Chapter 181: Chapter 173: Shocking the Entire Audience
Liu Xuan had met Xiao Lin before, twice, in fact. However, the first time was through a car window, and the second time was in such a dimly lit environment. Of course, if Liu Xuan saw Xiao Lin’s car, she might guess who he was. For now, she just felt that he looked somewhat familiar and that she had seen him in recent days, but she couldn’t recall where they had met, let alone know Xiao Lin’s identity.
Liu Xuan softly greeted her parents and walked towards Xiao Lin with a puzzled look, thinking, "He’s quite handsome, but this outfit he’s wearing looks a bit like something from a flea market, doesn’t it?"
"Are you calling me?" Liu Xuan asked softly.
Seeing Liu Xuan approach, Xiao Lin felt relieved, nodded, and said, "Miss Liu, you don’t recognize me? I’m Xia Xue’s boyfriend!" Although that night Xiao Lin had only seen Liu Xuan when she picked up Xia Xue at the mall entrance, he hadn’t noticed her in the private room. But just seeing her that once was enough for him, not to mention that Xia Xue had mentioned Liu Xuan several times at home, so he knew Liu Xuan’s name.
"Xia Xue’s friend?" Liu Xuan was momentarily stunned, not catching the "boy" part before "friend," then remembered the incident that night and exclaimed in surprise, "I remember now, no wonder you looked so familiar, it’s you! Why are you outside? Why not go in?" With Xiao Lin’s clarification, Liu Xuan recalled and thought Xia Xue’s current choice seemed reliable. His looks were just slightly less impressive than her cousin’s.
Xiao Lin blushed rarely, smiled awkwardly, and said, "Um... Xia Xue forgot to give me the invitation, and I also forgot to prepare a red envelope!"
Liu Xuan almost burst out laughing immediately, thinking, "Coming to wish someone’s grandpa a happy birthday, you didn’t even prepare a red envelope? Truly absent-minded," then she opened her bag, fished out a big red envelope, and handed it to Xiao Lin, saying, "Will this do?"
"But I don’t have any cash or a checkbook with me, just a card. I saw other people were paying by card too!" Xiao Lin said somewhat awkwardly, feeling utterly embarrassed today, for the first time in his life.
At this moment, after watching his father escort Liu Xuanzhi and his wife inside, Xia Liang turned back and saw Liu Xuan actually talking with that poor guy. Actually, Xia Liang didn’t want to look down on the poor guy. It’s just that in such a setting, if you embarrass yourself, the Xia Family will also follow suit. He couldn’t help but walk over and ask Liu Xuan, "Xuan Mei, why aren’t you going in? Do you know this man?"
"Yes, he’s Xia Xue’s friend, but he forgot to bring a gift. You’ve misunderstood. I’m making up for the gift now!" Liu Xuan explained to Xia Liang with a smile.
Xia Liang was momentarily taken aback but then displayed the demeanor of a true gentleman. After all, the person came to offer congratulations, regardless of wealth or poverty, it’s a sign of sincerity. Besides, he’s Xia Xue’s friend, and Xia Xue’s importance to the Xia Family is self-evident. After marrying Fatty Wang from the Wang Family, the Xia Family will leverage the Wang Family’s momentum to rise further, striving to be among the top families in Yanjing.
"Mm, okay then, sorry about that earlier!" Xia Liang said courteously.
"I can only use a card, is that okay?" Xiao Lin asked, feeling a bit embarrassed. This kind of blunder was something he lacked experience with. Previously, when he congratulated other elders on their birthdays, there were always many people with him, so Xiao Lin only needed to go up and say a few words, without having to worry about these details.
"No problem!" Xia Liang nodded, estimating that this young man would at most swipe one or two thousand. But for a regular working person, that was quite sincere. Xia Liang wasn’t one to look down on others because of their socioeconomic status.
Just then, more people came to extend their congratulations. Xia Liang, after apologizing to Liu Xuan and Xiao Lin, asked Liu Xuan to take Xiao Lin to settle the gift, and went to receive the guests.
Outside, quite a few people still hadn’t entered. Some were likely waiting for others, while some wanted to see who this young man, wearing flea market-like clothes, really was, or maybe they wanted to laugh at Xiao Lin. Naturally, a few young women noticed Xiao Lin’s handsome appearance and gazed at him for an eyeful, some even having the urge to keep him as their boy toy. With those looks and that build, a bit of grooming would make him stunning outside.
Of course, in such a setting, no one dared to approach and bother Xiao Lin, fearing it would only embarrass them further.
Seeing Xiao Lin being led by a beautiful woman towards the villa entrance, approaching the gift-receiving table, the other Xia Family members were quite surprised, asking Xia Liang, "Big brother, does Miss Liu know that man?"
"Yes, he’s Xia Xue’s friend. I guess he must be her colleague from the hospital!" Xia Liang guessed accurately.
"Xia Xue is really too brazen, isn’t she? Didn’t she tell her friends about the Xia Family’s rules? Coming so late without even preparing a gift, it’s truly embarrassing!" One woman said, likely jealous of Xia Xue’s good match or resentful because Xia Xue didn’t marry Qu Haobo from the Qu Family.
"Fourth sister, don’t talk too much!" Xia Liang glared at his fourth sister and stopped speaking. However, he was quite curious about the identity of Xia Xue’s friend. In past years, Elder Xia had celebrated his birthday, but Xia Xue rarely introduced her colleagues or general friends to the celebration.
It was only five or six steps to the gift reception area, and the two of them arrived quickly. Xiao Lin took out that Purple Gold Card from Huaxia Bank and looked at Liu Xuan, asking, "How much should I give for the gift money?"
"For general friends, on this kind of occasion, over ten thousand should be fine!" Liu Xuan didn’t say too much, but she assumed that this young man could likely afford over ten thousand.
"What if it’s Xia Xue’s fiancé? How much would be appropriate?" Xiao Lin asked in a low voice.
"Xia Xue’s fiancé? If it’s his first time visiting, a hundred to eight hundred thousand shouldn’t be forgotten, and given it’s Elder Xia’s eightieth birthday, two to three million is inevitable!" Liu Xuan replied casually, then was startled and looked at Xiao Lin in confusion, as if she had misheard. She asked, "What did you just say? Xia Xue’s fiancé? Isn’t Xia Xue’s fiancé Fatty Wang?" These days, the Xia Family had already spread the word that on Elder Xia’s eightieth birthday, another big event would be announced. Apparently, this big event was the strategic alliance through the marriage of Xia Xue and Fatty Wang from the Wang Family, which in simpler terms is the Xia-Wang Union.
"Who told you it’s that Fatty from the Wang Family?" Xiao Lin smiled faintly.
At this time, the person at the gift reception area was stunned for a moment, seeing Xiao Lin take out that Purple Gold Card. They looked up at Xiao Lin with increasing surprise. Others might not know about this Purple Gold Card, but this gift reception worker dealt with banks daily and was quite familiar with Huaxia Bank’s Purple Gold Card. It’s an unlimited withdrawal card that is accepted worldwide. But Xiao Lin, dressed obviously in cheap clothes, where did he get this Purple Gold Card?
"Excuse me, is this your card?" The gift reception worker asked in disbelief. This was absurd, right? A young man dressed in thrift-shop clothes took out a Huaxia Bank Purple Gold Card. Such a card, even within Huaxia, wouldn’t exceed a hundred in circulation. Worldwide, these cards wouldn’t be issued more than five hundred times. Much like top-tier credit cards from other leading global banks, the Huaxia Bank Purple Gold Card is a symbol of status and wealth.
"Of course it’s mine!" Xiao Lin replied casually, then swiped the Purple Gold Card through the machine. The card machine immediately made a beep: "Please enter the password!" Xiao Lin followed the prompt and entered the password.
At this moment, Liu Xuan only noticed the question from the gift reception worker. She looked at that Purple Gold Card in Xiao Lin’s hand with quite a bit of curiosity and asked, "Xiao Lin, what kind of card is this? Does Huaxia Bank issue this kind of card?" Liu Xuan had seen plenty of Huaxia Bank’s Green Cards, Dragon Cards, and Platinum Cards, even exclusive pure black cards with a ten billion Huaxia currency credit limit, but she had never seen this kind of flashy Purple Gold Card.
"Yes, they do. How could I swipe it if they didn’t issue it?" Xiao Lin smiled and responded.
"Is it newly issued?" Liu Xuan asked indifferently, assuming it might be a new regular credit card.
"Sir, how much gift money are you giving?" The gift reception worker remained quite calm, not shocked by the line of numbers in the Purple Gold Card. After dealing with banks frequently, they had been fortunate enough to see such a card once or twice.
"Since it’s the old man’s birthday, let’s make it nine million nine hundred ninety-nine thousand nine hundred ninety-nine!" Xiao Lin said calmly.
Of course, when Xiao Lin mentioned nine million nine hundred ninety-nine, Liu Xuan’s expression remained calm. Although it wasn’t over ten thousand, judging by the young man’s attire, that must be all he could manage. It should be his limit.
However, when Xiao Lin added a unit behind the nine million nine hundred ninety-nine and then repeated nine million nine hundred ninety-nine again, Liu Xuan was so shocked her jaw nearly dropped.
"Uh... are you sure... okay!" The gift reception worker, though mentally prepared, thought this young man, given he had such a card, wouldn’t be stingy but expected he would give just a few million at most. They didn’t anticipate that he would give nearly a hundred million at once.
With trembling hands, after confirming it twice, they pressed the confirm button and then loudly shouted, "Xiao Lin, has given a gift of nine million nine hundred ninety-nine thousand nine hundred ninety-nine! I wish Elder Xia a long and healthy life!"
The voice of the gift reception worker was high-pitched and resounding. Even those inside the villa’s entrance heard the announcement, and everyone in the yard looked over. What kind of person is this Xiao Lin, giving nearly a hundred million as a gift? Quite impressive! (To be continued. If you like this work, welcome to visit Qidian () to vote for recommendations and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation.)