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

Feng Meiyu panicked.

That incident had happened nearly twenty years ago. After all these years in the Pei Family, every time she crossed paths with Pei Hanli, his expression had always been indifferent. She thought he had long forgotten.

"Young Master, you were only seven years old back then!"

What could a seven-year-old child possibly understand? Memories from childhood two decades ago—could they even hold up in court?

The young police officer said coldly, "Feng Meiyu, we’ve also caught the human traffickers who abducted Pei Hanli back then."

Feng Meiyu: !!!

A child’s words might not count for much. A lawyer could easily dismiss them by arguing that too much time had passed or that children’s memories were unreliable. But adults were different. And back then, to ensure the traffickers sold Pei Hanli far away, she had even bribed them with money!

Pei Hanli narrowed his eyes slightly, a chilling smile in his gaze. His tone was icy. "All these years, I’ve never stopped searching for those criminals. I never gave up."

He knew his testimony alone wouldn’t be enough. That’s why he had to track down the traffickers—only then could he ensure Feng Meiyu and Pei's Father had no chance to escape justice.

Feng Meiyu’s face fell. Her legs gave way, and she collapsed to the floor.

With the traffickers caught, there was no escaping her crimes.

Pei's Father felt a pang of guilt but refused to admit fault like Feng Meiyu. Desperate, he blurted, "Officers, you must have made a mistake! I’m Hanli’s biological father—how could I deliberately lose my own child? This was all Feng Meiyu’s doing! I had no idea she was such a vile woman!"

Feng Meiyu’s eyes widened. Even with her hands cuffed, she struggled to her feet and kicked Pei Zhiyuan.

"Pei Zhiyuan! Are you even human?!"

Pei's Father staggered, and the officers quickly restrained Feng Meiyu.

Pei's Father: "Don’t pin your crimes on me, you poisonous woman!"

Pei Hanli regarded him coolly. "You knew nothing?"

Pei's Father shook his head frantically. "Of course not! We’re father and son! How could I do something so heartless?"

"Then back then, when you said you were taking me to the amusement park—if you didn’t tell Feng Meiyu, how did she know?"

Pei's Father swore, "She pried the information out of me! I never told her!"

Feng Meiyu was so furious she wanted to kick him again, but the officers held her back.

She spat at him, cursing, "Pei Zhiyuan, it was you who hinted I should do this! You said as long as Pei Hanli was around, Yubai and I could never return to the Pei Family. How dare you pin everything on me now, you bastard!"

Pei's Father vehemently denied it. "I didn’t! I would never do such a thing!"

Pei Hanli scoffed. "Pei Zhiyuan, if you weren’t involved, why did you tell Grandfather I went on a trip with Mother after I went missing?"

Pei's Father froze.

Back then, to buy time after abandoning Pei Hanli, he had told Old Man Pei that Pei Hanli’s mother had taken him on a trip after a marital spat.

That way, even if Pei Hanli went missing, Old Man Pei wouldn’t suspect anything. And if Pei Hanli’s mother returned to the Pei Family and realized her son was gone, Pei's Father could shift all the blame onto her, claiming she had failed to care for the child.

He had calculated everything—except that Pei Hanli would be brought back by the police!

Unable to defend himself, Pei's Father was taken away by the officers.

Feng Meiyu was also escorted out, leaving the living room in dead silence.

Old Man Pei’s face was ashen. In all his years leading the Pei Family, he had never witnessed such a disgraceful scene—his own son abandoning his rightful heir for a mistress and a bastard child! If this scandal got out, where would his dignity go?

Pei Yubai was also in a panic. He looked pleadingly at Pei Hanli. "Elder Brother! We’re family! He’s still your father—please, I beg you, let them go!"

Pei Hanli turned his head slightly, his gaze icy.

"What gives you the right to call me brother?"

A lowly bastard—how dare he?

Pei Yubai grew even more frantic. His illegitimate status was now exposed. With his father arrested, what future did he have in the Pei Family?

"I’m only thinking of the Pei Family’s reputation. If this gets out, the damage—"

"You’ve just reminded me."

Pei Hanli smirked and glanced at Steward Cheng beside Old Man Pei. "Steward Cheng, throw this trash out of the Pei residence."

Pei Yubai paled.

Old Man Pei’s pride was also wounded. "Hanli! I am the head of this family! You have no right to make decisions without my say!"

Pei Hanli extended his hand, and his assistant swiftly placed a property deed in his palm. He flipped it open—the address matched this very villa, and the owner’s name was Pei Hanli.

Old Man Pei was stunned.

Pei Hanli said calmly, "This villa was originally under your name, but Pei Zhiyuan secretly mortgaged it to cover Tianhui’s debts. Now, it’s mine. In my house, what’s wrong with expelling a bastard?"

He gave Steward Cheng a look. Understanding, Steward Cheng summoned bodyguards to drag Pei Yubai out.

Pei Yubai screamed, "Pei Hanli! This is Grandfather’s house! You can’t do this!"

Steward Cheng acted swiftly, covering Pei Yubai’s mouth before he could say more.

Only then did Old Man Pei realize—his most trusted steward was also Pei Hanli’s man.

Old Man Pei sighed, his gaze a mix of admiration and resignation.

"If you dare defy me to my face, you must have more tricks up your sleeve, don’t you?"

Pei's Father was nothing like him. Pei Yubai was nothing like him. But Old Man Pei had always believed Pei Hanli took after him. If he dared oppose him openly, it meant he held even greater power in secret.

Pei Hanli didn’t deny it. "You hold 15% of Pei Corporation’s shares—technically the largest shareholder. But as of now, I hold 16%."

Old Man Pei narrowed his eyes. "Don’t forget, I still have Zhiyuan and Yubai’s shares—"

He paused mid-sentence, his beard trembling slightly. "Do you… have their shares too?"

Pei Hanli nodded.

Pei Zhiyuan was arrogant and foolish. Over the years, Pei Hanli had set traps to slowly siphon Pei Corporation’s shares from him. Pei Yubai’s 1% was even easier—Tianhui’s failing projects had left him desperate for funds, forcing him to mortgage his shares. Now, with Tianhui on the verge of bankruptcy, those shares naturally fell into Pei Hanli’s hands.

Like a frog boiled in warm water, Pei Hanli had woven a net. Now, it was time to pull it tight.

He hated Pei Zhiyuan for conspiring with Feng Meiyu to abandon him.

And he hated Pei Yubai for stealing Zhou Qingyu from him.

He resented Old Man Pei even more—back then, the old man had actually allowed Pei Yubai, that illegitimate son, to return to the Pei Family.

If Old Man Pei hadn’t done that, he wouldn’t have had to go this far.

"Perhaps to you, raising one son into a failure made you set higher expectations for your grandsons. Competition between the two would ensure a stronger heir for the Pei empire."

"But I can’t accept it."

"In two days, the group will hold a shareholders’ meeting to elect a new chairman. Grandfather, you’re getting old. It’s time to retire."

Reporters had been camped outside the Pei residence.

The revelation that the Pei family’s second young master was illegitimate, and that Pei Zhiyuan had an affair with the family’s housekeeper—these were explosive enough to dominate headlines. The online buzz was intense, and even a few casual shots outside the Pei mansion could rake in massive engagement.

But they never expected that while staking out the scene… they’d witness police cars entering the Pei estate! Shortly after, they captured footage of Pei Zhiyuan and Feng Meiyu being escorted out by officers!

Holy hell—what started as a juicy tabloid scandal had now escalated into a criminal case!

The reporters swarmed forward, desperate for more sensational details, but the police wouldn’t disclose specifics while the investigation was ongoing. The patrol cars sped past the crowd, sirens blaring.

Fortunately, Pei Hanli had anticipated this. He sent his assistant to handle the media frenzy outside.

[!!!]

[What’s ​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‍going on? I thought this was just some rich family drama, but it’s a criminal investigation?!]

[Even beasts don’t harm their own young! What kind of monster is Pei Zhiyuan, abandoning a child to traffickers?!]

[Netizens these days are too young—they missed the old gossip! The Pei matriarch had a first love before marriage. After they broke up, Pei Hanli was born prematurely, and Pei Zhiyuan once suspected he wasn’t his biological son. A DNA test proved otherwise, but the resentment must’ve lingered.]

[LMAO the version I heard is that Pei Zhiyuan had a purity complex and despised his wife for not being a virgin—yet he’d been sleeping with Feng Meiyu for over twenty years! What a hypocrite!]

[I found the news from twenty years ago! There really was a child trafficking incident back then!]

[The tip-off came from Chairman Zhou of Zhou Enterprises… He and his daughter were doing charity work in the mountains when they stumbled upon the trafficking ring and rescued several children…]

[Zhou Enterprises… as in Zhou Qingyu’s family?!]

[Exactly! The Zhou Group’s official website has records of their charity work from twenty years ago!]

[Oh my god! So it was Miss Zhou who saved Pei Hanli back then?!]

[No wonder Pei Hanli treated her so well on The Journey!]

[Serves them right—Pei Yubai and his whole family are trash!]

[Rot in jail, all of them!]

...

Meanwhile—

Yan Xi and Zhou Qingyu stepped out of the Hairui Hotel.

The November night carried a biting chill, and pedestrians instinctively hunched their shoulders against the cold wind.

A Rolls-Royce idled at the entrance, where Zhou Yanci leaned casually against the door. Spotting Yan Xi, he shrugged off his suit jacket and draped it over her shoulders.

"Wearing so little—aren’t you cold?"

"It’s fine! The hotel had the heater on full blast!"

Yan Xi hesitated, then took off the jacket and turned to Zhou Qingyu. "Qingyu, you’re barely dressed. Here, take this."

At least Yan Xi had worn long sleeves. Zhou Qingyu, prioritizing style over comfort, had opted for a strapless top—she had to be freezing.

Before Zhou Qingyu could respond, Song Zhile had already wrapped his own coat around her.

Zhou Qingyu shot him an approving glance before addressing Yan Xi. "Relax, I’m not wearing Zhou Yanci’s clothes. Keep it."

"Oh~"

Yan Xi snuggled into the jacket, and Zhou Yanci ruffled her hair affectionately.

Zhou Qingyu rolled her eyes—new couples were always the most obnoxious. Did Zhou Yanci really need to personally pick Yan Xi up? She could’ve handled the ride home.

"Qingyu," Song Zhile murmured, "since Zhou Yanci is here, I’ll get going."

He’d intended to escort her home, but with Zhou Yanci around, his presence was redundant.

Zhou Qingyu nodded. "Alright, see you."

Song Zhile turned to leave—then, after two steps, clenched his jaw and spun back.

He faced Zhou Qingyu, mustering his courage. "Pei Hanli knew about Feng Meiyu and Pei Zhiyuan all along. He said he didn’t expose them… because you liked Pei Yubai."

Zhou Qingyu’s eyes widened slightly. "Why tell me this?"

Song Zhile was pursuing her—why would he speak up for his rival?

Song Zhile smiled bitterly. "I didn’t want to. But hiding his kindness toward you would make me despicable."

That was just how Song Zhile was.

Blessed with a happy family and a smooth-sailing life, he carried himself with integrity.

He knew Zhou Qingyu had feelings for Pei Hanli, and he had no issue competing fairly. But deliberately withholding the truth? That crossed a line.

He could fight for her—wanted to fight for her—but only on equal footing.

Zhou Qingyu chuckled. After all these years, Song Zhile hadn’t changed a bit.

Brilliant, kind, sunny, and righteous—back in the day, her favorite pastime had been teasing him into breaking rules, coaxing the model student to secretly do her homework.

She’d always known Song Zhile was good. Too good. His love was pure, given unconditionally—but it demanded the same in return.

And Zhou Qingyu couldn’t give that.

"Song Zhile, we’re over."

He stiffened. "You went back to Pei Hanli. Why not me?"

"It’s not going back," Zhou Qingyu said calmly. "It’s that we never really ended."

She didn’t know why she’d suddenly fallen for Pei Yubai two years ago. But looking back now, things with Pei Hanli had never truly concluded.

And Pei Hanli… seemed to have been waiting for her all along.

Song Zhile’s voice trembled. "Do you love him?"

"Not love, no."

That word felt too distant for Zhou Qingyu.

"Someone like me doesn’t love anyone 100%. I only know how to take 100% from others. That’s why we broke up, Song Zhile."

His "fatherly" tendencies were only part of it. Even when he acted overbearing, a little coaxing from her would make him bend. If she whined about wanting to sleep in, he’d hold her tighter. If she craved ice cream, he’d scold her—then massage her stomach during her period. Back in school, when she skipped homework, he’d lecture her… before quietly finishing it for her.

Their conflicts weren’t the real issue.

The truth was, Zhou Qingyu couldn’t give him the wholehearted love he needed—so he grew insecure, anxious, always picking fights.

Zhou Qingyu was utterly fed up and finally proposed a breakup.

"So... Pei Hanli—do you think he’s the one?"

Zhou Qingyu tilted her head in thought. "Maybe? Who knows? Life is long!"

Song Zhile walked away heartbroken, while Zhou Qingyu, indifferent, returned to Yan Xi’s side.

Yan Xi sympathized deeply with Song Zhile. "You rejected him?"

Zhou Qingyu shrugged. "I’m setting him free!"

Compared to the disastrous breakup with Pei Yubai, this one with Song Zhile was downright civil.

Song Zhile had always left a good impression on Zhou Qingyu. She enjoyed toying with men’s emotions—but only those who deserved it.

...

It was getting late, and the hotel entrance was only a temporary stop. The Rolls-Royce couldn’t stay parked there indefinitely, so the three prepared to leave.

Zhou Yanci opened the car door, and Yan Xi smoothly slid into the backseat, with Zhou Qingyu naturally settling beside her.

Zhou Yanci froze for two seconds.

Zhou Qingyu glared at him. "What’s wrong with you? Sit in the front! Three people in the back is too cramped!"

Zhou Yanci: "..."

"Where’s your car?"

"Saving resources. Is it something to be proud of, a family driving two cars?"

Zhou Yanci: ???????

Since when did Zhou Qingyu care about saving resources?

The hotel doorman politely reminded the driver that another car needed to pull in. Unable to keep the Rolls-Royce idling at the entrance, Zhou Yanci grudgingly took the passenger seat.

Meanwhile, Zhou Qingyu ignored him entirely, already engrossed in gossip with Yan Xi.

Earlier, they had witnessed Pei’s Father and Feng Meiyu’s "affair" at the entrance—now, the internet was in an uproar.

Fresh scandals kept surfacing as Pei’s Father and Feng Meiyu’s faces were exposed, with netizens who’d crossed paths with them sharing their own encounters.

[I saw these two in Country R five years ago! I even have photos!]

[I spotted them at Hairui Hotel too!]

[Good grief, Madam Pei only passed away three years ago, and they’ve been at it for this long?]

[I don’t know whether to call Pei Zhiyuan loyal…]

[Loyal to his mistress? Disgusting!]

The dirt on Pei’s Father and Feng Meiyu piled up—after twenty years of secret meetings, complete secrecy was impossible.

"What a shame," Zhou Qingyu sighed. "Even with all this exposed, since illegitimate children have inheritance rights, Pei Hanli can’t do much to Pei Yubai."

"Not necessarily."

The voice came from Zhou Yanci in the front seat.

Yan Xi and Zhou Qingyu immediately leaned toward him.

"Got tea?" Zhou Qingyu asked.

Zhou Yanci: "Back when Pei Hanli and I partnered to invest in several startup internet companies, I remained a shareholder, but Pei Hanli sold most of his stakes. As for what he exchanged them for..."

"Shares in the Pei Family’s business?" Zhou Qingyu guessed.

Zhou Yanci nodded. "And from what I know, after Pei Zhiyuan lost his position as CEO of the Pei Family’s company, he invested in many ventures to expand his influence outside the family—but they all failed."

Yan Xi caught on instantly. "Pei Hanli set him up?"

"Pretty much."

As a result, Pei’s Father had little left to pass on to Pei Yubai.

This was also why Zhou Yanci had always been wary of Pei Hanli. Though they’d known each other for years, they’d never been close. In Zhou Yanci’s eyes, Pei Hanli was shrewd, patient, and calculating—how could Zhou Qingyu possibly outplay him?

As the two listened to Zhou Yanci’s revelations, the system suddenly chimed in: [Host! Big scandal!]

"What? What? What?"

Yan Xi’s eyes sparkled like a gossip-hungry raccoon.

[Pei’s Father and Feng Meiyu were arrested by the police! Twenty years ago, they actually sold Pei Hanli to human traffickers! How ruthless! Who knew the big villain had such a past?]

Yan Xi immediately pulled out her phone to dig into the news, with Zhou Qingyu crowding close beside her.

Pei Hanli’s assistant only informed reporters of the charges against Pei’s Father and Feng Meiyu—netizens had dug up the twenty-year-old news themselves.

Back then, the internet wasn’t as developed, but the Zhou Family’s charity efforts for corporate image meant photos of Zhou’s Father and Zhou Qingyu in the mountains were widely circulated.

Zhou Qingyu blinked at the revelations. "That piglet… was him?"

"Piglet?"

Yan Xi was baffled. "What are you talking about?"

Her usual train of thought didn’t immediately connect "big villain" and "piglet"—two completely unrelated terms.

Zhou Qingyu didn’t answer, her brow quirking slightly.

"Nothing. Just recalling some unpleasant memories."

...

The Pei Family scandal exploded.

From Pei Yubai’s illegitimate status being exposed, to Pei Zhiyuan and Feng Meiyu’s affair, to their child trafficking case twenty years prior… it all culminated in Pei Hanli being elected chairman of the Pei Family’s corporation.

Among Hai City’s three major business dynasties, only the Pei Family saw its eldest son overthrowing Old Man Pei to seize the chairmanship.

In this battle, Pei Yubai was reduced to a stray dog. Left with nothing, not even a place to live, he resorted to selling Tianhui’s unfinished projects to scrape together funds.

His projects weren’t bad—some were even platform S-tier—but no one would buy them, even at a discount.

At the offices of Starlight Entertainment, Pei Yubai was thrown out by President Liu.

"You once expressed interest in 'White Marsh,' didn’t you? It only needs special effects now—I’ll sell it to you for 30 million! President Liu—"

The office door slammed shut.

President Liu did like the project, but he valued his life more. With Pei Hanli now chairman of the Pei Family’s corporation, who dared oppose him?

Pei Yubai gritted his teeth, gathering the scattered documents from the floor.

Mocking whispers surrounded him, each word a needle in his back. He just wanted to grab the files and leave.

Meanwhile, in a Starlight Entertainment conference room, producer Sister Zhao escorted Ye Luoyi out.

"Sister Zhao, thank you! For giving me this chance!"

Ye Luoyi was overjoyed. After countless rejections, this was her first successful audition and contract since her fall from grace.

Sister Zhao patted her shoulder. "You earned it with your acting. But this is a period drama—you’ll play a village girl with darkened skin. I’m worried..."

Ye Luoyi said firmly, "I can do it! I’ll take any role!"

Having worked with Ye Luoyi before, Sister Zhao knew her skills. Period dramas relied on storytelling, not star power, so casting her wasn’t an issue.

Sister Zhao thought for a moment, then finally spoke up, "Actually, the Lu Family has already reached out to us. Madam Lu specifically asked to reserve the female supporting role in that urban drama for you. The character’s persona is well-written, much better than the period drama..."

Ye Luoyi shook her head. "Sister Zhao, I want to rely on myself. I want to see how far I can go with my own abilities."

Men were a shortcut. The Lu Family was also a shortcut.

Shortcuts had made Ye Luoyi an overnight sensation, turning her into a sought-after rising star within two years. But fame was fleeting—like bubbles, they burst at the first sign of scandal, leaving her with nothing.

Looking back, Ye Luoyi realized she had nothing left—except her acting skills.

So this time, she wanted to depend on herself.

...

The elevator doors slid open like two gleaming scythes.

Ye Luoyi, wearing a smile, was about to step forward when she caught sight of Pei Yubai inside, looking utterly dejected.

Pei Yubai noticed her too, his gaze complicated.

The two stood frozen in place, Ye Luoyi hesitating, unsure whether to enter.

After a brief pause, she steeled herself and stepped inside.

The elevator descended smoothly.

Once so familiar with each other, they now stood in suffocating silence, the air thick and icy between them.

Had they loved each other?

Ye Luoyi thought—yes, she had loved Pei Yubai. And she knew, without a doubt, that he had loved her too.

But for Ye Luoyi, she loved herself more.

The elevator remained silent, neither speaking a word.

When the doors opened on the ground floor, they stepped out without hesitation, walking in opposite directions.

Su Lingling’s BMW was parked right outside the Interconnect Entertainment building. Spotting Ye Luoyi, she leaned out the window, waving excitedly.

"Yi Yi! Hurry up! I’ve booked a restaurant to celebrate you landing another role!"

Ye Luoyi smiled and quickened her steps toward Su Lingling.

Just before getting into the car, she glanced back—only to see Pei Yubai’s retreating figure.

Most likely, this would be the last time they ever saw each other.

.

Meanwhile, in the VP office at Starlight Entertainment, Yan Xi had something new to focus on.

The young miss’s birthday was coming up!

Though turning 25 wasn’t particularly special, Yan Xi wanted to give Zhou Qingyu a grand gift.

A system notification popped up:

[Ding! Pei Yubai has gone bankrupt. Zhou Qingyu gains +5 Luck Points. Current Luck Points exceed 100—Zhou Qingyu has completely deviated from the original novel’s plot!]

[Additionally, due to Ye Luoyi abandoning Pei Yubai, certain character labels have been altered!]

[Pei Yubai’s role has changed from Male Lead to Extra.]

[Zhou Qingyu’s role has changed from Villainess to Extra.]

[Pei Hanli’s role has changed from Ultimate Antagonist to Extra.]

Yan Xi jumped up in excitement. "It’s over!"

This damn plotline was finally over!

Great, now everyone was just an extra, completely detached from the original story!

But then Yan Xi took a closer look. "Wait, Zhou Yanci’s status hasn’t changed?"

[Big Brother is still the Female Lead’s White Moonlight!]

Yan Xi: "..."

"Then… will he still die?"

[Probably not. At this point, it’s just a label. After Ye Luoyi found out about your relationship with Big Brother in Country X, she gave up on him.]

[Also, I think… our world might be turning into a no-romance story.]

Yan Xi: ?

"Seriously?"

[Mainly because Ye Luoyi has no interest in love right now—she’s all about her career! Some men have been subtly offering her resources, but she turned them all down!]

[We might be shifting from a charming romance novel to a career-driven, no-romance female protagonist story!]

Yan Xi couldn’t help but laugh. "So whatever Ye Luoyi aims for, our world becomes that genre?"

[Exactly! Like you once analyzed, this is a female-oriented novel—female-centric, where the heroine dictates everything!]

Well, fine. Yan Xi didn’t mind much. Whatever Ye Luoyi did was her business—as long as the people she cared about were safe, that was enough.

Suddenly, she remembered something. "System, you mentioned before that once Luck Points hit 100, there’d be side effects—some characters might awaken. So… who’s awakening this time?"

The little glowing orb blinked. [Ah! I almost forgot!]

[Let me check~!]

[This time, the character awakening due to side effects is…]