Fifteen years ago, I traveled to another city in China on a business trip. After concluding my meetings, I stopped by a shopping mall to buy some gifts for my colleagues. Whenever I visited a shopping district, I liked to keep a handful of coins in my pocket. There were often people begging nearby, and giving away a few coins always left me with a sense of peace. That day was no different, and I scattered a dozen or so coins among a group of young beggars. Just then, I noticed a boy holding a sign high above his head, clearly hoping to catch my attention. I walked over and saw that he looked about 13 or 14. His clothes were worn but clean, and his neatly combed hair suggested he took pride in his appearance. Unlike the others, he wasn’t holding an enamel cup for alms; instead, one side of his sign showed a drawing of a boy shining shoes, while the other read: “I want to buy a shoeshine box.”
At the time, I worked in the investment business. Since I wasn’t in a hurry, I asked him how much he needed to buy the box. “One hundred and twenty-five yuan,” he answered. I shook my head, noting that it seemed like an expensive shoeshine box. The boy replied matter-of-factly: “It’s not expensive at all. I’ve been to the wholesale market four times, and I’ve checked everything. I’ll need a professional shoeshine box, a stool, leather cleaner, soft brushes, and more than a dozen different shoe polishes. I can’t meet my standards with anything less.” He spoke in a local dialect, but with remarkable confidence and careful reasoning.
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