Many friends mean that he still has some skills and can eat well in his social circle, so everyone will make friends with him. It's not bad to show off one or two capable friends to set him off. We often say that "many friends make the road easy" is the truth. What he wants to express is, "even if I am not so good, my friend Niu, I still have someone to support me when I have an accident."
In fact, what can many friends represent? The classmates and colleagues we have known since childhood can be called friends, but how many people really treat them? So instead of showing off these things, it is better to live in the present and use time to improve yourself. It's embarrassing. It makes people feel very depressed.