In a quaint town in the south, there was always a line at a fish stall in the local market. It was renowned for its freshness, and the owner had plans to expand into a chain.
The stall owner, a man in his 50s, once mentioned in a casual chat that his business had not always been so thriving. The change, he said, was all thanks to a young boy and his mother.
A boy with a heavy heart
One day, about five years ago, a boy aged around 7 or 8 visited the market and stopped at the stall, deep in thought.
“Sir, I’d like two butterfish, please.”
The vendor, upon glancing at the boy, picked two fish from a dimly lit spot and weighed them. After fumbling in his pockets for a while, the boy produced a 100-yuan note (US$13.62).
“From your New Year red envelope, I presume? Reluctant to spend it?” teased the stall owner.
The boy’s cheeks flushed. “36 yuan,” declared the vendor, handing back 64 yuan in change. The boy quickly left with his fish and change.
A return and a revelation
Surprisingly, the boy returned the very next day.
“My mother went to the hospital today,” he began, causing the vendor’s eyes to widen in shock. “She’s ill and had to undergo surgery. I bought her favorite fish yesterday; it might have been her last chance to have it. After dinner, she told me: ‘It’s not worth compromising one’s integrity for a small gain.'”
Awkwardly, the boy produced a crisp 100-yuan note from his pocket and handed it to the stall owner. “I’m sorry, sir. The note I gave you yesterday was counterfeit. This one is real.”
The vendor was taken aback. He recalled the transaction from the previous day and realized he had not suspected the innocent-looking boy of using counterfeit money.
With a look of shame, the boy continued: “Thank you, sir. My mother received that fake note a while back, and it was kept in our drawer. She had spent all her money because of her illness. I secretly took the fake note to save 100 yuan for her. I appreciate that you didn’t reprimand me.”
The stall owner was overwhelmed with emotion. He retrieved the counterfeit note from his drawer and handed it back to the boy, who left after a deep bow.
As the boy’s figure receded into the distance, the vendor remained in a daze. At the end of the day, he discreetly disposed of several fish that had been soaked in formalin — which though it gives the appearance of freshness, is harmful to people’s health — tossing them into the trash.
A mother’s enduring legacy
Later, the boy’s mother passed away from her illness, and the boy went back to his hometown for schooling. The vendor never saw him again, but the memories of that boy and his unseen mother always warmed his heart.
The wisdom of a great mother not only sets her child on the right path, but can also touch and inspire others. This is the true greatness of a mother’s influence.
Translated article
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