Mr. Hoa lives in a small, shabby rented room near the old Eastern bus station. Every morning he wakes up very early, cleans his old motorbike, and then stands waiting for customers. Many people in the neighborhood often tease him, saying: “Who still takes a motorbike taxi these days, everyone calls a ride-hailing service?” He just smiles, his eyes wrinkled, and replies: “As long as there are people riding, I will continue to run, as long as I have something to eat.” After his wife’s death, he had nothing left to hold on to except his calloused hands and the motorbike taxi job he had been doing for decades.

On slow days, he often sat alone watching people passing by. Occasionally, a few old drivers came to chat, but they quickly left after calling for a ride. Mr. Hoa was not sad, his heart was content, he just needed food to get by. His son and daughter had been away for a long time, rarely calling to ask how they were. He kept telling himself: “They are young, still working to make a living, so I don’t blame them.”

One night, it was raining heavily, the wind blew rainwater all over him. He shivered in his torn raincoat, trying to stay a little longer in the hope of finding a customer. In the rain, he saw a young man standing huddled under the awning of a grocery store. He was hugging his wet backpack tightly, looking confused, his eyes constantly looking around. Mr. Hoa approached, his voice hoarse from the cold: “Do you need to go somewhere?”

The boy hesitated for a moment before answering: “I… I lost my wallet, I have no money left.” Mr. Hoa looked at the young face, his eyes were about to cry and felt sorry for him. He nodded: “Okay, I will take you home, consider it a help for once. Students, if you have difficulties, you have to try to overcome them, but money will come back eventually.” Having said that, he took off his old raincoat and put it on the boy. “Put it on, otherwise you will get wet and cold, tomorrow you have school.”

The student bowed his head in thanks, his voice lost in the sound of the rain: “My name is Minh… thank you.” Mr. Hoa just smiled, turned on the gas and took him back to the poor boarding house deep in the dark alley. That night, the rain got heavier and heavier, the road was deserted, but in his heart he felt strangely warm. To him, helping someone was just a small thing, but unexpectedly it left an indelible mark on a young soul. Minh sat behind, clutching his raincoat tightly, his heart aching with a strange sense of gratitude.

Many years later, Minh’s life changed in an unexpected direction. From a poor student, he persevered in his studies and passed the advanced medical program. During the nights on duty at the hospital, the memory of the old motorbike taxi driver in the rain still occasionally returned. It was like a small, smoldering lamp, guiding him not to give up. But with life being busy, Minh no longer had the chance to meet his benefactor that year.

Late one afternoon, the hospital received a serious traffic accident case. The middle-aged man was brought in, his left leg severely broken, his pelvis crushed. Blood stained the stretcher, his breathing was ragged, he mumbled: “Doctor… I don’t have any money, I guess I should go home…” Minh heard that sentence, his heart suddenly tightened. When he saw clearly the gaunt face, the gray hair, he was stunned: it was the motorbike taxi driver from years ago.

At that moment, the whole past seemed to come rushing back, the sound of rain, the smell of old raincoats, a deep voice. Minh squeezed his trembling hand, tears welling up in his eyes: “Don’t worry, I will operate on you myself. Don’t worry about money, you helped me in the past, now it’s my turn to help you back.” Mr. Hoa opened his eyes wide, as if he couldn’t believe it. In the pain, he choked: “So… I was that student that day…”

The surgery lasted for hours, tense to the point of suffocation. Minh and his team put in all their strength, each knife stroke trembling with fear of losing their benefactor. Sweat dripped down under his mask, Minh’s eyes were red but determined. In the end, the surgery was successful, Mr. Hoa’s legs were saved, although it would take a long time to recover. When he heard the news, Mr. Hoa burst into tears, his dry, skinny hand tightly clasping Minh’s hand.

During his days in the hospital, Mr. Hoa often looked out the window, lost in thought. He recalled that rainy night years ago, when he simply thought of giving the poor student a ride and a raincoat. He never expected that such a small act would save him today. Sometimes he muttered: “Living well, God loves you so much…” Minh came to visit him every day, chatting with him like a relative, making him feel warm inside.

One time, he timidly asked: “Minh, I don’t have any money, how can I repay this favor?” Minh shook his head, his voice resolute: “You don’t owe me anything. On the contrary, it was you who planted in me the belief in kindness. If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t have had the strength to get to where I am today.” Mr. Hoa was moved to tears, the loneliness of many years gradually disappearing.

When he was discharged from the hospital, Minh did not let him return to his old rented room. He took him back to live with him, treating him like an old father to take care of. Minh’s small apartment now has a kitchen corner that is always warm with fire and laughter from two generations. Mr. Hoa, who used to be lonely, now has support, someone to care for his every meal and sleep. Happiness came unexpectedly, making him sometimes sit absent-mindedly, as if dreaming.

One afternoon, the rain was drizzling outside the balcony. Mr. Hoa sat on a chair, watching each raindrop fall on the porch roof. He spoke slowly, his voice hoarse but relieved: “It turns out, giving away an old raincoat, you receive a whole new life.” Minh sat beside him, quietly holding that old hand. He smiled and said softly: “It wasn’t me who saved you, but your kindness in the past that saved you today.”

Outside, the rain was still falling steadily, evoking memories of the past but now filled with warmth. Mr. Hoa leaned back in his chair, his eyes closed, a serene smile on his lips. Minh was silent, feeling relieved, as if a circle of cause and effect had been completely closed. The story was simple, not flowery, but carried the weight of human love. Sometimes, just a small act of kindness is enough to change the fate of two people.