Recently, a video of Huang Zhanhu, the owner of Tian Ji Longjiang Pig Trotter Rice Restaurant in Panyu District, Guangzhou, offering a "Meal No. 2" for free to a young stranger went viral, prompting widespread praise for his heartwarming move. On August 13th, a boy in his mid-teens, dressed in black and pulling a suitcase, hesitated several times at the restaurant's entrance, staring at the sign advertising the "Free Meal No. 2" before timidly entering and ordering. The owner's wife, Mrs. Zeng Chunling, did not ask any questions and instead served him a "deluxe meal" including pig trotters and salt-baked chicken. After eating, the boy bowed to express his gratitude, leaving Huang Zhanhu deeply moved.

Aged 41, Huang Zhanhu started to work far from home when he was a teenager with only 50 yuan in his pocket. He once slept under flyovers and faced difficult times until strangers helped him. After retiring from the army in 2003, he worked across various industries before starting his restaurant business in 2016. When he used to run a factory canteen earlier, he saw people looking for leftover food, so he decided to offer free meals. To preserve dignity, he rebranded them as "Meal No. 2" (a pun, as "2" sounds like "love" in Chinese). Though he has changed premises, this charitable initiative has continued for more than nine years, with a sign reading "In difficulty? Ask for 'Meal No. 2'. Eat and go."

On August 13th, Huang posted online the surveillance video clip of helping the boy, unexpectedly drawing widespread attention. Many netizens offered to donate money, supplies, and provide volunteer services, all of which he politely declined, "I can cover the costs. And I'd like to keep it simple." He remarked that helping within his capacity was "just a small matter."

What gladdens him even more is the ripple effect: a restaurant in Anhui has renamed its free meal "Meal No. 6," while a hotpot restaurant around Panyu set up a "free zone." According to netizens, the boy has since returned home safely. Huang hopes that everyone who has had "Meal No. 2" will find good jobs and have better lives.

广州饭馆“2号餐”温暖全网：老板9年助困，爱心持续传递

近日，广州番禺区添记隆江猪脚饭老板黄展护为陌生男孩免费提供“2号餐”的视频热传，网友纷纷点赞暖心善举。8月13日，一名十五六岁的黑衣少年拉着行李箱，在店门口多次徘徊观察“免费2号餐”告示牌后，才怯生生进店点餐。老板娘曾春玲未多问，便为其准备了含猪脚肉、盐焗鸡等菜品的“豪华套餐”。男孩用餐后鞠躬致谢，让黄展护感慨不已。

今年41岁的黄展护，十来岁便揣50元外出打工，曾睡天桥、遇困境，幸得他人相助。2003年退役后，他辗转多个行业，2016年起经营饭馆。因早年承包工厂饭堂时，见有人找剩饭，便决定提供免费餐。为保护求助者尊严，他将“免费餐”改谐音“2号餐”（“2”即“爱”），这一善举已坚持9年多，店铺虽换，“2号餐”从未缺席，店内告示牌写着“遇困难说要‘2号餐’，吃完直接走”。

8月13日，黄展护将帮男孩的监控发上网，意外引发关注。网友纷纷捐款捐物、愿做义工，均被他谢绝：“成本能承担，想纯粹些”。他坦言，力所能及助人只是小事。

更让他高兴的是爱心在传递：安徽一饭馆将“免费餐”改“6号餐”，番禺周边一火锅店设“免费区”。目前，经网友告知，那名男孩已平安返乡。黄展护希望所有吃过“2号餐”的人，都能找到好工作，生活越来越好。

文、图 丨记者 王隽杰
翻译丨柯妃娟
审校丨林佳岱