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

Yan Xi rolled her eyes in her heart.

"What are you thinking? I just want Zhou Yanci to drink more so he can't stay up late working!"

……)

The system was skeptical but still doubtful, 【Is that really the case?】

"Of course!" Yan Xi declared with righteous indignation. "Someone as pure and kind-hearted as me would even pray for an ant if I accidentally stepped on it. How could I possibly do anything bad?" The system: ???

【Yeah, right!】

That said, Yan Xi genuinely only wanted to get Zhou Yanci drunk. She pulled out the bottle of wine she had brought back from France. "Uncle, this is a bottle Bruce asked me to bring back for you. The vineyard had a great harvest this year, and he hopes you'll enjoy it."

Zhou's Father had always been fond of fine wine, which was why he had bought the vineyard in the first place. Hearing that it was this year's new vintage, he was quite intrigued and asked the butler to bring over a decanter and wine glasses.

Zhou's Father swirled the red wine in his glass. "Bruce's wine-making skills are getting better and better! How's that old guy doing these days? Is he still in good health?"

"He's doing great," Zhou Qingyu chimed in with a smile. "Dad, speaking of which, Grandpa Pei is also an old friend of yours. His 70th birthday is coming up. Aren't you going to celebrate with him?" Zhou Qingyu hadn't forgotten the purpose of her visit to the old mansion and seized the opportunity to persuade her father. Zhou's Father, being a crafty old fox, had no intention of going and tried to brush it off with a vague response.

Seeing the two of them dancing around the topic, Yan Xi quietly made her way over to Zhou Yanci. "Mr. Zhou, this wine is really good. Shall I pour you a glass to try?" Zhou Yanci glanced at Yan Xi, wondering what this little fox was up to. But it was just a glass of wine—surely there was no harm in that. The butler promptly brought over a wine glass, and Yan Xi began pouring from the decanter. Her hand trembled slightly, and oops—she poured a little too much.

Another tremble, and oh no, the glass was practically overflowing!

The butler intervened, "Miss Yan, you've poured too much! Red wine shouldn't be filled to the brim like that!"

Yan Xi feigned regret. "Ah, my hand slipped. But this is Bruce's heartfelt gift, Mr. Zhou. You wouldn't let it go to waste, would you?"

Zhou Yanci…

Zhou Yanci lifted the glass. Despite the wine being filled to the edge, Yan Xi was worried it might spill, but his hand was steady, and not a single drop was lost. Yan Xi silently cheered him on in her heart: Drink it! Drink it!

This was the strongest wine from the entire vineyard! With such a large glass, there's no way he'd be able to work late tonight, right?

But then, Yan Xi watched as Zhou Yanci took a small sip from the oversized glass.

Yan Xi: ?

Zhou Yanci set the glass down. "Father, I have an international meeting to attend. I'll take my leave now."

Zhou's Father chuckled. "Go ahead!"

Without looking back, Zhou Yanci left the dining hall.

Yan Xi: ???

Hey! Wait! You haven't finished the wine!!!

The plan to get him drunk had failed.

Zhou Yanci wasn't the least bit tipsy, but Zhou's Father, on the other hand, was a little drunk and ended up dragging Zhou Qingyu to the lake to feed the fish.

The servants prepared a guest room for Yan Xi, where she worked on some unfinished tasks. Fang Yue hadn't assigned her too much, but as a newcomer, Yan Xi had a lot to learn. Plus, in a few days, the second leg of "Travel" would begin filming, and she'd have to take time off to participate in the variety show. All in all, being a corporate drone wasn't easy!

At 10 p.m., Zhou Qingyu barged into Yan Xi's room and flopped onto her bed.

"Ugh! That old man, is he deliberately messing with me or what?" Yan Xi sat on the edge of the bed. "What's wrong? Is your dad still refusing to go to the birthday banquet?"

"I've been talking all night, and my throat is practically dry! He just keeps dodging the topic! What's the big deal? It's just a birthday banquet—it's not like he's going to lose an arm or a leg!" Yan Xi stayed silent. Of course, attending a banquet wouldn't cause any physical harm, but showing up would signal Zhou's Father's tacit approval of Zhou Qingyu's arranged marriage with Pei Yubai, which he clearly didn't want.

Zhou Qingyu, oblivious to this layer of meaning, continued to vent her frustration.

Seeing that the water glass was empty, Yan Xi said, "I'll go get some water."

At 10 p.m., most of the Zhou household was already winding down for the night. The elderly went to bed early and rose early, and the servants, accustomed to Zhou's Father's schedule, followed suit.

In the kitchen, Yan Xi poured herself a glass of water and also warmed up a cup of sweetened milk—Zhou Qingyu liked to drink it before bed.

Not long after, Zhou Yanci also showed up in the kitchen.

"Mr. Zhou?" Yan Xi greeted him. "You're still up at this hour?"

Zhou Yanci was dressed in black silk pajamas, the V-neck revealing a glimpse of his collarbone. His sleeves were casually rolled up, exposing his well-defined forearm muscles. He had just finished an international meeting and had come to the kitchen for a glass of water.

"Yes, I still have some work to do."

Yan Xi…

Working at 10 p.m.? That's some dedication!

Yan Xi tried to persuade him, "Work is never-ending, Mr. Zhou. You should really get some rest!"

Zhou Yanci raised an eyebrow slightly, his gaze lingering on Yan Xi for a moment. The water from the dispenser flowed into the glass, the clear liquid rising to the brim before spilling over the edge.

Zhou Yanci suddenly reached out and turned off the dispenser.

"Yan Xi," he turned to look at the girl beside him, "you've been paying a lot of attention to me lately, haven't you?"

Zhou Yanci didn't consider himself particularly perceptive in such matters, but the milk on the private jet, the motivational messages on WeChat, and the eye mask from Blue Studio—if he didn't pick up on something, he'd have to be an idiot.

Faced with this topic, Yan Xi didn't shy away. "Of course! Staying up late is bad for your health!"

Zhou Yanci's gaze darkened. "Is that all?"

He slowly stepped closer to Yan Xi, invading her personal space.

Over the years, many people had tried to get close to him, and their intentions were always clear.

Zhou Yanci had no interest in romance, but that didn't stop others from trying to use him to climb the social ladder. He had heard all sorts of sweet nothings, whether subtly hinted or outright declared.

Yan Xi's concern, compared to theirs, felt somewhat similar.

Just a bit more awkward and inexperienced.

Yan Xi looked confused, unsure of what she had said wrong.

But she suddenly realized that Zhou Yanci was standing too close, well beyond the bounds of polite social distance. Her lower back was pressed against the counter with the water dispenser, leaving her with no room to retreat.

Yan Xi suddenly felt a sense of intrusion. Combined with Zhou Yanci's height, she had to tilt her head back just to maintain eye contact, which only intensified the feeling of being overwhelmed. Yan Xi swallowed hard.

The system: 【Host, I feel like the way Zhou Yanci is leaning in is a bit…】

"A bit too much!" Yan Xi fumed inwardly. "What's the big deal about being tall?"

The system: ???

Yan Xi: "What's with his aggressive stance? Oh no, System, does he know that I'm urging him to sleep early to gain favor points?" The system scratched its bald head in confusion, 【I don't think that's it…】

But Yan Xi didn't have time to continue the mental conversation with the system. Zhou Yanci was standing so close that she could almost feel the warmth of his breath.

Yan Xi straightened her back. "Mr. Zhou, as one of the company's employees, I'm just looking out for your health. After all, only when you're healthy can you lead the company to long-term success!"

Zhou Yanci stumbled slightly, almost losing his balance.

"Is that what you meant?"

Yan Xi looked genuinely puzzled. "What else could I mean?"

Zhou Yanci took a deep breath. Yan Xi's words sounded so sincere, completely unlike the flirtatious advances he had encountered in the past. After all—

Zhou Yanci glanced at Yan Xi. At this late hour, she was dressed in an adorable little bunny nightgown, her round, fair feet peeking out from beneath her slippers. He had never seen any woman aiming to marry into wealth dressed like this. Maybe he had overthought things?

Zhou Yanci picked up his glass of water and left, casting an awkward glance at Yan Xi before he did.

Yan Xi complained to the system in her mind, "I feel like Zhou Yanci noticed something! Does he know about your existence? Is he really that perceptive?" The system…

【I don't think that's why he leaned in earlier…】

"Then what was it for?"

Yan Xi huffed, placing her hands on her hips. "He was practically looming over me! Like he was trying to crush me! He's so tall, didn't you feel the pressure?" The system…

Something felt… off.

Despite her frustration, Yan Xi didn't give up on the favor points. Before Zhou Yanci got too far, she called out, "Mr. Zhou, don't forget to sleep early tonight! Staying up late is bad for your health, and it makes you lose hair! You'll go bald!"

Zhou Yanci…

For some reason, Yan Xi felt that after saying this, Zhou Yanci's footsteps quickened as he walked away.

But it didn't seem like she was rushing to sleep; it felt more like she was rushing to work overtime, T^T. Back in her room, Yan Xi handed the milk and water to Zhou Qingyu, who, after drinking the milk, returned to her own room and fell into a deep sleep.

When it came to going to bed early, Zhou Qingyu was far more disciplined than Zhou Yanci. Staying up late was bad for the skin, causing dark circles and making one look ugly. If she became unattractive, Pei Yubai might not like her anymore, so she would never stay up late.

After reading a couple of pages of documents, Yan Xi also went to sleep.

The study was brightly lit, while the garden outside was serene, with only the occasional chirping of cicadas.

Zhou Yanci sat at his desk, several documents spread out before him, and on his computer screen was the latest financial report of the Zhou Group.

Staying up late was a routine for Zhou Yanci, who only slept four hours a day. Back in his study, he couldn't help but feel that something was off about Yan Xi's attitude.

In the past, too many women had tried to use him as a stepping stone into high society.

For example, some would suddenly bump into his arms at banquets; others would stage accidents in front of his car; and some even went as far as slipping aphrodisiacs into his drink... Not just Zhou Yanci, but all the young masters of wealthy families had seen such scenes.

Having seen it all, Zhou Yanci had grown accustomed to it.

Some of Yan Xi's tactics were no different from those women, and at first, Zhou Yanci suspected that she might have similar intentions.

But upon closer thought, if Yan Xi really wanted to marry into a wealthy family, she should have clung to the Lin family back then; or she could have joined the Zhou Group earlier, becoming his secretary to get closer to him.

Now, staying by Zhou Qingyu's side, wasn't she moving further away from high society? Zhou Yanci was puzzled.

He opened a search interface and typed in a question: "What does it mean when a girl always cares about whether you sleep early?"

The search interface connected to an AI system, which quickly provided an answer: "1. A friendly gesture. She might be a very kind and warm-hearted person who cares about everyone around her." [Note 1]

Zhou Yanci pondered for a moment.

If he didn't know about Yan Xi's schemes to swindle Tianhui out of ten million or help Zhou Qingyu secure a brand endorsement by outsmarting M Company, he might have really thought that Yan Xi was a "kind and warm-hearted" person.

"2. Concern as a friend. If you are good friends, her concern might stem from pure friendship." [Note 2]

Pass.

Before this, Zhou Yanci and Yan Xi had exchanged fewer than ten sentences. Where did this friendship come from? "3. A sign of affection. There's a high chance that she has feelings for you or even likes you. Caring about your sleep is a subtle and delicate way of expressing love." [Note 3]

Zhou Yanci's grip on the mouse tightened.

A tickle rose in his throat, and his Adam's apple bobbed.

Yan Xi likes him? How could that be?

The more he analyzed it, the more absurd it seemed.

Zhou Yanci's gaze fell on the search engine, which was powered by an AI system called "Caibao," developed by a company he had invested in.

It was time to clean up that company. What kind of product were they developing? They couldn't even answer such a simple question properly!

Zhou Yanci took a deep breath. Spending time on such trivial matters had already wasted too much of his time. His time was precious and should be spent on more meaningful things.

Zhou Yanci opened the documents and the group's financial report, diving back into his work. However, his usually focused mind kept wandering today.

Especially Yan Xi's comment about "staying up late causing hair loss" kept echoing in his head.

Zhou Yanci was extremely irritated. After reading two more pages of documents, he couldn't focus anymore. He put on an eye mask and fell into a deep sleep.

The next day, Yan Xi was awakened by the system.

In the early summer morning, the sun rose particularly early. The morning light seeped through the black curtains, casting a beam on Yan Xi's pillow, like a sprite dancing in the air.

Xingyao didn't have a clock-in system, so Yan Xi usually started work at 10 a.m. It was only 6 a.m., and she was still sleepy.

But the system was wide awake, the little glowing ball bouncing up and down on her pillow. 【Host! Wake up! Wake up!】

【Zhou Yanci actually didn't stay up late last night! He actually listened to you and went to bed early~】

【Your luck points have increased! Wake up and check!】

Hearing about the luck points, Yan Xi sprang up like a carp leaping out of water.

Still groggy, she used her consciousness to pull up the luck points record and indeed saw a new notification: 【Ding, Zhou Yanci's health index increased, Zhou Qingyu gained 0.1 luck points. Current luck points: 28】 "Ahhhhhhh!"

Now not only was the system excited, but Yan Xi was too. 【This notification means Zhou Yanci has already woken up. He slept a full six hours!】

Six hours wasn't a lot, but compared to Zhou Yanci's usual four hours of teetering on the edge of death, it was a significant improvement!

Yan Xi was overjoyed and no longer felt sleepy. After washing up, she headed to the dining hall. Zhou's Father was already up, practicing Tai Chi by the water pavilion; Zhou Qingyu was still asleep, as she had no schedule today and wouldn't wake up until after 10. Only the servants preparing breakfast and Zhou Yanci, eating alone, were in the dining hall.

When Yan Xi saw Zhou Yanci, her eyes lit up.

She naturally sat down next to Zhou Yanci. Seeing that Yan Xi was up, the servant asked what she wanted to eat and informed the chef to prepare it.

"Sweet soy milk and fried dough sticks~ And a basket of steamed buns, thank you, Auntie!" While waiting for her food, Yan Xi smiled sweetly at Zhou Yanci. In her eyes, Zhou Yanci was no longer just Zhou Yanci; he was a money tree—no, a luck tree!

She asked sweetly, "Mr. Zhou, did you sleep well last night?" Zhou Yanci stiffened.

Yan Xi's gaze was too intense; he couldn't ignore it. "Not bad," Zhou Yanci replied.

"Not bad?" Yan Xi frowned, looking troubled. "That means you didn't sleep well. Was it the cicadas? The old house has a good ecosystem, and there are a lot of cicadas in the summer. Should I get you some earplugs? Or maybe the mattress is too hard? G-brand mattresses are great; I could get you a new one?"

As long as it improved his sleep quality, Yan Xi was convinced that the luck points would definitely increase!

As for Zhou Yanci... Zhou Yanci was at a loss for words.

She really was a twenty-year-old girl—her emotions were sincere and intense, almost too much to handle. And she was so direct.

What Caibao said last night might not have been entirely wrong...

Zhou Yanci said awkwardly, "No need."

He had always been a light sleeper and didn't sleep much, so there was no need for such fuss.

"But how can that be?" Yan Xi looked genuinely concerned. "Mr. Zhou, will you be staying at the old house tonight?"

Zhou Yanci didn't answer. He had been staying at the old house for the past few days, mainly to discuss the details of the Purple Gold Garden project with Zhou's Father. By yesterday, the final version of the Purple Gold Garden project proposal had been finalized, so he could return to his apartment in downtown Hai City. "The Purple Gold Garden project is almost done, and besides, Qingyu doesn't like me staying here."

"Alright."

Yan Xi rested her head on the octagonal table made of pearwood, looking disappointed. If she couldn't persuade Zhou Yanci in person to stop staying up late, she would have to rely on WeChat. Hopefully, WeChat would work!

Seeing Yan Xi's expression, Zhou Yanci's heart sank.

Yan Xi would definitely stay at the old house with Zhou Qingyu tonight, while he wouldn't be staying... Did that really make her so sad?

He paused, his gaze at Yan Xi becoming much more complicated.

From the old house to the headquarters of the Zhou Group, it was about an hour's drive. After all, one was in the suburbs, and the other was in the city center, which was why Zhou Yanci usually stayed in his downtown apartment.

At the company, Zhou Yanci immersed himself in his busy work. Although Zhou's Father was the chairman of the group, most of the group's affairs were handled by Zhou Yanci. Assistant Sun brought over a new document. "Mr. Zhou, this is the investment budget approval for the 'Crazy Summer and Winter' project from Xingyao." Zhou Yanci remembered this project. Fang Yue had submitted a document about it a month ago, and he had been quite optimistic about the movie, originally planning to invest. However, by chance, he found out that Xingyao was investing in 'Crazy' for Pei Yubai's sake. Zhou Yanci then decided against investing, as he didn't think it was worth spending two billion to please a man for Zhou Qingyu.

Now, seeing this project proposal again, Zhou Yanci asked Assistant Sun, "Wasn't this project already decided?"

Assistant Sun: "That's true, but Xingyao has revised the proposal. It seems they haven't given up yet."

Zhou Yanci was puzzled; Fang Yue wasn't the type to be so persistent. He opened the document and found that the investment reviewer listed wasn't Fang Yue, but Yan Xi.

Assistant Sun glanced at the document and exclaimed, "This project proposal was done by Yan Xi!" The new proposal was an improvement on Fang Yue's original version, bolder and more optimistic in its predictions for *Crazy*. Right at the beginning, Yan Xi had boldly projected a box office revenue of 3 billion+.

Assistant Sun couldn't help but comment, "She’s really daring, isn’t she? 3 billion! Does she even know what that number means?"

Zhou Yanci remained silent for a moment, not refuting the statement. In fact, his thoughts were elsewhere.

Was Yan Xi being so enthusiastic toward him because of this project? Did she believe in it so much that she wanted him to approve the investment, hence her recent warm attitude?

The thought made him feel somewhat relieved.

"Mr. Zhou, what should we do about this project?" Assistant Sun asked.

Zhou Yanci regained his usual stern composure. "Wasn’t it already approved? The proposal has been redone, but the project itself remains the same. Let it proceed as is."

"Got it. I’ll go inform Yan Xi," Assistant Sun said, picking up the documents to leave.

Suddenly, Zhou Yanci remembered Yan Xi’s pitiful little face at the breakfast table that morning.

"Wait!"

He called Assistant Sun back, took a deep breath, and signed the proposal.

Assistant Sun was so shocked his jaw nearly dropped. "Mr. Zhou! Weren’t we not investing? If we invest now, aren’t we just giving Pei Yubai an advantage?"

Zhou Yanci avoided his gaze. "...That was before. But now, with Yan Xi involved, it’s different."

Yan Xi, unaware that the proposal had been approved by the company, was still at the old mansion, helping Zhou Qingyu try on dresses for Grandpa Pei’s birthday banquet.

"It’s Grandpa Pei’s banquet! I can’t dress too extravagantly, but I also can’t look too plain... Yan Xi, come help me pick something!"

In front of them, a row of high-end dresses from various brands was laid out, with several designers eagerly explaining the details to Zhou Qingyu.

Yan Xi glanced over. "No M-brand dresses?"

"It’s a private banquet. I don’t need to wear M-brand dresses," Zhou Qingyu replied. In truth, she felt it would be strange to wear a dress from Zhou Yanci’s family to Grandpa Pei’s banquet.

Yan Xi picked out a moon-white silk halter gown for Zhou Qingyu, elegant and dignified, with minimal skin exposure—perfect for an elder’s birthday celebration. Zhou Qingyu also chose a black cocktail dress as a backup. All the dresses were custom-made to fit her perfectly.

Butler Yu stood nearby, admiring the selection. "Miss, you look stunning in this dress! The warehouse is running out of space. Should we clear out some clothes to make room?"

Yan Xi was surprised. "Didn’t we already clear out a batch in Li City?"

"That was the city warehouse," Zhou Qingyu explained. "The old mansion has even more clothes and bags, some from when I was a child. Uncle Yu, get a few quick-handed servants to help clear them out. I won’t be using most of them anyway."

Multiple warehouses? The life of the wealthy was truly unimaginable!

Yan Xi quickly came up with an idea. "How about we host another fan giveaway?"

It was the perfect opportunity to gain some goodwill!

"Sounds good!" Zhou Qingyu agreed, having already reaped the benefits of the last giveaway. Even though she didn’t rely on social media fame, she still wanted positive engagement.

After all, Ye Luoyi’s popularity was soaring, and Zhou Qingyu sometimes wanted to outshine her!

Butler Yu led the two to Zhou Qingyu’s warehouse in the old mansion. The sheer volume of clothes left Yan Xi speechless.

"Another giveaway?" Zhou Qingyu asked.

Yan Xi blinked. "Doing the same thing again would be boring. This time, let’s try something new!"