Affection System: I have everything the goddess wants.

Cao Xu placed two bottles of Moutai on the dining table, his gaze sweeping across the surface, his tone carrying an exaggerated admiration:

"Oh my, Brother Wu, you've prepared such a huge feast again, with all sorts of cooking methods from stir-frying and steaming to boiling. I really admire your culinary skills; Teacher Wen is so lucky to have married you."

Embarrassed by the praise, Wu Zhe subconsciously raised his hand to touch his bald head and grinned:

"Please sit down. It's not as exaggerated as you say. These are just home-style dishes. Come sit at the table, I'll open the wine."

Wen Ya had already walked to Liu Yan's side, reached out and gently pulled her arm, leading her towards the dining table.

Liu Yan walked slowly, and when Wen Ya pulled her to the table, her eyes were lowered, and she didn't dare to look in Cao Xu's direction.

Wen Ya arranged for her to sit next to Cao Xu, while she went around to the other side of the table and sat with Wu Zhe.

Cao Xu pulled out a chair and sat down. Liu Yan sat down to his left, with less than an arm's length between them.

Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Liu Yan's fingers still slightly curled on her knees, her nails digging into her palms.

Wu Zhe opened a bottle of Moutai that Cao Xu had brought, and while pouring the liquor, he busied himself with preparations:

"Come on, have some vegetables first. You're in luck today. Your sister-in-law cooked this matsutake chicken soup herself. It's been simmering all morning. Try it."

"Yan Yan is eating vegetables too."

Cao Xu took the soup bowl, lowered his head and took a sip. The soup was golden and clear, and the aroma of matsutake mushrooms was fully infused into it, making it fresh, fragrant and mellow.

He put down his bowl and nodded: "Teacher Wen's soup is absolutely amazing."

Wenya lowered her head, picked up a piece of green vegetable with her chopsticks and put it in her bowl. She didn't say anything, not wanting to pay attention to this bad guy.

Liu Yan sat beside her, remaining silent throughout.

Wu Zhe drank a glass of wine, put down the glass, glanced around the table, and spoke with the warmth of a host preparing a meal:

"Yan Yan, your aunt says you're a good cook. Come over sometime and show off your skills."

Liu Yan raised her head, forced a smile, and said in a slightly hoarse voice, "Yes, Uncle."

Cao Xu picked up a piece of braised pork and put it in his bowl, chewing it slowly and deliberately, as if he hadn't noticed the person sitting next to him with complicated feelings.

Liu Yan's gaze finally couldn't help but shift, landing on his profile.

He was chatting with Wu Zhe about purchasing gym equipment, looking relaxed with a slight smile on his lips.

She had prepared a lot to say to him.

Explanation, apology, even acting cute or throwing a tantrum are all acceptable.

But now he was sitting next to her, acting as if nothing had happened, which hurt her more than any harsh words.

Wenya glanced at her from across the room, her gaze carrying a gentle encouragement.

Liu Yan seemed to be pushed by that gaze, took a deep breath, picked up the wine glass in front of her, and turned to face Cao Xu.

Her voice was very soft, "Cao Xu."

Cao Xu turned his head to look at her.

Liu Yan held up her glass, her knuckles white, her lips trembling slightly, trying to suppress her surging emotions into a complete sentence: "I...I'd like to toast you."

Cao Xu looked at her for two seconds, then picked up his wine glass and clinked it against hers.

After a few rounds of drinks, Wen Ya saw that everyone was in a good mood and had finished eating, so they stopped eating. Only Cao Xu and Wu Zhe occasionally clinked glasses and took a sip.

"Alright, stop drinking and get down to business."

Wen Ya's gaze swept back and forth between Cao Xu and Liu Yan. "After Yan Yan came today, she told me about the two of you."

I listened to what they said and felt there was a slight misunderstanding. Since everyone's here today, let's clear things up."

She picked up her wine glass, took a sip, and a blush rose to her cheeks. Her tone carried a hint of half-truth and half-sorrow:

"I introduced you two, and now I'm responsible for after-sales service if anything goes wrong. Lao Wu, tell me, am I putting in a lot of effort for no one's benefit?"

Wu Zhe had just picked up a peanut and put it in his mouth when he heard this, and immediately chimed in, his cheeks still puffed out:

"Of course! You two young people shouldn't be going to your parents all the time. Don't keep things bottled up; you have to talk it out to solve problems."

After chewing the peanuts, he picked up his glass, took a sip of wine, and gestured with his chin toward Liu Yan. "Yan Yan, you go first. What's going on between you two? I'll be your judge."

Liu Yan sat next to Cao Xu, her gaze fixed on the porcelain bowl in front of her, which still had half a bowl of soup left, as if searching for the right words.

Wenya didn't urge her, but waited quietly.

Wu Zhe also put down his chopsticks, leaned back in his chair, and looked ready to listen attentively.

Liu Yan finally spoke.

"Cao Xu and I went on a trip, and on the night we came back, we ran into someone at my doorstep."

She paused for a moment, then said, "His name is Shen He. We had a flirtatious relationship before. But we never had any formal relationship; we just chatted and had meals together a few times."

She glanced at Cao Xu sideways and continued, her voice gradually becoming steady:

"That day he blocked my doorway, grabbed me and wouldn't let me leave, and said a lot of nasty things."

Cao Xu was there at the time and saw the whole thing. Afterwards, I blocked Shen He, blocking his phone number and WeChat.

But Cao Xu blocked me too, without giving me a chance to explain.

"I admit, I did have ambiguous relationships with other people. But those were all before I met Cao Xu. Before I met you, didn't I have the right to choose?"

She turned around and looked directly at Cao Xu, speaking faster than before, with an eagerness to be understood.

"After I met you, I slowly fell in love with you, and then I made it clear to the others that I would no longer contact you."

I intended to get along well with you, otherwise I wouldn't have done this.

"Of course Shen He reacted strongly to what I did, which is why he waited for me at my doorstep. I've explained all of this to you, but you just won't listen."

Cao Xu placed his wine glass on the table and leaned forward slightly.

He looked at Liu Yan, a faint smile playing on his lips. "Can I trust you now?"

"I've encountered one Shen He, but who knows if there are any other Shen Hes?"

I'm so devoted to you, often taking time out of my busy work and studies to date you, and even arranging trips, chartering planes, booking suites, and painting oil paintings—everything is prepared with care.

I never imagined you were such a scumbag, cheating on me with multiple men and deceiving my feelings. How could you accept my unwavering devotion?

Wenya paused for a moment in mid-air, holding the water glass.

She has seen many big scenes, and she can remain calm and composed in any situation.

This includes being controlled by an app while on stage.

But Cao Xu's shameless statement about "devoted dedication" almost made her lose her composure.

She lowered her head and took a sip of water, suppressing the slight smile that was about to rise to the corners of her mouth.

Seeing that Cao Xu was about to escalate the matter further, Wen Ya put down her cup and raised her hand to make a pressing motion in the air.

"That's enough for you."

Her tone wasn't harsh. "Yan Yan said it was a misunderstanding, and that her flirting with others happened before you did. Don't be so unforgiving."

After she finished speaking, she turned her head and glanced at Cao Xu.

That glance was brief, but the meaning was clear: Don't be shameless.

Everyone has the right to say the word "devoted," but you, surnamed Cao, are the least qualified.

......