Affection System: I have everything the goddess wants.

Wu Zhe was the first to stand up and raise his glass.

Wen Ya got up as well, and Liu Yan quickly poured herself a beer. When she stood up, the chair slid back half an inch, but she didn't bother to hold on and instead held the glass and went to the table.

The four cups clinked together above the round table, making a crisp sound.

Wu Zhe tilted his head back and downed the wine in one gulp. When he put down the glass, his eyes were full of satisfaction, like a chivalrous knight who had saved a couple who were lost in their relationship.

Cao Xu put down his wine glass, sat back down in his chair, and turned to look at Liu Yan.

She was putting the glass back on the table, her fingertips still lingering on the rim, as if she had drunk the wine too quickly and hadn't caught her breath yet.

"Remove Shen He from the blacklist," Cao Xu said casually, as if it were a trivial matter. "I don't mind if we just treat each other as friends."

Liu Yan thought she had misheard.

She turned her head to look at him, a look of disbelief and confusion in her eyes, then immediately shook her head, her tone resolute and determined:

"No. I can't give him any more ambiguous signals or opportunities. This kind of person is too extreme; I can't leave him any room for hope."

Seeing her tense expression, Cao Xu chuckled, picked up the wine bottle, poured himself a small glass, and spoke calmly:

"You don't need to overreact like this. They're just normal friends. Otherwise, wouldn't it be troublesome if he kept changing his number to harass you?"

He picked up his glass, took a sip, and as he put the glass down, a hint of amusement flickered in his eyes:

"Besides, isn't he hoping we break up? Let him keep an eye on us. We'll post lovey-dovey pictures on social media every day, so he'll never see that day."

After saying that, he turned to the side and gently took Liu Yan's hand that was resting on the table.

Liu Yan's fingers stiffened slightly in his palm for a moment.

Cao Xu's palms were dry and warm. She looked down at the hand that was being held, and her eyes unexpectedly reddened.

In her opinion, this statement was no less than Cao Xu's confession.

She had heard the phrase "Let's be together" from others many times, but never before had it made her feel so heavy yet so joyful.

Cao Xu asked her to remove Shen He from the blacklist not because he didn't care, but because he cared enough to be willing to use the most clumsy way to declare his sovereignty to everyone.

Isn't this what it means to finally see the rainbow after going through wind and rain?

Good things often come with difficulties.

I and Cao Xu are a match made in heaven.

A tear slid down her cheek and landed on the cuff of her clothes, leaving a small, dark, damp stain.

She turned her head away and quickly wiped the corner of her eye with her other hand, but the corner of her mouth curved into a smile that she couldn't suppress.

Wenya sat opposite, holding a cup, watching this scene, and gently shook her head.

Her lips were also smiling, but there was a meaning in that smile that only she herself understood.

Wen Ya turned her head to look at Wu Zhe, who was pouring himself a drink, a look of satisfaction on his face.

Wu Zhe raised his glass and waved it at Cao Xu again: "Come on, have another drink. I wish you two a good relationship in the future."

Cao Xu picked up his wine glass and clinked it against his.

Wenya also raised her glass, and Liu Yan used her free hand to pick up the beer bottle and poured herself another half glass.

The four of them sat around the table, and the last round of drinks was exceptionally quiet. All that needed to be said had been said, and all that remained was time and companionship.

Night slowly spread outside the window, enveloping the entire city in a gentle moonlight.

[System Notification: Liu Yan's favorability has increased by 3 points, currently at 88 points!]

The meal lasted from noon until dusk.

All four of them drank quite a bit, with Cao Xu and Wu Zhe being the main drinkers.

After finishing two bottles of Moutai, they opened a bottle of red wine and a few bottles of beer.

Wu Zhe has always had a good alcohol tolerance, but he clearly drank even more to his heart's content today.

The bald man's head gleamed with an oily sheen, and his voice was half an octave higher than usual. He would occasionally slap the table and say, "Brother Cao, listen to me."

Cao Xu kept him company, drinking one cup after another, his expression impassive, but his feet were already starting to feel unsteady.

Wen Ya and Liu Yan also had a few drinks.

Wenya drank with restraint, sipping several cups of baijiu and most of a glass of red wine from the start of the banquet until the end. Her cheeks were only slightly flushed, and her eyes remained clear.

Liu Yan drank quite a bit, downing two ounces of baijiu mixed with two bottles of beer. Her ears and neck were tinged with a light pink, and her smile was more charming than usual.

"That's enough, Brother Wu. Have a good time drinking today." Cao Xu stood up, holding onto the edge of the table.

"Alright, then I won't keep you any longer. Go back and get some rest, we'll talk again when you wake up tomorrow." Wu Zhe stood up to see him off, his smile particularly hearty.

Wen Ya stood by the dining table and glanced up at Cao Xu.

That glance was subtle, yet it carried a meaning that only the two of them could understand.

Liu Yan stood up as well.

She walked up to Cao Xu, looked up at him, her eyes sparkling with a hint of eager anticipation: "Cao Xu, have you had too much to drink? Let me take you home to rest."

Cao Xu turned his head to look at her.

Liu Yan stood in the warm light of the entryway, a few strands of hair falling beside her ears, exuding a charming naiveté after drinking and an irrepressible initiative.

Cao Xu did drink quite a bit, but he was nowhere near blacking out.

Qin Shuyao and Tao Jiayi were both at home, so how could he possibly bring Liu Yan back?

But if he directly refuses, it doesn't fit his usual persona and could easily arouse Liu Yan's suspicion.

His mind worked incredibly fast, and he devised a plan almost instantly.

He took a step forward, leaning towards Liu Yan as if he had lost his balance, and put his hand on her shoulder, pressing half of his weight onto her.

He mumbled incoherently, "Great...you finally agreed...don't worry, I'll take responsibility, I'll be gentle...come on, let's go home and sleep."

He spoke incoherently, his voice not loud, but loud enough for everyone in the living room to hear clearly.

Liu Yan's face flushed red instantly.

She instinctively took half a step back, raised her hand to push his arm away, her voice both urgent and shy:

"What nonsense are you talking about! My aunt is still here! I was just worried you might fall if you drank too much, who said I wanted to sleep with you—"

Cao Xu, not one to back down, clung to her and refused to get up, muttering incoherently, "It's bound to happen sooner or later... Hurry up, come home with me..."

As he spoke, he put his arm around her and walked towards the door, deliberately taking unsteady steps as if he were about to fall over at any moment.

Liu Yan froze, her face flushed crimson, unable to push him away. She turned to look at Wen Ya, her voice urgent as if she were complaining:

"Auntie, look at him! He starts acting like a scoundrel after drinking—"

......