An unemployed man asks for extra rice from a restaurant; the owner surprisingly offers him: “I was deeply moved…” | Today’s news
A simple request for more food turned into a life-changing opportunity for a young man in China. Wan, an unemployed man, ordered fried rice from a delivery platform in mid-June. The meal cost only 12.8 yuan, which is approx ₹178. What he got in return surprised him.
Next to his order, Wan left a note explaining his desperate circumstances. According to the South China Morning Post, he recently lost his job and has yet to receive his last salary. At the restaurant he said he could only afford one meal a day and begged for a larger portion.
“Please give me more rice. I was recently fired and I haven’t received my salary yet. I can only eat one meal a day. Please!” SCMP quoted Wan as writing in his note.
What arrived exceeded everything he had expected. The snack contained significantly more rice than the standard portion.
On the lid was a handwritten note from the owner of the restaurant inviting Wan to join as an apprentice. The gesture stunned him.
“Come and become an apprentice at my restaurant,” the restaurant owner wrote.
Wan shared his experience on social media shortly after. The video has accumulated around 40 million views and almost four million likes. Audiences across China celebrated the restaurant owner’s compassion and generosity towards a complete stranger.
The owner, surnamed Tan, explained his reasoning simply and without fanfare. According to him, life brings difficulties for everyone. He also remembered receiving kindness from others during his younger, more difficult years. He described his gesture as a small favor rather than something remarkable.
Tan subsequently requested that members of the public refrain from messaging his food delivery account. He noted that he did not have time to respond to the volume of incoming contacts.
“What I did was just a small favor. I hope the public will refrain from messaging me on the food delivery platform because I don’t have time to respond,” the owner said.
Wan has since spoken directly to Tan and confirmed plans to begin his apprenticeship. He intends to document the experiences through videos shared on social networks.
“I just wanted to ask for more rice; I just wanted to feel full. But look at the lid… the owner of the restaurant wants me to prosper,” Wan recounted his story on social media.
“I was deeply moved by the response of the restaurant owner. I never expected such warmth from a stranger,” he told the media.
Reaction on social networks
The public response on Chinese social media platforms has been overwhelmingly warm. Many commenters described being moved to tears.
One observer drew on a well-known proverb: “As the saying goes, ‘Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day, teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.’
One user commented: “Seeing this kind of video reminds me that love still exists in the world. Thank you restaurant boss for your selflessness.”
“I was moved to tears. I hope everyone can experience kindness from the world,” said another user.
