What Should I Do if My Best Friend Is a Green Tea? [Transmigrated Into a Book] Chapter 37
Fang Yue couldn't believe it. Was this madness? Managing all investnts for a film and television project required at least a manager-level employee, so why was an intern being assigned to such a role? Had the young lady, after losing her head over a man in romance, now also lost her wits over her female friends?
However, Wu Liao and Qiao Yan both tactfully stepped back, showing no surprise at the arrangent. Instead, they seed regretful that they hadn’t successfully pulled Yan Xi into their own departnts. Fang Yue couldn’t help but feel that the world was becoming increasingly absurd.
On Jiang Tao’s side, the first paynt had been received, and preparations for filming were already underway. Casting, arranging shooting locations, and assembling the production team—all of these tasks were now on the agenda. Similarly, Yan Xi’s work as a supervisor also needed to begin. Fang Yue sighed helplessly. If the young lady had made the decision, as a re employee, she had no choice but to comply. Zhou Qingyu had another schedule to attend to—shooting a comrcial endorsent for M brand—so she didn’t linger at Starry Brilliance for long.
Yan Xi, too, had to start her work. Jiang Tao and Xiao Yu brought over most of the docunts related to *The Bottom Line*, and with these files in hand, Yan Xi headed to the project departnt to report. On her way, she ran into Shen Xinghe.
She had been busy discussing her new role with Zhou Qingyu earlier and hadn’t had the chance to greet him. Seeing Shen Xinghe, Yan Xi waved enthusiastically.
“Director Jiang and Screenwriter Xiao have already left. Why are you still here? Did you get lost?” Yan Xi glanced around. “I don’t co to Starry Brilliance often either, but I think the elevator is over there…” Shen Xinghe noticed that Yan Xi was struggling to carry the box of docunts and instinctively reached out to help her. “I was waiting for you,” he said.
“Waiting for ?” Yan Xi was puzzled.
Shen Xinghe looked down at her, his tone sincere. “Thank you.” This seemingly out-of-the-blue gratitude might have been confusing to others, but Yan Xi understood. She smiled brightly. “You earned the role yourself. I didn’t do much. You deserve to be the male lead.”
If anything, Yan Xi felt she had only facilitated Zhou Qingyu’s involvent in the investnt. As long as the investors didn’t interfere with casting, Shen Xinghe was always going to be the male lead. Talented and hardworking people deserved their mont in the spotlight. The world should still have so fairness, shouldn’t it?
“I need to report to the project departnt now! We’ll be seeing a lot of each other from here on out!” Yan Xi winked at Shen Xinghe, taking the box of docunts back from him. “You should keep working hard too!”
With that, Yan Xi walked off toward the project departnt.
Shen Xinghe watched her retreating figure, his eyes clouded with emotion. He stared for a long ti before finally lowering his head and murmuring softly, “Yes, I’ll do my best.”
After entering the project departnt, Yan Xi imrsed herself in her busy work. Fang Yue was a responsible supervisor. Although she occasionally got carried away with her fangirling, she took her job seriously. Considering that Yan Xi had no prior experience as a supervisor, Fang Yue assigned an experienced manager to guide her.
Yan Xi picked up the role quickly, and since Jiang Tao was a reliable person who had already coordinated most of the work for *The Bottom Line*, Yan Xi’s job as a supervisor wasn’t too difficult.
anwhile, Shen Xinghe left Starry Brilliance. At the entrance of the building, he ran into Little ng, Zhou Qingyu’s assistant. Little ng was wearing a checkered sun-protection jacket and a baseball cap. When she saw Shen Xinghe, she jogged over to him.
“Hello, Teacher Shen! I’m Little ng, Assistant Zhou’s assistant. She ntioned that your mother is seriously ill and needs to be transferred to Hai City for treatnt. If it’s not too intrusive, may I ask what her condition is? Zhou Corporation has connections with many doctors, and we can arrange for her to be treated at the best hospital!”
Shen Xinghe hesitated. “Wouldn’t that be too much trouble?”
Zhou Qingyu happened to be rushing to her next schedule, and her van was parked at the entrance of Starry Brilliance. She walked past Shen Xinghe, putting on her D-brand sunglasses and giving him a sidelong glance. “Trouble? As long as you treat Yan Xi well, it’s no trouble at all.”
Shen Xinghe was confused: ?
Little ng quickly explained, “What Assistant Zhou ans is that as long as you focus on doing your best in the filming, there’s no trouble at all! We’re doing this to ensure you have no worries holding you back!”
Then, Little ng tugged at Zhou Qingyu’s sleeve and whispered, “Assistant Zhou, Yan Xi probably hasn’t confessed to Shen Xinghe yet. You can’t just break the ice like that—it’ll make her shy!”
Zhou Qingyu thought about it. Yan Xi had only ever been interested in fictional characters before. Now that she finally had feelings for soone, it happened to be her roommate’s boyfriend. She must be feeling very nervous about this new relationship.
Little ng was right. It was better not to push things too soon.
The van pulled up beside Zhou Qingyu, and she casually grabbed a lizard-skin bag from the back seat, tossing it to Little ng. “It’s an M-brand product. It’s yours now. Make sure Shen Xinghe’s mother is well taken care of.”
Little ng was overjoyed. The lizard-skin bag was a new release from M-brand, and even second-hand, it could fetch nearly 100,000 yuan!
“Thank you, Assistant Zhou~ I’ll do my best~”
With Little ng’s help, Shen Xinghe managed to bring his mother to Hai City and settle her into a private hospital under Zhou Corporation. The hospital director personally received Shen’s mother, and a team of over a dozen specialists conducted a consultation to determine the best treatnt plan. What should have been a complicated process beca remarkably smooth.
Staying in the hospital, Shen’s mother was anxious. “Xinghe, I heard from the nurses that this is a private hospital. Staying here costs tens of thousands a day. Isn’t it too expensive? I can manage in a regular hospital…”
“It’s fine, Mother,” Shen Xinghe reassured her. “This is the investor’s hospital. She’s helping so I can focus on filming.”
“Mother, I’ve been cast as the male lead. I’ll be starting filming in a few days.”
Shen’s mother’s voice was filled with emotion. “You got the male lead role? That’s wonderful! Your investor is such a good person! Xinghe, they’ve helped us so much. You must do your best in acting and repay their kindness!”
Shen Xinghe nodded firmly. “I will.”
*Let’s Travel Together* was a variety show that combined live broadcasts with recorded segnts. On the night the first episode aired after the trip to France, the ratings were excellent. The travel styles of the four groups of guests sparked much discussion among viewers, and the participating celebrities also reaped so benefits.
Zhou Qingyu gained the most fans. Through the show, viewers got to know a spoiled yet generous young lady, and many admired her friendship with Yan Xi, which boosted Zhou Qingyu’s popularity significantly.
Ye Luoyi had suffered a setback in the first episode due to her boasting at the wine estate, but she quickly apologized, which lessened the online ridicule directed at her. Qin Li, the third celebrity on the show, also gained a considerable number of fans. Shortly after returning to the country, he received an advertising offer to endorse N-brand’s sportswear. N-brand had been evaluating Qin Li for a while, but they had previously considered him a second-tier celebrity with insufficient fa, which delayed their decision. However, Qin Li’s appearance on the show with Kang Boye, where the two exuded a sporty vibe, finally convinced N-brand to move forward.
Qin Li cherished this opportunity. Not only was the endorsent itself prestigious, but Ye Luoyi was also an N-brand ambassador, aning Qin Li could shoot the ad with her. At N-brand’s studio, Qin Li saw Ye Luoyi.
Though only a few days had passed since their trip to France, it felt like an eternity to Qin Li. Her intoxicating scent was like an addictive drug, drawing him closer unconsciously.
Ye Luoyi was dressed in a sunny pink sportswear set, greeting the staff with a soft voice.
When she approached Qin Li, she flashed him a sweet smile. “Brother Qin, we et again~”
Qin Li’s heart skipped a beat. “It’s been a while.”
As N-brand ambassadors, the two had to film so intimate scenes for the ad. In front of the cara, everyone knew it was just acting, and they only needed to go through the motions.
But when it ca to the actual filming, Qin Li still felt nervous.
As he got closer to Ye Luoyi, her fragrance beca even more alluring, quickly overwhelming his senses. When he wrapped his arm around her, Qin Li suddenly felt a soft sensation against his chest.
His throat felt dry, and he swallowed hard.
Ye Luoyi reached out and gently tapped Qin Li’s Adam’s apple, her warm breath brushing against his ear. “Brother Qin, your Adam’s apple is so sexy~”
Qin Li’s stomach tightened instantly, and he felt a fire burning in his abdon. His gaze fell on Ye Luoyi’s innocent face, her lips painted in a muted pink, looking as tempting as a strawberry cake in spring, making him want to take a bite.
The advertisent shoot seed simple, but for Qin Li, it felt like an eternity. Every second, he had to restrain himself from making any inappropriate moves in front of the cara. Yet, as the shoot neared its end, his hand lingered on Ye Luoyi's waist, reluctant to let go.
He wished ti could slow down, even just a little, so he could spend more monts with her.
Three hours later, the shoot finally wrapped up.
Qin Li reluctantly released his hold on Ye Luoyi, his back drenched in a thin layer of sweat. "Brother Qin, you have a call," his assistant handed him his phone.
During the shoot, Qin Li's phone had rung multiple tis, but to avoid disrupting the process, he hadn't answered. Only after the shoot ended did his assistant have the chance to pass him the phone.
As he reached for it, his hand slipped, and the phone fell to the ground. The screen was still lit, displaying Ye Luoyi's photo as the wallpaper. Ye Luoyi, who had co back to look for Qin Li, happened to pick up his phone and saw the picture.
For a mont, Qin Li forgot to breathe.
But Ye Luoyi acted as if she hadn't noticed anything, calmly returning the phone to Qin Li.
"Brother Qin, are you free tonight? We haven't had a chance to catch up since you returned. Let's have dinner together!"
Qin Li's heart raced, and he was on the verge of agreeing.
"Yi Yi!"
A man's voice called out from behind. Both turned to see Pei Yubai, dressed in a sharp suit, approaching Ye Luoyi.
His gaze was tender as he looked at her. "Is the shoot over? I've reserved your favorite restaurant. It's the perfect ti to head over now."
"Yubai," Ye Luoyi hesitated, clearly not expecting him to show up at this mont. "I just invited Brother Qin to dinner..."
Pei Yubai's gaze finally shifted to Qin Li. Whether it was his imagination or not, he felt a strong sense of hostility in Qin Li's eyes, as if... he was coveting his prey.
A surge of possessiveness overwheld Pei Yubai, and he suddenly reached out, firmly wrapping his arm around Ye Luoyi's waist. "Didn't we agree to discuss the script tonight? You don't have ti." Ye Luoyi's face flushed red.
Humans have a basic moral code. Even if you like soone, when you see they're already in a relationship, you hide your feelings. But when those feelings reach a certain intensity, that moral line disappears.
Before today, Ye Luoyi had been hesitant to let Qin Li and Pei Yubai et. But after seeing Qin Li's phone wallpaper, she felt reassured.
She liked it when n competed for her attention, enjoyed watching them get jealous. When the emotions were strong enough, jealousy didn't push them away—it only deepened their feelings for her.
Who doesn't like being adored? Ye Luoyi had always reveled in this feeling.
So even as Pei Yubai wrapped his arm around her waist in front of Qin Li and even kissed her forehead, Ye Luoyi only blushed shyly, not pushing him away. anwhile, Qin Li clenched his fists, consud by jealousy.
Watching Pei Yubai lead Ye Luoyi away, Qin Li's expression grew increasingly twisted. With a sharp twist of his wrist, he hurled his phone to the ground.
Returning ho, Qin Li's anger still hadn't subsided.
Xia Momo, wearing a strappy nightgown, erged from the room.
She held a dical report in her hand and smiled when she saw Qin Li. "Brother Qin, you're finally back. I..."
Before she could finish, Qin Li swept her off her feet, kicking open the bedroom door and tossing her onto the bed.
He yanked off his black necktie and swiftly bound Xia Momo's hands, ignoring her struggles.
"Brother Qin, not today... not today..."
His frenzied kisses left red marks all over Xia Momo's pale skin. Her deer-like eyes were filled with fear, reflecting Qin Li's lustful expression.
Qin Li loved Xia Momo's eyes—they were identical to Ye Luoyi's. His fingers dug into her soft flesh, and Xia Momo whimpered, "Brother Qin! Not today! Really, not today! I'm pregnant!" Qin Li froze.
He was visibly irritated as he released her. "How did you get pregnant? Didn't you take the pills?" Xia Momo sat up, clutching her torn nightgown. "I did, but you didn't use protection. Taking pills afterward isn't very effective..." Qin Li's breathing grew heavier, and he tore open the buttons of his shirt, his chest still tight.
He sat on the edge of the bed, lighting a cigarette, hoping the nicotine would calm him down.
Xia Momo opened her mouth, wanting to tell him that smoking wasn't good for the baby, but she ultimately stayed silent.
After one cigarette, Qin Li finally felt a bit calr, and his jealousy toward Pei Yubai had faded sowhat.
He asked, "How far along are you?"
Xia Momo whispered, "Three months."
Xia Momo was very thin, and even at three months, her belly was still flat, her figure petite.
Three months ago...
Qin Li rembered. After that shoot, he had been scrolling through Weibo and saw Ye Luoyi and Pei Yubai on a reality show. The comnts were filled with fans shipping them, and he had been so frustrated that he took Xia Momo in his trailer without protection. The thought only made him more agitated.
The only person he loved was Ye Luoyi.
He could have other won, but he couldn't have a child with them. How could he be with Ye Luoyi if that happened?
"Get rid of it," Qin Li stubbed out his cigarette.
Xia Momo's eyes widened. "This is our child!" "I'm at a crucial point in my career. Do you think I can afford to have a child now?" Qin Li gripped Xia Momo's shoulders, his gaze dark. "Momo, we're still young. We'll have children later. This one just ca at the wrong ti. Get rid of it." After calming Xia Momo down, Qin Li went to the balcony and received a call from his manager. Everything that had happened today had already put him on edge, and the balcony was littered with cigarette butts. Even nicotine couldn't soothe his mind. The news from his manager only made things worse.
"Strawberry Network just called. Jiang Tao rejected their investnt and accepted Star Glory's offer instead."
"Star Glory?"
Qin Li crushed the cigarette box in his hand. "Zhou Qingyu?"
"Yes. And Jiang Tao has already cast the male lead—so newcor nad Shen Xinghe. Never heard of him."
Qin Li slamd the cigarette box onto the ground.
One thing after another—why was everything going against him?
He had gone to great lengths to set up Jiang Tao, forcing him into debt so he could only sign with Strawberry Network. What was Zhou Qingyu thinking, swooping in at the last minute? "What do we do now?" his manager asked.
"Buy so trolls and ruin him!" Qin Li's face was dark. "He's just a rookie. Let's see if he can handle being the male lead!"
Hai City Outdoor Shooting Location
The filming of *The Bottom Line* was well underway. Jiang Tao might be careless in his personal life, but he was highly efficient on set. As a director with a solid reputation in the industry, and with his assurance that the investors wouldn't interfere, many veteran actors were willing to return for his project.
The main cast had been finalized, and today's task was to shoot the promotional stills. Normally, these would be done in a studio, but since these photos would also be used for social dia promotion, Jiang Tao opted for an outdoor shoot to give the images a more narrative feel.
Yan Xi, the producer, was also on set to oversee things, ensuring that every penny Star Glory had invested in *The Bottom Line* was being used properly.
When she arrived, Shen Xinghe, the male lead, was already dressed in his first costu—his police uniform. He wore a white shirt, and to keep it in place, the stylist had added a black harness that accentuated his toned physique.
The weather was hot, and Shen Xinghe had rolled up his sleeves, revealing his muscular forearms. The veins on his arms stood out against his tanned skin. Yan Xi couldn't help but gasp at the sight.
She remained composed, but the little light ball in her mind was going wild. 【Ahhhhhhhhhhh!】
【Host, I'm losing it!】
【Brother Xinghe is too handso!】
【Help! How did I not notice how good-looking he was before? I'm officially a fan! I'm joining his fan club! I want to have his babies!】 Yan Xi...
"As an AI, can't you be a bit more reserved?" 【No!】
The system replied firmly: 【Before, I thought Brother Xinghe was a nine out of ten. Now, with the outfit, he's a perfect ten!】
【And don't think I didn't notice your eyes lighting up too, Host!】
【I'm sharp like that!】
Yan Xi felt a bit awkward. There was no helping it—the mont she saw Shen Xinghe, she was also struck by his stunning appearance.
The last ti she had been so captivated by a man was five years ago, when she first laid eyes on Zhou Yanci.
Zhou Qingyu was hailed as the goddess of beauty in the entertainnt industry, and Zhou Yanci’s looks were no less impressive. He could easily have entered the entertainnt industry himself.
However, because Zhou Qingyu disliked Zhou Yanci, Yan Xi had also developed a distaste for him. Moreover, Zhou Yanci was already working at Zhou Corporation at the ti, and he carried an air of corporate stiffness, which made Yan Xi feel he wasn’t as handso as he could have been.
But this ti, seeing Shen Xinghe reignited Yan Xi’s appreciation for attractive n.
Apart from Yan Xi and the system, a few young girls nearby were also quietly squealing in excitent. Yan Xi noticed the rchandise they were carrying—they were fans of the female lead, Fu Shiyu, who was the most popular actor in the crew. Fu Shiyu had previously played the third female lead in a fantasy drama, and her acting skills were decent.
Fu Shiyu was barely a third-tier celebrity in the entertainnt industry, and her fans were relatively laid-back, not as fervent as those of top-tier idols. But even they couldn’t help fawning over a handso face. So of them even took photos of Shen Xinghe and discussed whether they should start a fan page for him.
“This is betrayal! How can you do this to our sister?”
“But he’s so handso! Look at those arms, that muscle!”
“Is he a newcor? I’ve never seen him before! If we don’t start a fan page, soone else will!”
“Starting a fan page for him now might not be worth it since no one knows him yet. Why not just post his photos in the ‘Bottom Line’ super topic? Let’s share the good stuff with everyone!” Without wasting any ti, after editing and sharing Fu Shiyu’s photos with fellow fans, the fan account owner edited a couple of Shen Xinghe’s photos, created a new account, and posted them in the ‘Bottom Line’ super topic.
At the mont, the ‘Bottom Line’ super topic wasn’t very active. Since it was an original script, aside from a few fans of the actors, no one was really talking about it.
But when Shen Xinghe’s photos were posted, people couldn’t help but get excited.
【Holy cow! Is this the male lead?】
【So handso I’m bleeding from the nose!】
【Look at that restraint belt… *drools* Director Jiang really knows what’s up!】
【Is that his chest muscles under the restraint belt? And abs too! With a face and body like that, the entertainnt industry is saved!】
【Just based on his looks and physique, my expectations for ‘Bottom Line’ are already at 100%!】
Currently, neither Shen Xinghe nor ‘Bottom Line’ had much buzz, mainly because there hadn’t been any promotional campaigns yet.
Promotion required money, and all of it had to fit within the investnt budget. Yan Xi needed to carefully calculate every penny to ensure it was spent effectively.
On set, the costu photo shoot continued, and Yan Xi was reviewing the images on her computer. Jiang Tao’s shots were incredibly evocative. Even though filming hadn’t started yet, just looking at the costu photos, Yan Xi could almost feel the emotions of the characters. This was a testant to the actors’ skills, the director’s expertise, and the character designs.
Yan Xi did so ntal calculations. ‘Bottom Line’ might seem like a small project, but for a 12-episode suspense drama, aside from not using big-na stars, everything else—the director, screenwriter, production team, and investnt—was top-tier. If the previous budget of 20 million and Qin Li’s starring role were enough to make ‘Bottom Line’ a hit, Yan Xi couldn’t even imagine how well the show would perform now that it had the best possible setup.
Of course, even the best wine needs to be noticed. While Jiang Tao was ensuring ‘Bottom Line’ was made to perfection, Yan Xi, as the producer, couldn’t slack off either. She needed to figure out how to promote the show so that everyone would get to see it.
As she was pondering over promotion strategies, Wu Liao hurried onto the set. He was wearing a large pair of black sunglasses, his face dark and his mood clearly sour.
Jiang Tao was in the middle of filming, so Wu Liao didn’t disturb him. Instead, he walked over to Yan Xi.
He removed his sunglasses, revealing dark circles under his eyes.
“We’ve got a problem,” Wu Liao said in a low voice. “Shen Xinghe and ‘Bottom Line’ have been dragged into a scandal and are trending on social dia.”
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