Seven Wishes in the Air

The air in Auntie Ping’s restaurant was thick with the smell of fried sesame oil, roasted peanuts, and the loud clack-clack-clack of mahjong tiles from the back room. Outside, the humid evening of the Lunar New Year was filled with the distant pop of firecrackers.

Inside, at the big round table with the red tablecloth, sat the “Seven Stars.” That’s what they called themselves back in primary school. Now, they were thirteen—some taller, some with braces, all a bit more tired from high school life.

“Aiyo, why you so late, Eddy?” Anna teased, pulling out a stool. “We almost started without you. The salmon is getting warm!”

Eddy grinned sheepishly, dropping his heavy backpack. “Sorry, sorry. Extra math tuition. My mom said if I don’t get an A, no more gaming for a month. Siao (crazy), right?”

In the center of the table sat a massive platter. It was the Yee Sang—the Prosperity Toss. Right now, it looked like a colorful mountain of unmixed potential: shredded white radish, green radish, carrots, pickled ginger, and heaps of crunchy toppings.

“Okay, everyone,” Sulin said, her voice soft but firm. She was the ‘leader’ of the group. “You know the tradition. Seven friends, seven ingredients. Don’t just toss for luck. Toss for what you really need this year.”

The First Ingredient: The Oil (Smooth Progress)

Anna grabbed the small pitcher of golden oil. She poured it in a circle over the vegetables.

“This is for my family,” she whispered. Her parents had been arguing a lot lately about money and the family shop. “I want things to be smooth. No more friction. Just… golden and easy.”

“Smooth like butter, Ling,” Jia Hao said, giving her a supportive nudge.

The Second Ingredient: The Carrots (Good Luck)

Jia Hao reached for the bright orange shredded carrots. He sprinkled them on, but his hand shook a little. Usually, he was the loudest one, the star football player. But a knee injury had kept him on the bench for three months.

“For ‘Hong Yun Dang Tou’—good luck at your doorstep,” Jia Hao murmured. “I just want to play again. I’m tired of watching from the sidelines. I want my luck to turn back on.”

The Third Ingredient: The Green Radish (Eternal Youth & Health)

Xiao Wei, the quietest of the bunch, added the green radish. She had missed a lot of school last year because she was always falling sick.

“I don’t want to be the ‘sick girl’ anymore,” she said, her voice gaining strength. “I want to be strong. I want to run with you guys without losing my breath. To health!”

The Fourth Ingredient: The White Radish (Success in Business/Studies)

Eddy dumped the white radish on top. He thought about his math books and his mom’s high expectations.

“Success,” he sighed. “But not just for my mom. I want to feel like I’m actually good at something. I want to find my own way to win.”

The Fifth Ingredient: The Peanuts and Sesame (Wealth and Growth)

“My turn,” Sulin said, scattering the crushed peanuts and fragrant seeds. They looked like gold dust hitting the pile. Sulin’s older brother had moved away for university, and the house felt empty and lonely.

“This is for us,” she said, looking at her six friends. “That our friendship grows like a big tree. No matter where we go, we always come back to this table. That’s the real wealth.”

The Sixth Ingredient: The Plum Sauce (Sweetness)

Ah Boon, the joker of the group, drizzled the thick, sweet plum sauce. He usually made fun of everything, but today he looked serious.

“Life has been a bit salty lately,” he said, referring to his grandfather passing away last month. “I’m adding the sweet sauce because we all need a bit of happiness. Let’s make this year taste better than the last one.”

The Seventh Ingredient: The Deep-Fried Flour Pillows (Golden Bars)

Finally, Siti—who had been part of this group since kindergarten—emptied the packets of crispy golden crackers. They fell like a landslide of gold.

“And these are for courage,” Siti said firmly. “Because we’re all scared of growing up and changing. These are the ‘gold’ we carry inside us. Don’t let anyone break your crunch!”

The Big Toss: Lou Hei!

“Ready?” Sulin asked.

Seven pairs of long wooden chopsticks hovered over the platter.

“ONE… TWO… THREE! LOU HEI!”

They plunged their chopsticks in. They lifted the salad high into the air, higher and higher, shouting their wishes.

“HUAT AH!” (Prosper!) “LUCK!” “HEALTH!” “NO MORE TUITION!” Eddy screamed, making everyone laugh.

The ingredients flew. Pieces of carrot landed on the tablecloth; a stray cracker hit Jia Hao’s nose. They tossed until the colors were a messy, beautiful blur—just like life.

As they sat down to eat the tangled mix, the “Seven Stars” felt lighter. The struggles weren’t gone, but they were shared. The radish was crunchy, the sauce was sweet, and for the first time in a year, everything felt exactly as it should be.

Under the warm glow of Auntie Ping’s lanterns, seven friends finished their meal, ready to face the world outside.