One stormy evening, an elderly couple arrived at an inn, hoping to find a room for the night. A young man greeted them warmly but explained with regret, "I'm sorry! Our rooms are all full, and so are the nearby inns, due to an important meeting tomorrow."
Hearing this, the disappointed couple turned to leave.
Just then, the young man stopped them. "If you don't mind," he offered, "you can stay in my room for the night."
The next evening, the couple tried to pay him generously, but the young man refused with a smile. "No, you needn't pay me. I only lent you my room."
"You are a kind young man," the old man said gratefully. "Perhaps one day, I will build a hotel for you."
With that, they left. Watching their receding figures, the young man simply laughed and returned to work.
Several years later, he received a letter from the couple, inviting him to Manhattan. There, he met them in front of a grand hotel.
"Do you remember what I said years ago?" asked the old man. "Look! This is the hotel I built for you."
Soon after, the young man became the hotel's manager.