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

In the following days, Yan Xi continued to supervise the film set.

Thanks to the previous blacklist controversy, *The Bottom Line* had gained some recognition. At the same time, Shen Xinghe's costume photos and audition videos were well-received, attracting many advertisers to invest.

It could be said that *The Bottom Line* was already making money before it even aired. However, Jiang Tao had strong objections to product placements. "No! We can't have ads in the show. It'll ruin the viewing experience and take the audience out of the story. How can a good work be filled with ads?"

Fang Yue tried to persuade him patiently, "Every ad means more money! With that, you can even improve some scenes!"

But Jiang Tao remained firm.

It wasn’t that he was being stubborn. For ads related to everyday products, Jiang Tao thought it wouldn’t be a big deal.

But past experience had taught him that once you open that door, investors would go crazy stuffing ads into the show! They might even make the actors recite ad lines! Rather than that, it was better to nip these ideas in the bud from the start. Fang Yue was so frustrated she didn’t know what to say. After all, accepting those ads would allow *The Bottom Line* to break even quickly. It was a no-brainer. A small B-grade production—did they really think they could compete for awards? But to her surprise, Yan Xi sided with Jiang Tao. "If Director Jiang thinks these ads will affect the quality of the work, then we won’t take them."

Fang Yue’s eyes widened. "Do you even know what you're saying?!" Yan Xi replied, "The production budget is already enough! Even if we don’t make money now, once the show is finished and sold to streaming platforms and TV stations, we can still make a profit!" Fang Yue shot back, "First, we need someone to buy it! And you think we can sell it to TV stations? Why don’t you aim for *The Bottom Line* to win an award while you're at it?"

Yan Xi nodded seriously, "I think that’s not entirely impossible..." Fang Yue: ?

Fang Yue was speechless, but Jiang Tao was moved to tears, overwhelmed with emotion. "Yan Xi, I never expected you to have such faith in me! Actually, product placements aren’t a problem as long as they don’t affect the visuals, but having actors recite ads—that’s absolutely out of the question!" And so, the matter was settled. After some screening, the project team decided to keep two ads: one for a car brand and another for a home furnishing company. Both were everyday items and would only appear as props or background elements, without interfering with the filming.

As for food-related ads, which were too obviously commercial and would immediately be recognized as ads, Yan Xi rejected them all.

When signing contracts with the advertisers, Fang Yue still looked regretful. "Most production companies would kill to have advertisers lining up, but here you and Director Jiang are pushing money away!"

"Sister Fang Yue, you need to have faith in our show!" Yan Xi patted her shoulder. "You’re the producer. Maybe *The Bottom Line* will win you an award someday, and then you’ll regret having all those ads cluttering the screen!" Fang Yue rolled her eyes. "Yeah, right. Like I’d believe that!"

The project team had other matters to attend to, so after handling the ad placements, Fang Yue went off to work on other projects. Meanwhile, Yan Xi, bored on set, started browsing through the company’s cloud drive, looking at materials from other projects to learn more.

Xingyao invested in quite a few projects every quarter, some profitable, some not. Fang Yue had a good eye for investing in TV dramas and movies, and overall, the company made more than it lost.

However, most entertainment companies invested in film projects with the intention of promoting their own artists. But Zhou Qingyu had been funneling all these resources to Tianhui, leaving Xingyao’s artists in a tough spot. Qiao Yan’s management department had suffered significant losses. As for Wu Liao’s PR department, it was a money pit, constantly in the red. Despite Fang Yue’s efforts, she couldn’t single-handedly turn around Xingyao’s fortunes. The company had been losing money for two years since its founding, and it was only kept afloat by the support of Zhou Corporation.

The system quipped: *With Zhou Yanci’s temperament, the fact that Xingyao hasn’t been shut down is practically charity!*

Yan Xi couldn’t help but agree. Looking at Xingyao’s financial reports, which showed losses in the hundreds of millions every year, she felt a pang of sympathy.

She suddenly understood Fang Yue’s perspective. With someone like Pei Yubai leeching off the company, of course Fang Yue wanted to make more money!

As she scanned through the list of investments, Yan Xi’s gaze landed on one particular movie.

Her eyes lit up, sparkling with the glint of potential profits.

*Crazy Summer and Winter*, a film with a realistic theme. The project proposal had been pushed to the project team by Zhou Qingyu. Fang Yue had reviewed it and thought it was worth investing in, but not fully—just a partial investment to secure a share of the profits. The proposed investment was 200 million yuan, a huge amount that required approval from Zhou Corporation. Unfortunately, the parent company had rejected it. Yan Xi sighed in disappointment.

Fang Yue noticed Yan Xi’s expression and leaned over to take a look. "No need to feel bad. The young miss probably wanted to invest in this project because Pei Yubai wanted to insert someone into the cast. Zhou Yanci likely knew this and deliberately rejected it." Yan Xi said earnestly, "But I think... we should try to convince Zhou Yanci again!" Fang Yue shrugged, "It’s not easy. Do you really think this movie will be a hit and worth investing in?"

Yan Xi nodded vigorously, "Absolutely!"

After all, in the novel, *Crazy Summer and Winter* had stormed into the top ten highest-grossing films in Chinese cinema history. With an initial investment of less than 500 million yuan, it went on to rake in 5 billion yuan at the box office!

Fang Yue rubbed her chin thoughtfully, "Using the profit argument won’t sway Zhou Yanci. Even if we invest 200 million and make 300 million in profit, that’s nothing to him. In the first half of this year alone, he invested in two startups that have now become unicorns. He’s made tens of billions. He doesn’t care about small change like this..."

"If he cared about small money, he wouldn’t have let the young miss mess around with the company in the first place."

Yan Xi laughed wryly, "You make a good point, but if he doesn’t care about small money, what’s the harm in spending 200 million for fun?"

Fang Yue winked at her, "I think this movie is worth investing in. Why don’t you try convincing Zhou Yanci?"

Though she said that, Yan Xi knew she couldn’t just go talk to Zhou Yanci. Based on the novel’s plot, simply investing in the projects Fang Yue could decide on would already bring in a decent profit. By avoiding future flops or scandals, she could probably help Xingyao break even this year.

In the afternoon, Yan Xi was still on set, while Fang Yue returned to the company.

By evening, Zhou Qingyu came to visit the set, bringing along a Michelin three-star afternoon tea.

The fancy food cart was adorned with a banner that read, "Thank you for your hard work on set! We appreciate everyone’s cooperation with Yan Xi’s work~" Yan Xi covered her face in embarrassment.

Why did it feel like she was being treated like a celebrity? She was just a staff member! Zhou Qingyu ignored her protests. "My people deserve a bit of flair!" The crew was thrilled. The afternoon tea Zhou Qingyu brought was top-notch and delicious. They happily took photos of the treats and shared them on social media. Amidst the awkwardness, Yan Xi didn’t forget to remind everyone, "Staff can eat as much as they want, but actors can only have one piece of cake! No getting fat!" The actors groaned.

The supervisor is way too strict!

While enjoying the afternoon tea, Jiang Tao chatted with Zhou Qingyu. "Young Miss, now that we’re partners, how about reconsidering that role of the mafia princess? Since we’re all friends, maybe you could do it for free..." Zhou Qingyu smiled sweetly at him, "Do you believe I could pull the funding right now?" Jiang Tao’s hair stood on end, and he quickly grabbed a piece of cake and scurried away.

Yan Xi laughed, "Why are you teasing Director Jiang? I read the script, and that role is actually pretty good."

Zhou Qingyu pouted, "He said my acting was bad! I’m not guest-starring in his show!"

The young miss held grudges.

Zhou Qingyu pulled Yan Xi aside and sat her down on a director’s chair. "I came to find you for something else~"

She waved her hand, and Xiao Meng handed over a tablet.

"Grandpa Pei’s birthday banquet is coming up. Help me pick out a gift for him!"

Yan Xi glanced at the tablet, which displayed a dazzling array of items—likely a catalog from an auction house.

"Grandpa Pei? You mean Pei Yubai’s grandfather?" Yan Xi took the tablet. "Yes!" Zhou Qingyu linked arms with Yan Xi. "It’s his 70th birthday! Yubai told me this banquet is really important. He said Grandpa Pei is going to announce something big!"

Yan Xi’s eyes sparkled with curiosity.

In the novel, Zhou Qingyu attended the banquet. The "big announcement" Pei Yubai mentioned was their engagement.

The engagement between Zhou Qingyu and Pei Yubai was only known to the Pei and Zhou families, but after this banquet, many in the elite circles found out. Ye Luoyi even had a falling out with Pei Yubai over it.

However, this was not the core of the matter. At this birthday banquet, while Grandpa Pei announced the engagement between Zhou Qingyu and Pei Yubai, he also gifted Zhou Qingyu 3% of the shares of the Pei Group as a betrothal gift.

It is worth noting that Pei Hanli, the eldest son of the Pei family, held 3% of the Pei Group's shares, while Pei Yubai, being an illegitimate child, only held 1% of the group's shares.

Zhou Qingyu had no interest in the Pei Group's shares, so the betrothal gift ultimately ended up in Pei Yubai's hands. In an instant, Pei Yubai now held 4% of the Pei Group's shares, giving him the upper hand over Pei Hanli.

Later, when he was able to collaborate with the Pei Group and the Lu family to acquire the Zhou Corporation, these 3% of shares played a crucial role.

Attending the birthday banquet and announcing their engagement meant that the 3% of the Pei Group's shares would fall into Pei Yubai's hands, allowing him to officially enter the Pei Group's board of directors. Yan Xi looked at Zhou Qingyu and asked, "Qingyu, can you not go?"

"Of course not! That's Yubai's grandfather!" Zhou Qingyu refused Yan Xi without hesitation, but she didn't think much of it and continued flipping through the product catalog on her tablet. "Help me pick something. What should I give as a gift?" Yan Xi, lacking enthusiasm, suggested a purple clay tea set.

—Grandpa Pei loved tea, so this gift would surely be appropriate.

Out of the corner of her eye, Zhou Qingyu had already placed the order and made the payment—a whopping ten million. Yan Xi was speechless.

Grandpa Pei's birthday banquet was just three days away.

This was a crucial plot point in the novel. If she attended, there would be no turning back. 【Host! I have a way to prevent the young lady from attending the banquet!】 The system popped up, its round eyes gleaming with cunning.

"What's the way?" Yan Xi asked.

【Didn’t I tell you before that if you accumulate 60 points of luck, you can free the young lady from Pei Yubai's manipulation? Similarly, if you accumulate 30 points of luck, you can temporarily free her from the control of the plot!】

It’s only temporary, and the time is limited.

But the banquet is only once a year.

So, temporarily freeing Zhou Qingyu from the plot's control would be enough. Yan Xi quickly checked Zhou Qingyu's current luck points: 27.9. She only needed 2.1 more to reach 30!

But Yan Xi was stumped. "From what I can see, the only way to gain significant luck points is by altering the plot, but the next plot point is the banquet!" "So, 2.1 points may seem small, but they're actually quite hard to come by." The system shrugged: 【There's no other way! Only by reaching 30 luck points can I temporarily free the young lady from the plot's control. This isn't easy. If the villainess could rise so easily, would the protagonist still be the protagonist?】 Yan Xi stroked her chin and pondered for a moment. "What if we have someone kidnap Qingyu on the day of the banquet?"

The system: ?

【Host! We live in a society governed by law! You can't do that!】

Yan Xi was just joking. She knew kidnapping was wrong, and she didn’t have the ability to do it anyway. If she were to kidnap someone, she’d need Zhou Yanci's help—only a big shot like him could pull it off flawlessly… but no, that’s illegal.

Zhou Qingyu had ordered the purple clay tea set, an item from today’s auction at the Hong Kong Christie's. She had hired a professional bidder to secure it, and it would take two more days for the tea set to be delivered to Hai City.

As for herself, Zhou Qingyu stood up and brushed off her clothes. "I’ll be staying at the old mansion for the next couple of days."

"Why?" Yan Xi asked.

Zhou Qingyu pouted in annoyance. "My dad doesn’t want to attend Grandpa Pei’s birthday banquet! Ugh, I’m about to marry Yubai, how can he not go? I’m going back to stay for a couple of days and see if I can convince him!" Yan Xi stayed silent.

Zhou’s Father didn’t like Pei Yubai; he preferred Pei Hanli. Of course, he wouldn’t attend the banquet. This was his silent protest!

"Oh, if it’s inconvenient for you to stay at the dorm, you can keep staying at my place," Zhou Qingyu said. "You have the fingerprint access, and if you need anything, just ask the housekeeper." Zhou Qingyu picked up her handbag and took two steps before Yan Xi caught up to her. "Qingyu!… Can I come with you to the old mansion?"

Yan Xi’s eyes darted around. "I’ve never stayed alone before, I…" Zhou Qingyu didn’t even think about it. "Of course! I was worried you’d find the old mansion boring!"

"With you there, it won’t be boring at all!"

Yan Xi and Zhou Qingyu arrived at the Zhou family’s old mansion.

The old mansion was located in the outskirts of Hai City, designed in a traditional garden style. It was said to have been built by a renowned landscape architect surnamed Chen. The mansion featured pavilions, towers, small bridges, and flowing water, along with the classic "one pond, three hills" design of ancient gardens, evoking the imagery of the mythical Penglai Island. Entering the mansion, they passed through a winding corridor and arrived at a waterside pavilion.

Zhou’s Father was sitting on a rosewood recliner in the pavilion, leisurely sipping tea and fishing. Seeing the two arrive, he put away his fishing rod. "Finally decided to come back? Didn’t run out of money, did you?"

Zhou Qingyu linked her arm with her father’s. "Dad! How can you say that? I’ve been busy… making money!"

"Making money?" Zhou’s Father raised an eyebrow. "Or spending it? You went to Li City, didn’t you? That must have cost a lot."

Zhou Qingyu awkwardly rubbed the tip of her nose. "It wasn’t that much." Zhou’s Father then looked at Yan Xi. "You went too?"

Yan Xi nodded obediently. "Yes."

Zhou Qingyu knew her father had always disliked her involvement in the entertainment industry and was worried he might give Yan Xi a hard time. She quickly interjected, "It was my idea to go on the variety show! Yan Xi was just accompanying me!"

Zhou’s Father glanced at Zhou Qingyu. "What are you so worried about?"

He then turned to Yan Xi, his gaze filled with approval. "I watched your show. You did well."

Zhou Qingyu was shocked. "You actually complimented someone?"

"If you were as worry-free as Yan Xi, I’d compliment you too. But—" Zhou’s Father nodded and patted her hand. "You did well on the show this time."

"Huh?"

Zhou Qingyu’s jaw nearly dropped. Back when she had decided to enter the entertainment industry, she had argued endlessly with her father. It had been a struggle to wrestle control of Xingyao from Zhou Yanci. But Xingyao had been losing money year after year, leaving her with little confidence. Now, her father was actually praising her? She wondered if she was hearing things. "Old Yu made some white fungus soup. Go ask him if it’s ready," Zhou’s Father instructed Zhou Qingyu.

In a good mood, Zhou Qingyu was more than willing to help and happily went to the kitchen to find Butler Yu.

Now alone in the pavilion with Zhou’s Father, Yan Xi noticed that the warmth in his expression had faded slightly, but he still seemed kind. "Yanci told me you didn’t go as an exchange student, nor did you join the Zhou Corporation. Instead, you joined Xingyao? Are you trying to help Qingyu?"

Yan Xi was slightly surprised. She had thought Zhou’s Father disapproved of Zhou Qingyu’s entry into the entertainment industry, but from his tone, it seemed he wasn’t entirely against it? Zhou’s Father noticed Yan Xi’s confusion and spoke calmly. "Our family has me and Yanci to make money. Qingyu just needs to enjoy life. Whatever she wants to do, we support her."

"But I hope that entering the entertainment industry is her own decision, not influenced by anything else."

Yan Xi understood. In the early years of her friendship with Zhou Qingyu, she had never heard Zhou Qingyu express any interest in the entertainment industry. Zhou Qingyu had studied the cello since childhood, and her dream was to hold concerts and perform on world-class stages. She had enrolled in Berne University, known for its music program, to further her musical education.

But after meeting Pei Yubai, Zhou Qingyu’s goals had changed. "I want to help Qingyu," Yan Xi said frankly. "I’m not sure if I’ll succeed, but I want to try."

"As for joining the Zhou Corporation," Yan Xi smiled, "I think with so many capable people around Zhou Yanci, they don’t need me!"

Zhou’s Father nodded in approval. For the past two years, he had insisted on not letting the Zhou Corporation’s PR team handle Zhou Qingyu’s scandals, hoping to pressure her into leaving the entertainment industry.

He had failed. The more he opposed her, the more determined Zhou Qingyu became. He didn’t understand why his daughter was like this. He only wanted what was best for her, yet she always defied him.

After watching "The Journey," Zhou’s Father realized that Yan Xi had been subtly maneuvering behind the scenes. He usually disliked scheming individuals, as they often brought harm to Zhou Qingyu—like a certain someone surnamed Pei. But Zhou’s Father could see that all of Yan Xi’s schemes ultimately benefited Zhou Qingyu.

In his eyes, her scheming wasn’t manipulative—it was clever. "That’s good," Zhou’s Father said slowly. "Xingyao is a subsidiary of the Zhou Corporation. The contract you signed with me still stands, even if it’s transferred to Xingyao." Yan Xi’s eyes lit up.

What a good man!

This is a thousand times better than that evil capitalist Zhou Yanci! No wonder Dad became the richest man—look at his vision! Brother, you still have a long way to go!

Zhou’s Father looked at Yan Xi, who was trying hard to suppress her glee, and smiled kindly. “Actually, ten million isn’t a big deal for you. You could pay it back with interest in a month, let alone ten years.”

Yan Xi replied politely, “You’re too kind, Uncle. The reason I can earn so much money in such a short time is because I’m standing on the shoulders of giants. Without the resources of Zhou Corporation, I wouldn’t have been able to succeed so quickly.”

Butler Yu brought over a bowl of silver ear soup, and Yan Xi bid farewell to Zhou’s Father to go find Zhou Qingyu.

After Yan Xi left, Zhou’s Father looked in the direction she had gone. “She’s a good girl, sensible and tactful. What a pity for the Lin family—they raised such an excellent girl but ended up losing her.”

Butler Yu poured tea for Zhou’s Father and glanced at Yan Xi’s retreating figure. “She just seems like an ordinary girl to me. It must be your discerning eye, sir. Ordinary people don’t have your ability to see through others!”

Zhou’s Father laughed and pointed at Butler Yu. “You’re quite the smooth talker, aren’t you?”

The distance from the pavilion to the residence was quite far, and Yan Xi wasn’t familiar with the area. After walking for a while, she heard the sound of an argument coming from a courtyard ahead. Zhou Qingyu had visited the set of *The Bottom Line* today, where Wu Liao was shooting promotional photos, so she was dressed in a C-brand suit. After returning to the old mansion, she changed into a comfortable silk dress. As soon as she stepped out, she saw Zhou Yanci, who was dressed in a suit and looked like he had just rushed back. Zhou Qingyu frowned. “Why are you back too?”

Like her, Zhou Yanci had property in Hai City, and the two of them usually lived in the city. They rarely returned to the old mansion unless it was a holiday.

“I’ve been staying at home recently,” Zhou Yanci said, pausing before adding deliberately, “to discuss the Zijin Garden project with Father.”

Ouch!

Yan Xi noticed Zhou Qingyu’s face turn pale.

She even felt that Zhou Yanci had emphasized the words “Zijin Garden.”

As Zhou Yanci walked past Zhou Qingyu with one hand in his pocket, Yan Xi saw Zhou Qingyu making a furious gesture at his retreating back. “So what if you won the bid? It’s just Zijin Garden, a mere few billion. As if I care!”

Yan Xi murmured, “You don’t care? A few billion…”

Zhou Qingyu shot her a glare and straightened her posture. “I don’t care! A person should have some dignity!”

That evening, Yan Xi had dinner with Zhou Qingyu and her family.

The Zhou family didn’t follow the rule of not speaking during meals. Zhou’s Father and Zhou Yanci occasionally discussed the Zijin Garden project at the table. Zhou Yanci’s wetland proposal had struck a chord with the Hai City government’s plan to beautify the city, so the project had a bright future.

Besides Zijin Garden, Zhou’s Father and Zhou Yanci also talked about other projects, each worth billions.

Yan Xi suddenly felt that the few million she had fought for with advertisers earlier in the day was insignificant here.

It wasn’t even a fraction of what they were discussing!

Zhou Qingyu listened to their conversation and occasionally chimed in, though she didn’t understand most of it. Yan Xi could understand why. Zhou Qingyu had always thought she had plenty of time. Zhou’s Father was only fifty-five and hadn’t reached retirement age, so Zhou Qingyu could continue her career in the entertainment industry for a few more years before returning to Zhou Corporation to officially challenge Zhou Yanci. However, the truth was that Zhou Yanci had less than a year to live, and his death would indirectly cause Zhou’s Father to suffer a stroke. Zhou Qingyu didn’t have time. Her current superficial understanding of Zhou Corporation would inevitably lead to its downfall.

She needed to focus on accumulating luck points as soon as possible!

[Host, a reminder: you’re still 2.1 luck points short. But even if the young lady gives you a gift, it probably won’t be enough to make up the difference.]

Yan Xi: “I know, I’m working on it. Why do you think I came back to the old mansion?”

System: [You came back for luck points? The old mansion has little to do with the plot. How are you going to make up the difference?]

Yan Xi glanced at Zhou Yanci, who was eating calmly, and a glint of determination flashed in her eyes. “There’s a ready-made solution here. If I can prevent Young Master Zhou from overworking and dying suddenly, I can earn some luck points, right?”

As she spoke, she tightened her grip on the wine bottle in her hand.

System: ?

[Wait! What are you planning to do?]

[Kidnapping is illegal, and knocking someone out is illegal too!]

[Host! Think carefully!!!]