Chapter 10: I Wish You a Long and Prosperous Life

Once she had brought everyone here, Xu Qing’s task was done. She had no right to participate in the birthday celebration, and she was well aware of it. Nodding politely to the elderly guests around her, she quietly took her leave.

This left Lin Xiao standing there, feeling utterly at a loss.

He didn’t know what to do—should he follow Xu Qing out, or should he stay? But when his gaze fell upon the sumptuous spread of food on the table, he knew exactly what he ought to do.

Nothing could keep him from enjoying a free meal. After all, he had a thick enough skin, and besides, Liu Jiao and Zhao Hua had invited him here, so he was justified in being present—what was there to be afraid of?

At that moment, the Sun family approached Old Sun.

“Your son, Sun Qing, with my wife Zhou Ruoyun, my grandson Sun Hong, and great-grandson Sun Bin, all wish you happiness as boundless as the Eastern Sea and a life as enduring as the Southern Mountain. Here is our gift—your favorite spring tea.”

Sun Qing offered a large bundle of spring tea, easily five or six pounds at the least.

Old Sun nodded in contentment. This was exactly to his liking, and his descendants had put in the effort. Seeing the young ones of his family, each inheriting his fine genes, he was deeply satisfied.

“Good! Good! Good! Everyone, find a seat.”

Once the Sun family was settled, every gaze in the room turned toward Lin Xiao.

Under their scrutiny, Lin Xiao felt as though he was being locked in place. Even though these people weren’t intentionally exerting any pressure, the sheer weight of their presence bore down on him.

Damn! Who are these people?

Just a few glances from them, and the pressure was overwhelming.

Lin Xiao cast a pleading glance at Liu Jiao and Zhao Hua. Now that Xu Qing had left, only these two actually knew his identity.

But when his eyes met theirs, Liu Jiao and Zhao Hua exchanged a look and pretended not to see him.

Lin Xiao: (*꒦ິ⌓꒦ີ)

They were throwing him to the wolves!

He looked longingly again at the delicious food before him and swallowed hard. Nothing could stop him from enjoying this feast.

No one was going to speak for him, but he had a tongue of his own.

“Hello, everyone. I’m Lin Xiao, the new resident, just moved in today. I hope you will look after me.”

At the mention that he was a new resident, everyone’s interest was piqued.

Most people here had moved in when Red Sun Retirement Home was first established. While a few joined in the years since, it was rare for even one newcomer a year.

How had a new face appeared out of nowhere, and so young at that? Not a whisper of this had reached their ears.

Feeling the heightened curiosity in their gazes, Lin Xiao braced himself.

“Today is my first day here, and by chance I’ve come upon Old Sun’s birthday banquet. I’ve shamelessly joined in, but since I didn’t know in advance, I haven’t prepared a gift. Please forgive me. All I can offer is three wishes: may you have ten thousand health, ten thousand happiness, and ten thousand joys. Also, happy birthday, and may you live to a hundred.”

Lin Xiao thought his words were flawless—surely they would accept his good intentions.

But almost immediately, he sensed something amiss. After he finished speaking, a strange, chilling silence fell over the room.

He noticed many present were holding back laughter, faces twitching with suppressed amusement.

The Sun family, on the other hand, looked positively grim.

Lin Xiao had expected Sun Qing and his relatives to look displeased—after all, he’d deliberately elevated his own status by calling the birthday honoree “Old Brother Sun,” making him their peer rather than an elder.

But why was even the birthday star himself looking so unhappy after all his well-wishing?

Just as Lin Xiao was feeling lost, Liu Jiao cleared her throat.

“Ahem!”

Lin Xiao’s eyes darted to her. He saw laughter shimmering in her gaze, and she gave him a subtle hint.

Following her glance, Lin Xiao noticed a banner hanging in front of the guest of honor:

“Congratulations to Old Sun on his ninety-ninth birthday!”

Lin Xiao: ୧(๐･᷄ࡇ･᷅)ง?

Was there a problem? It didn’t seem like anything was wrong.

Why was everyone trying not to laugh?

Wait! What had he just wished for the birthday star?

A hundred years of life?

And how old was Old Sun today? Ninety-nine?

Wasn’t he just wishing the old man would die next year? No wonder the faces were so sour!

Was it too late to take back his words?

How could he have been so careless? With a great-grandson so grown, surely Old Sun wasn’t young—how could he have made such a rookie mistake?

“Ahem! Please, Old Brother Sun, don’t take offense. I’m new here and unfamiliar with things. Let me wish you a thousand years of life instead.”

At this, many of the elderly present could no longer contain themselves and burst out laughing.

Lin Xiao felt his embarrassment deepen, almost wishing he could sink through the floor.

Thankfully, his skin was thick enough that he didn’t flee in panic.

Sun Zhiyuan, the birthday celebrant, was surprised by the appearance of this outsider, but as the host, he couldn’t simply throw Lin Xiao out—otherwise, he’d be the butt of jokes among his peers for the rest of his life.

Suppressing his temper, he nodded to Lin Xiao.

“Young man, please take a seat. Since you’re a new resident here, we’ll have plenty of time to get to know each other. Rest assured, I’ll be sure to look after you.”

A chill ran down Lin Xiao’s spine—he could tell that when Sun Zhiyuan said “look after,” he put particular emphasis on it.

This “care” probably wasn’t what he’d hoped for. Looking at the old man’s sinewy physique, Lin Xiao suddenly felt a headache coming on.

Was it still possible to make an escape?

Nonsense! How could he think of running? He’d just spent five million to move in here.

Running away would be too unfair to his poor wallet!

Besides, since he’d been invited to sit, he had to make the most of this meal. Even if he died, he would die on a full stomach!

With this thought, Lin Xiao found himself a seat.

Since he didn’t know many people, and Sun Hua’s table was already full, he joined Liu Jiao’s table, where a spot was available. Without hesitation, he sat down beside her.

“Sis, you weren’t very kind just now. Why didn’t you help explain things for me?”

Liu Jiao covered her mouth with a laugh. “Little brother, in your current situation, it wasn’t my place to explain. Besides, didn’t you handle it well enough yourself?”

“Don’t mention it. I was mortified.”

“So you know how to feel embarrassed. Take my advice: your real troubles are just beginning.”

Lin Xiao gazed helplessly upward. Was her idea of “good days” really the same as his?

And why did he feel a chill running down his back, as though many unfriendly gazes were fixed on him?

Was it just his imagination?

It had to be!