In the afternoon, a man in his fifties, his skin darkened by the wind and sun of the fields, slowly entered the lobby of one of the most luxurious hotels in the city. He was wearing faded brown clothes, stained with dirt, and old flip-flops. From his appearance, anyone could guess that he was a hard-working farmer who had just come from the countryside.
He approached the reception desk and said in a sincere voice:
– Hello, I would like to rent a room for the night.
The young receptionist, who was wearing makeup, glanced at him from head to toe and frowned. In her eyes, this 5-star hotel only accepted successful, elegant people, not dirty farmers. She cleared her throat and said coldly:
– Uncle, the room rate at our hotel is too high, it is not suitable. You should find a cheap motel there.
The farmer was still patient, smiling gently:
– I know, but I want to rent here. I just need a room, any type is fine.
The receptionist began to lose patience:
– Listen to me, my hotel only serves business and high-class tourists. Find another place, save yourself the trouble.
Several guests standing nearby also looked at him with pity and contempt. Everyone thought that this farmer was a “high-flyer” and didn’t know his place to enter a luxury hotel.
He was silent for a moment, not saying anything more. The atmosphere gradually became tense, because the receptionist deliberately ignored him, unwilling to speak.
An old security guard witnessed the situation and felt embarrassed but didn’t dare to intervene. In his mind, this farmer didn’t seem like a troublemaker, but on the contrary, he was very quiet.
Just as the receptionist was about to turn away, the farmer casually took out his phone from his pocket. It was a shiny, new phone. He dialed a few numbers and called someone. His voice was gentle but full of authority:
– Hello, I’m in the lobby of your hotel. It seems like the staff here don’t want to rent me a room. Can you come down and help me for a moment?
In just a few minutes, the elevator opened. A young man, dressed in a neat suit, walked quickly towards the uncle. When he saw him, he quickly bowed, his voice full of respect:
– When did you come without notice? Why didn’t you call me to pick you up?
The entire hotel lobby fell silent. The man turned out to be the young manager of the hotel – a person respected by the receptionists and staff.
The director turned to the receptionist, his face solemn:
– This is my benefactor. Thanks to you, my family has what it is today. From now on, whenever you come here, consider it as receiving the most honored guest.
The receptionist turned pale and stammered:
– I… I don’t know…
The farmer just smiled gently and waved his hand:
– It’s okay, everyone has times when they judge people by their appearance. I hope that in the future, you won’t be so quick to judge people by their clothes or their poor appearance.
The director folded his hands:
– If you hadn’t lent my father the money in time, my family would never have been able to recover after the incident. This hotel wouldn’t exist either. I will never forget that favor.
Hearing this, the entire hall gasped. The story revealed shocked everyone. The simple farmer, who had been looked down upon just a few minutes ago, had become the benefactor behind the director’s brilliant success.
The receptionist bowed her head, tears welling up in her eyes. She felt ashamed of her own narrow-mindedness and arrogance. Inwardly, she secretly regretted her haste to look down on someone just because of their vulgar appearance.
The director personally took her to the most VIP room of the hotel. Before leaving, the farmer turned around and smiled at everyone:
– Children, poverty or wealth cannot be judged by their clothes. A farmer can also be a benefactor, a hardworking person can also have extraordinary stories. Treat everyone with respect, that is the most important thing.
Those words echoed in the hall, causing everyone to fall silent in thought.
That night, the farmer’s story quickly spread throughout the hotel. Everyone learned a lesson: Don’t judge a book by its cover.
And from that day on, the receptionist completely changed his attitude towards work. He became more patient, polite, and sincere towards every guest, regardless of whether they were rich or poor.
As for the farmer, after a peaceful night’s rest, he left the hotel early and returned to his familiar countryside. His appearance gradually disappeared in the morning sunlight, leaving endless respect in the hearts of those left behind.