Chapter 11: Unable to Bear Such Fortune

Sitting with Liu Jiao were all the grandmothers from the nursing home. Lin Xiao noticed that although the years had faded their youthful glow, each of these women still radiated a unique charm; each bore her own distinguishing features, and he had the distinct impression that, in their younger days, these ladies must have been breathtaking beauties.

Although Zhao Hua did not sit at this table, he was not far from Lin Xiao. Zhao Hua patted Lin Xiao on the shoulder and said, "Young man, I must commend your courage. You should know that the women at your table are very much sought after in our nursing home. Many have tried to win their favor, but none have been allowed to sit here. Yet you, without any reserve, have taken a seat—this will surely ruffle some feathers."

Lin Xiao at last understood the chill that had crept up his spine—it was because of this. He wondered if these people would even be jealous over him.

"Brother Zhao, please don't frighten me. I'm still just a child of 216 months," he replied.

"I know what you mean, but others might not see it that way. You'd best look after yourself," Zhao Hua remarked.

Liu Jiao interjected, her expression fierce. "Old Zhao, don't scare little Lin. If anyone dares trouble him, we’ll be the ones to trouble them! From now on, we’ll look after young Zhao. Ladies, am I right?"

"That's right! We'll look after him!"

"Little brother, if anyone bullies you, your sisters will stand up for you!"

The whole table echoed their support, and Lin Xiao could not have felt more flattered. Having spent some time in this nursing home, he was well aware that the staff here were not limited to Xu Qing; there were several others, but without exception, they were all young women. It had been so long since they’d seen a lively young man like Lin Xiao, they’d nearly forgotten what it was like. Not to mention, Lin Xiao was exceedingly handsome. Even if they had no designs on him, it was pleasant enough simply to have such a dashing young man at their table.

With the backing of so many grandmotherly figures, Lin Xiao found himself sitting a little straighter, bolstered by their support. The commotion drew the attention of Sun Zhiyuan, who felt his own limelight being stolen by this young fellow. Still, with so many eyes upon him, he decided to let it go—so long as the boy didn’t end up in his hands.

"Alright, everyone, it's getting late. Let’s begin! Eat and drink your fill!" Sun Zhiyuan announced.

No sooner had he finished speaking than Lin Xiao’s stomach audibly rumbled in perfect timing.

"Lin, you must be hungry. Go ahead and eat. We haven't had such a sumptuous meal in a long time—don’t be shy," Liu Jiao said, setting a piece of meat before him. The others quickly followed suit, heaping food onto Lin Xiao’s plate.

This left Lin Xiao somewhat overwhelmed. Neither in his previous life nor in the life of this body’s former owner had he ever experienced such treatment. Unbidden, his eyes stung with emotion. He immediately picked up his chopsticks and began to eat ravenously.

Liu Jiao noticed the change in him but said nothing, simply adding more food to his plate. She realized that this little fellow might be a pitiable soul.

Their table’s activity drew the ire of many of the elderly men nearby.

"Why? Even Wenwen never gave me food like that!"

"Oh, give it a rest. Wenwen is mine, not yours!"

"I'm going to teach that kid a lesson! Oh, my dear Qin, how could you give him food?"

Such chatter filled the hall, but Lin Xiao paid it no mind; his focus was solely on eating. Amidst the borrowed meal, he felt a warmth he had not known in a long time—a feeling that was profoundly comforting.

As he continued to devour his food, he suddenly sensed waves of heat surging within his body—something he had never experienced before. He felt an intense heat, yet it was oddly pleasant. But this comfort lasted only a moment; the heat soon turned violent, and Lin Xiao felt as though his body might burst.

What was happening to him? Was the food poisoned?

Liu Jiao was the first to notice his distress. It was not poisoning, but rather that his body could not handle such nourishment—he had overindulged. She had forgotten how weak this boy’s cultivation was; even calling him a level one ability-user was a stretch. Consuming so many potent foods at once, it was only natural his body could not withstand it. Of course, with her present, there would be no real danger.

She raised her hand gently, a green glow emanating from her palm and merging into Lin Xiao’s body. He immediately felt a soothing energy calm the raging force within him, making him feel much better. He looked at Liu Jiao in surprise.

Liu Jiao was, astonishingly, a rare healer. Such healers were highly sought after by any team, and as Lin Xiao sensed, her level was likely quite high.

He did not ask further; he had long known this place was no ordinary nursing home, and he would have to explore its secrets gradually. It was unwise to question too directly.

"Thank you, sister. What happened to me?"

"It's nothing; you just overindulged a bit."

"Overindulged? How could that be? I only ate a few bites, and nothing seemed especially nourishing. How did I overdo it?"

Liu Jiao smiled. "It's just that your cultivation is too low. Look, this pork is from a level-seven Thornback Boar, the chicken is from a level-six Rainbow Fowl, and the fish is a level-seven Ice-Spined Bass. In fact, nothing on this table is from a beast below level five. Even though these spirit beasts have been dead for some time, their flesh still contains considerable spiritual energy. With your constitution, it’s no wonder you can’t handle it."

Lin Xiao was stunned.

Can anyone tell me what is going on here? Though his cultivation was low, the original owner of this body had solid theoretical knowledge, and he knew something about the world’s spirit beasts. Any beast above level five was capable of destroying a town, yet now he was dining on nothing but such creatures. What kind of terrifying place had he landed in?

Seeing Lin Xiao’s astonishment, Liu Jiao chuckled.

"Although I can help you stabilize the energy, you really shouldn’t eat any more, or your body will still suffer."

Lin Xiao’s face fell. To be surrounded by such delicacies and unable to eat them was the worst torment imaginable—second only to having his money stolen. But soon his gaze drifted to the vegetables.

Liu Jiao caught his meaning and smiled. "Those are all rare herbs, too. Though their properties are milder, your body is in no condition to continue eating."

Lin Xiao looked heavenward in dismay. What had he done to deserve this?

"Enough, don’t complain after getting such a windfall. Out there, you wouldn’t be able to afford a meal like this no matter how much you paid. Just count yourself lucky. Even the little you’ve eaten will benefit you greatly."

She spoke the truth. Though he had eaten only a small portion, Lin Xiao already felt full and stronger than ever, as though he could fell an ox with three punches.