A Son's Filial Piety Touches the Heart

As her son, Ye Chen understood what was going on. His mother was reluctant to eat the good stuff, preferring to save it all for him.

So each time, Ye Chen pretended to enjoy the meal thoroughly, then left some, claiming he was full.

Even then, if he was staying for another meal, his mother would save the leftovers for him.

Today, Ye Chen decided to take his parents out to eat and chose this restaurant.

"Son, isn't this place too expensive? We could just find a simpler place to eat," his mother said.

Ah Hua's Shrimp had several branches in Xianghe, but this flagship store in the county town was quite large.

"Mom, it's not expensive. It just looks fancy. The prices here are fixed and don't go up just because the place is big."

"Really?"

"Of course. You'll see once we go inside. Let's go."

Ye Chen led his parents into the restaurant, and a waitress quickly approached them. "Welcome! Please follow me."

The waitress led them to a table and asked, "What would you like to order?"

"Dad, Mom, you sit here for a bit. I'll go order."

"Okay, but don't order too much. We can't finish it all," his mother advised.

"Got it." Ye Chen nodded and then asked the waitress, "Could you bring some water for my parents, please?"

"Certainly."

Ordering didn't actually require going to the counter. He could have stayed seated and ordered, but Ye Chen knew his parents would comment on the prices and ask him to order less.

At the counter, Ye Chen said, "I'd like to place an order."

"Sure, please select what you want."

"Here's the thing: I'd like one big pot, but I want it with double the amount of shrimp."

"Uh, well..."

"Don't worry, I'll pay for the extra shrimp."

"But we don't usually serve it that way. Maybe you should order two pots instead."

Ye Chen sighed and explained, "If I could order two pots, I wouldn't be asking. Can you make an exception?"

"What's the matter?" A woman in her thirties walked over and asked.

"Boss, this gentleman wants a shrimp pot with double the shrimp."

"Sir, I'm sorry, but we charge per pot. Could you order two pots instead?"

Ye Chen understood the restaurant's position. Charging double for one pot could lead to complaints and potential legal issues. A pot is a pot, and any deviation could cause trouble.

"Boss, can you make an exception? I'll pay upfront."

"May I know why you're asking for this exception?" the woman asked.

"Well, I'm bringing my parents out for a meal. As you might know, elderly people are frugal. I want them to eat well. If I order just one pot, it won't be enough. My parents will likely give all the shrimp to me, so..."

"Oh, I see." The young woman nodded and said, "It's rare to see such filial piety. I'll make an exception for you today."

"Thank you. Oh, and please bring a bottle of Niulanshan Erguotou, the ceramic one, eight taels."

"Certainly."

"I'll pay now." Ye Chen took out his phone.

"No need, you can pay after your meal."

"No, I insist on paying a part now. I'll leave a small amount to pay later, in front of my parents."

The owner understood immediately and nodded. "Alright, let's do that."

Ye Chen paid almost the full amount, leaving just a bit unpaid, and returned to the table.

"Son, did you finish ordering?" his father asked.

"Yes," Ye Chen nodded.

"Was it expensive?"

"No, it's quite affordable."

"Oh, alright."

The food arrived quickly since the shrimp was pre-cooked. A large pot filled to the brim with shrimp was brought to their table.

Ye Chen was surprised; this was clearly more than double the amount. Having eaten out before, he knew this was at least three pots' worth of shrimp.

He glanced back at the counter and saw the owner smiling and nodding at him.

Ye Chen could only smile back. He knew this extra amount was the owner's doing, touched by his filial piety.

"Son, why did you order so much? Can we finish it?" his father asked and then turned to the waitress. "This is too much. Can we return some?"

The waitress smiled and said, "Sir, we charge per pot. This is just one order."

"Oh, I see."

The waitress's explanation drew the attention of diners at nearby tables. They looked at the shrimp on Ye Chen's table and then at their own, feeling a bit disgruntled.

"Waitress," one customer called out.

"Yes, sir, how can I help?"

The customer didn't say anything but pointed at his own shrimp pot and then at Ye Chen's.

Seeing this, the waitress quietly explained the situation. Realizing what was going on, the customer gave Ye Chen a thumbs-up, impressed by his filial piety.