The clock struck twelve.
Her roommates were all raving about the Michelin-starred restaurant, where even a glass of plain water tasted better than anywhere else.
Yan Xi's gaze was fixated on the restaurant's entrance.
She remembered this three-star Michelin restaurant. Zhou Qingyu had once brought her here, mentioning that Pei Yubai loved the coconut milk cake from this place.
Initially, Yan Xi had dismissed this as just another piece of gossip from her best friend about her love life. However, in the novel, the one who actually adored coconut milk cake wasn't Pei Yubai, but Ye Luoyi.
Ye Luoyi, the leading lady of the novel's world.
Zhou Qingyu had specially bought the coconut milk cake for Pei Yubai, only for him to turn around and give it to Ye Luoyi.
Today, Zhou Qingyu was shooting near Hongrui Mall, so there was a high chance she would come here to buy the cake.
A familiar figure entered the restaurant. The person didn't sit down immediately but instead ordered a coconut milk cake from the waiter. Wearing black sunglasses and a mask, she was easily identifiable to Yan Xi.
Yan Xi grabbed her roommate’s hand. “Douse me with water! And then curse me out, call me a homewrecker who stole your boyfriend! Hurry up!”
Roommate: ?
Her roommate, who was part of the drama club, was confused but had a flair for the dramatic. While saying, “I’m single, where would I get a boyfriend?” she picked up a glass of water and promptly splashed it all over Yan Xi.
“You bitch! How dare you steal my boyfriend!”
Not bad, she even added the word “bitch,” making the line more vivid.
Zhou Qingyu’s anger flared up instantly. She stepped forward, shielding Yan Xi.
“What are you doing?”
The roommate saw Yan Xi giving her continual eye signals and immediately caught on, continuing the act by pointing viciously at Yan Xi. “She’s the one who broke into my relationship with my boyfriend! Stole him right from under me!”
Zhou Qingyu turned to Yan Xi, who hung her head in guilt, her eyes brimming with tears. “I told you this morning that I had just broken up…”
Zhou Qingyu’s heart was a mix of emotions, but she still lifted her head to confront the roommate. “Don’t spread rumors without evidence! If you continue, I’ll sue you for slander!”
Yan Xi tugged at Zhou Qingyu’s hand, tears streaming down unchecked. Zhou Qingyu looked at Yan Xi’s teary face, her heart softening instantly.
This matter may have been Yan Xi’s fault, but Zhou Qingyu wasn’t about to admit it.
She turned back to the roommate, “If you dare bully Yan Xi again, I’ll make sure you regret it!”
With that, Zhou Qingyu took Yan Xi’s hand and left the Michelin-starred restaurant.
Following behind Zhou Qingyu, Yan Xi discreetly gave her roommates a thumbs-up before leaving.
.
Stepping out of the restaurant, Zhou Qingyu led Yan Xi to a quiet, secluded corridor.
“What’s going on? Is the guy you like the boyfriend of that girl?”
Yan Xi nodded slightly. “They were in a secret relationship; I didn’t know, they never told me… Qingqing, this is the first time I’ve ever felt something for a man, and it hurts so much!”
Zhou Qingyu embraced Yan Xi, gently patting her back. “Good men are everywhere! Don’t let one guy bring you down! I’m sorry, when you mentioned your breakup earlier, I thought it was because you didn’t get your idol’s photocards…”
Yan Xi sniffled in agreement.
At that moment, Zhou Qingyu’s phone buzzed.
The system alerted Yan Xi: **[That’s Zhou Qingyu’s reminder for her appointment with Pei Yubai this afternoon.]**
Yan Xi took the initiative, clearing her throat softly. “It’s already past twelve. I remember you had an appointment with Second Young Master Pei this afternoon, right? Don’t you think you might be late?”
Zhou Qingyu’s movements paused.
She adored Pei Yubai and wished she could spend every second with him. Of course, she didn’t want to miss their date.
Yan Xi noticed Zhou Qingyu’s hesitation and pretended to be strong. “You go ahead. Falling for my roommate’s boyfriend isn’t that big of a deal! I’ll be fine on my own!”
As she spoke, her eyes welled up again, tears threatening to spill over as she struggled to hold them back.
Zhou Qingyu was taken aback. “That girl is your roommate? Won’t you see her every day back in the dorms?”
Yan Xi lowered her head, her fingers fidgeting with the hem of her shirt. “It’s okay. I’ve gotten used to it this past week. Your matters are more important. I’m your best friend; how could I stand in your way?”
A week, so this had been going on for a week.
No wonder when Zhou Qingyu had tried to contact Yan Xi in the past few days, her replies had been lethargic. So it was because she was nursing a broken heart! Yet, as Yan Xi’s best friend, she only found out the truth today when she saw Yan Xi being splashed with water!
Zhou Qingyu felt a pang of guilt. Seeing Yan Xi’s pitiful state made her heart ache even more.
Yan Xi, who had always been carefree, when had she ever looked this miserable?
Zhou Qingyu might not have much experience in love, but watching the couple videos of Pei Yubai and Ye Luoyi had still made her feel a tinge of sadness. Every time Pei Yubai rejected her, Yan Xi had been there by her side. And what was she doing this time?
Her best friend needed her so much, yet here she was, still thinking about some date?
When you’re heartbroken, you should be by your best friend’s side!
Without hesitation, Zhou Qingyu turned off her phone’s reminder. “It’s just a date. Besides, I’ll be with him for the next few days anyway. Right now, you matter more!”
Yan Xi looked at Zhou Qingyu, and the unshed tears in her eyes finally spilled over like a string of pearls.
Zhou Qingyu wiped the tears from Yan Xi’s cheeks. “Crying over a man isn’t worth it! Come on, I’ll take you shopping! Nothing lifts the mood like shopping—if one trip doesn’t do it, then we’ll spend even more!”
Yan Xi: “Mhm!”
.
Hongrui Mall was the top shopping district in Haicheng, with high-end luxury stores lining the first floor.
Zhou Qingyu pulled Yan Xi into one of the shops, where the saleswoman greeted them with a ninety-degree bow.
Yan Xi was pushed by Zhou Qingyu into the fitting room with a white dress.
As soon as she closed the fitting room door, a system notification rang in her mind—
**[Ding! By preventing Zhou Qingyu from meeting Pei Yubai, Zhou Qingyu’s fortune value has increased by 1 point.]**
“Fortune value?”
Yan Xi blinked. She remembered the system mentioning this when it first appeared, stating that the male and female leads were the “children of fortune.”
Though it was just a minor system, it still patiently explained to Yan Xi: **[Fortune value is a critical indicator in the novel. Fame and wealth are both manifestations of fortune. However, the novel’s male and female leads often seize opportunities from the supporting characters, essentially stealing their fortune.]**
**[Zhou Qingyu, due to her infatuation with Pei Yubai, has provided him with resources and money, causing her fortune to be drained by him.]**
**[In fact, every time Zhou Qingyu follows the novel’s plot, she loses fortune, and by circumventing the plot, her fortune naturally recovers!]**
Yan Xi’s eyes lit up. “If fortune increases, can it change the main plot?”
**[Exactly! Every time a stage of fortune value is unlocked, Zhou Qingyu’s control over the plot decreases. However, only when the fortune value reaches 100 can the predetermined ending of the novel be completely avoided!]**
**[But now the novel’s plot is already past the halfway point. Even if you work hard, it’s impossible for Zhou Qingyu to gain 100 points of fortune through this alone!]**
This was also why the system didn’t believe Yan Xi could succeed. By merely bypassing the plot to gain fortune, Zhou Qingyu could only accumulate a maximum of 50 points of fortune, not to mention many main plot points were unavoidable for Zhou Qingyu, who was still under the control of the narrative.
Yan Xi had her plan. After changing into the dress, she walked out of the fitting room.
Outside, the saleswoman was showing a dress to Zhou Qingyu. “Miss Zhou, this dress is our new summer collection. Its design and cut will be absolutely perfect for you!”
Zhou Qingyu glanced at the dress disdainfully. “This so-called ‘innocent flower’ style is hideous. How can you have such terrible taste? Are you even good at recommending stuff?”
The saleswoman was momentarily at a loss for words. Turning around, she saw Yan Xi emerge from the fitting room.
Zhou Qingyu’s eyes brightened. “Xi Xi, you look gorgeous in that dress! Buy it!”
The saleswoman looked at the dress Yan Xi was wearing and then at the identical dress in her hands.
Saleswoman: “…?”
The little white dress cost over a hundred thousand. Without hesitation, Zhou Qingyu pulled out her black card and handed it to the saleswoman to settle the bill.
The saleswoman’s frustration instantly vanished. She happily took the card to the checkout counter.
So what if Miss Zhou was spoiled? So what if she insulted the saleswoman’s taste? As long as she was willing to spend money, she was God!
Yan Xi felt a bit guilty. Zhou Qingyu always bought her things, but she couldn’t repay her.
“Let's just forget it, I think this dress is just so-so...”
Ding! Yan Xi, your best friend, has received a gift from Zhou Qingyu. Zhou Qingyu's luck value has increased by 0.1 points, current luck value: 1.1 points.
Yan Xi: “——!”
Yan Xi was astonished; could such a thing also increase luck value?
Even the system was puzzled and took a long time to figure it out: 【Host, it probably works because you and Zhou Qingyu are on the same team. If she falls into misfortune, you would help her; therefore, the more affluent you become, the better her luck.】
This explanation made sense. The key point was that this kind of luck increase was unrelated to the novel's plot, belonging to extra income.
Although it was only 0.1, even a tiny mosquito leg is still meat!
The sales assistant was scared that Zhou Qingyu might suddenly decide not to buy, so she quickly packaged the clothes. Yan Xi didn’t reject the offer either; after all, who would decline money (crossed out, luck value)?
After paying the bill, Zhou Qingyu dragged Yan Xi to another store.
On the way, Yan Xi reviewed the novel's plot in her mind: Participating in the variety show "Let's Go Traveling Together" was the main plotline of the novel. In the novel, Zhou Qingyu brought her "best friend" Xu Yangyang to join the variety show. She gave Xu Yangyang one million yuan to plan the trip. Unexpectedly, Xu Yangyang pocketed the money, causing Zhou Qingyu to go on a frugal journey. This revealed Zhou Qingyu’s spoiled temperament, as she continually criticized Xu Yangyang on the trip, and their so-called "plastics sisterhood" was ridiculed by netizens nationwide.
Later, when the Zhou family went bankrupt, Zhou Qingyu sought help from Xu Yangyang, only to be mocked by her. In the end, Zhou Qingyu was driven to the brink of suicide.
“XiXi! That red handbag looks perfect for you! Come and try it on!”
Before she could fully gather her thoughts, Yan Xi was already pulled by Zhou Qingyu into another luxury store.
Zhou Qingyu held various handbags against Yan Xi, comparing them. During the process, Yan Xi had an idea. While trying on a few bags, she appeared uninterested.
Zhou Qingyu asked curiously, “What’s wrong? Are you still thinking about that man? Don’t, he’s not worth it!”
Yan Xi said with concern, “Qingqing, you ease my mind. But tomorrow when you’re gone, what will I do alone?”
She spoke with eyes full of pleading, looking particularly pitiful.
Zhou Qingyu was stunned, thinking about the upcoming variety show, feeling quite conflicted. “This variety show is crucial for me. Second Young Master Pei will be there too… I’ll give you my supplementary card. If you feel down, go shopping! No limit, just swipe away!”
Yan Xi’s heart sank. The system was right; even though Zhou Qingyu was worried about her, the main plotline couldn’t be easily altered.
However, Yan Xi was prepared for this outcome. She quickly changed her tone, “No need for the supplementary card. I don’t want to interrupt your trip with Second Young Master Pei. But I heard your variety show allows you to bring a friend along. Could you bring me? I’d feel better if I could travel abroad for a bit, wouldn’t you think?”
Yan Xi wasn’t sure if replacing Xu Yangyang in the variety show would break the main plot, but she thought it was worth a try.
Feeling nervous, she looked at Zhou Qingyu, fearing another vague refusal.
To her surprise, Zhou Qingyu’s eyes lit up with joy. “XiXi, you’ll come along? That’s wonderful! I initially wanted to invite you, but I was worried it might distract from your studies!”
The original intention of "Let's Go Traveling Together" was to invite friends, family, or couples to travel together. Zhou Qingyu had originally wanted to invite Yan Xi, but considering that Yan Xi was not in the entertainment industry, she was worried she might be affected.
Yan Xi asked again, “The variety show starts tomorrow. Will Xu Yangyang be okay with this?”
Zhou Qingyu waved it off, “Xu Yangyang is an artist from our company. What’s there to be afraid of? We’ll just compensate her with some other resource later!”
Yan Xi let out a sigh of relief.
It seemed that apart from the plots related to Pei Yubai and Ye Luoyi, changing other parts of the story wasn’t that difficult.
Zhou Qingyu linked arms with Yan Xi, “Since we’re going on the show tomorrow, let’s buy more clothes and bags today! Just shop away~”
