken by the terrifying look in Shen Xinghe’s eyes. When Shen Xinghe extended his hand, Wu Liao stumbled back in fear.

"Director Wu," Shen Xinghe said with a bitter smile, "it’s over."

"It’s over?"

But Wu Liao could still vividly recall Shen Xinghe’s gaze, as if he might have stabbed him with the broken bottle at any moment!

Everyone on set had goosebumps.

Qiao Yan hadn’t seen Shen Xinghe’s previous audition tapes, only this live performance. The moment the scene ended, she suddenly understood why Jiang Tao was so adamant about Shen Xinghe being the male lead.

On the set of *The Battle of Luocheng*, Qiao Yan had seen Shen Xinghe act. Back then, she had thought he was good—a competent actor. But roles had their limits. Just like playing a corpse versus a living person, the required skills were different. Qiao Yan hadn’t seen much potential in Shen Xinghe before because the role of the soldier in *The Battle of Luocheng* had a ceiling, and Shen Xinghe had already reached it.

But the role of Xiang Fei had a higher ceiling, demanding richer, more nuanced emotions and acting skills.

And Shen Xinghe had delivered.

Qiao Yan whispered to Zhou Qingyu, "I’ve seen Qin Li’s performances. They’re decent, but they pale in comparison to Shen Xinghe."

"After that scene," Qiao Yan said in a hushed tone, "I think we should consider adding another two million to *The Bottom Line*’s budget."

Fang Yue, overhearing their conversation, nodded vigorously. "Miss Qiao! I agree! *The Bottom Line* has potential! With a male lead like this, the future looks bright!" As a professional, Fang Yue didn’t easily invest in projects, gambling on whether they’d have a dazzling future.

But Shen Xinghe’s performance had made her willing to take that gamble again. In fact, the moment Shen Xinghe finished acting, Fang Yue had already privately contacted the cameraman, asking him to send her the audition footage.

She quickly forwarded the video to the project team’s group chat: *[Miss Qiao might invest in this young actor! Take a look and see if there are any suitable roles for him! This guy is going to blow up!]*

The group chat was filled with members of Xingyao’s project team. When they saw the audition clip, their eyes lit up—

*[This guy is so handsome! Drooling~]*

*[Is he a new actor signed by Miss Qiao? Her taste has finally improved!]*

*[OMG! That look he gave the camera! It’s so mesmerizing! I’m done for!]*

*[How is a guy this good-looking not famous yet? The entertainment industry makes no sense!]*

Qiao Yan and Fang Yue had been in the entertainment industry for years and had seen plenty of handsome men. But it wasn’t just Shen Xinghe’s looks that captivated them—it was his acting. That scene had elevated his charm in their eyes by a hundred percent.

Now, they could picture him as a twisted, obsessive villain!

No wonder Miss Qiao wanted him as the male lead—she had great taste! For a moment, Fang Yue even thought about casting Shen Xinghe as a demon lord in a fantasy drama. His face was too good to waste on a serious drama!

Zhou Qingyu studied Shen Xinghe.

After Jiang Tao’s project pitch and Shen Xinghe’s performance, investing twenty million didn’t seem like a loss. That was Xingyao’s decision, but Zhou Qingyu had some other thoughts. As for his looks… she’d give him a nine out of ten.

His hair… thick and full, no signs of balding—good. His height… his resume said 185 cm, and he certainly looked it. "Are you wearing makeup?" Zhou Qingyu asked Shen Xinghe.

Shen Xinghe was caught off guard. "No."

He had rushed to Hai City the night before and only had time to wash his face after catching up on sleep this morning. He hadn’t even applied skincare products, let alone makeup.

Zhou Qingyu nodded in satisfaction. "Turn around."

Shen Xinghe was full of questions but complied, turning in a circle as instructed.

Zhou Qingyu pressed further. "Take off your shirt and do some push-ups."

Shen Xinghe: ?

Everyone on set: ??????

Shen Xinghe’s Adam’s apple bobbed.

He had a bad feeling about this, but Zhou Qingyu was the investor, and Jiang Tao’s twenty million was on the line. He couldn’t refuse, so he took off his shirt and obediently dropped to the floor to do push-ups.

Shen Xinghe had a regular workout routine, so a few push-ups were no challenge. But as he exercised, his muscles naturally filled with blood, making his biceps more pronounced and his six-pack abs clearly defined.

Zhou Qingyu didn’t call for him to stop. Sweat rolled down Shen Xinghe’s forehead, over his Adam’s apple, and dripped onto the floor.

"Help!" Fang Yue whispered, clutching Qiao Yan’s arm. "Sign him now! Six-pack abs! You won’t find another guy like him!"

"Control yourself…" Qiao Yan whispered back, her face flushing. "We’re still in a project meeting!"

Zhou Qingyu, however, remained composed. She watched Shen Xinghe do push-ups and even pulled out her phone to record a clip of him working out.

Shen Xinghe: "…"

"Alright, get up."

When she felt satisfied, Zhou Qingyu finally called for him to stop.

By now, Shen Xinghe’s face was glistening with a thin sheen of sweat, his cheeks slightly flushed. He awkwardly pulled his T-shirt back on.

Zhou Qingyu glanced at Shen Xinghe’s resume again, her eyes lingering on the family section, which only listed his mother.

"What’s your family situation?"

Shen Xinghe swallowed. "My parents divorced early, and I’ve lived with my mother ever since. She’s not in good health, and I want to bring her to Hai City for treatment. But don’t worry, it won’t affect filming. I’ll hire a caregiver to look after her."

"Oh," Zhou Qingyu pondered thoughtfully, "no big deal. Zhou Group has private hospitals. You can send her there for treatment, and we’ll cover all the medical expenses." She then shifted the topic, "So, is your mother easy to get along with? Would she give her daughter-in-law a hard time?"

"?"

Shen Xinghe replied, "She’s very nice. My mother is a kind person." Zhou Qingyu nodded, "Good, that puts my mind at ease. It’s just that, at 29, he’s a bit old, but other than that, there’s nothing much..."

Everyone: !!!

This conversation is getting way off track!

Is this a project meeting? An actor audition? This sounds more like the young lady is looking for a husband!

Is the young lady finally shifting her affections?!

After asking all these questions, Zhou Qingyu already had a clear picture in her mind.

His external conditions were excellent, and his character seemed good too. The only downsides were that he came from a poor family and was a bit old. Well, the age thing couldn’t be helped, but being poor was an easy fix. With Zhou Qingyu’s influence, making someone successful was a piece of cake!

The key point was that Shen Xinghe had a humble attitude and seemed like someone who could take care of others. He’d probably take good care of Yan Xi. Being older was something she could reluctantly accept.

Zhou Qingyu made the final decision, "Xingyao will invest 20 million, and I’ll personally add another 10 million."

Jiang Tao was ecstatic. Did he hear that right? Thirty million! What a stroke of luck falling from the sky!

Meanwhile—

At Xingyao Entertainment’s HR department, a red seal was stamped on Yan Xi’s employment contract, officially making her an intern at Xingyao.

That morning, she hadn’t attended the project meeting but instead participated in an interview with Xingyao’s project team. Zhou Yanci’s suggestion for her to intern at Zhou Group had given Yan Xi an idea. In the novel, all the events related to Zhou Qingyu were concentrated in this one year. Therefore, as long as she could ensure Zhou Qingyu’s safety during this year, she could avoid the fate predetermined by the novel.

As a second-year graduate student at Hai City University, Yan Xi had no classes. Students either worked on projects with their advisors or sought internships. Given that, interning at Xingyao was a great choice.

After completing the onboarding process, Yan Xi received a system notification:

[Ding! Investing in the future blockbuster project *The Bottom Line*, Zhou Qingyu gains 1 point of luck.]

[Preventing the male supporting character Qin Li from becoming the Best Actor, Zhou Qingyu gains 1 point of luck. Current luck value: 21.1 points.]

Yan Xi followed the staff to the office area. Through the transparent glass wall, she could see Jiang Tao and Zhou Qingyu signing the contract for *The Bottom Line* in the conference room. Jiang Tao was so happy he was practically dancing. Xingyao worked efficiently, and the first installment of the investment had already been transferred to his account.

Yan Xi wasn’t surprised. Since Zhou Qingyu had promised to invest, she would definitely follow through. Gaining luck points was expected.

What puzzled Yan Xi was why there were no luck points for changing Shen Xinghe’s fate.

She had received gifts from Zhou Qingyu, and Zhou Qingyu had gained luck points as a result. Why didn’t Shen Xinghe’s situation trigger any changes?

The system was equally confused: [I don’t know. In theory, since Zhou Qingyu helped Shen Xinghe, he’s naturally aligned with her. Xiang Fei is a character who could become the Best Actor, so Zhou Qingyu should have seen some change in luck!]

Yan Xi didn’t understand, but she had already gained luck points. Once *The Bottom Line* was released, Xingyao would profit even more. It was a win-win situation.

Zhou Qingyu walked out of the conference room and saw Yan Xi waiting outside. "You’re actually interning at Xingyao!" Zhou Qingyu happily linked arms with Yan Xi. "You should’ve told me earlier! No need to go through the interview if you’re coming here!"

Yan Xi had bought some trendy milk tea from a nearby shop and handed a cup to Zhou Qingyu. "The interview wasn’t hard. No need to pull strings for something so simple."

Wu Liao and Qiao Yan came out of the conference room one after another. "Yan Xi? You’re interning at Xingyao? Which department are you joining? If you haven’t decided yet, come to our PR department!" Wu Liao rubbed his hands excitedly. Having Yan Xi in the PR department would make their work twice as effective!

"Dream on!" Qiao Yan grabbed Yan Xi’s other arm. "Yan Xi is definitely coming to our talent management department!"

Qiao Yan had watched the *Travel* livestream and knew very well that without Yan Xi’s behind-the-scenes maneuvering, Zhou Qingyu wouldn’t have landed the endorsement deal with M.

She had single-handedly brought in 30 million for the company. Such talent naturally belonged in the talent management department!

"No, no! Yan Xi should join our PR department! She’s a perfect fit!"

"She belongs in talent management! She’s definitely coming to us!"

Wu Liao and Qiao Yan each held one of Yan Xi’s arms, unwilling to let go. Fang Yue flipped through her documents and interjected, "Wait a minute. The department that posted this job opening... was our project department, right?"

Wu Liao: "Shut up!"

Qiao Yan: "This has nothing to do with you!"

Fang Yue: "..."

While the three were arguing, Shen Xinghe was also observing Yan Xi. He was surprised to see her at Xingyao but then remembered the Xingyao employee badge she had shown him the day before. So, she really did work here. It was nice to see her again so soon.

And she seemed quite capable. The young lady Zhou Qingyu was close to her, and several directors at Xingyao were vying to have her on their teams.

Though there was no evidence, Shen Xinghe had a gut feeling that his continued role as the male lead in *The Bottom Line* had something to do with her.

Yan Xi noticed Shen Xinghe and gave him a playful wink.

"Alright, alright!"

Seeing the two still arguing, Zhou Qingyu quickly rescued Yan Xi. She glanced at Yan Xi and then at Shen Xinghe, whispering to Yan Xi, "You came to Xingyao because of Shen Xinghe, didn’t you?"

Yan Xi was taken aback. "Of course not!"

Zhou Qingyu’s face lit up with a knowing smile. "Why are you hiding it from me? I just checked him out for you. He’s not bad, just a bit old. But that’s fine—he can work out more to stay in shape. Your future happiness will last a long time!"

Yan Xi: ?

Why does this conversation feel a bit strange?

She felt like Zhou Qingyu’s tone had completely changed!

"It’s really not..." Yan Xi struggled to explain.

But Zhou Qingyu wore an "I understand" expression and turned to Fang Yue. "The project department’s current hiring is for *The Bottom Line*, right?"

Fang Yue replied professionally, "Yes, after you confirmed the investment last night, we drafted the recruitment notice. Xingyao has other projects, and the project department is stretched thin. We currently need a producer to oversee *The Bottom Line*’s investment."

The core of this recruitment was for a producer, with an intern position as the producer’s assistant. In Fang Yue’s eyes, Yan Xi’s role was insignificant.

Zhou Qingyu: "As the producer, you’d be able to keep an eye on Shen Xinghe on set, right?"

Fang Yue fell silent. Wasn’t the producer’s job to monitor the director to prevent overspending?

She thought Zhou Qingyu might have misspoken but didn’t correct her, simply nodding in agreement.

Zhou Qingyu’s eyes sparkled. "This job sounds perfect. Let Yan Xi be the producer—Zhu Si!"