A wealthy businessman stopped at a roadside tea stall and asked a young boy, "Give me a cup of tea." The boy replied, "₹20." The businessman laughed and said, "₹20 for one cup? That's robbery! I'll give you ₹5." The boy quietly accepted the ₹5 and started preparing something. A few minutes later, he placed a tiny spoon of tea in front of the man. The businessman frowned. "What is this?" The boy answered calmly, "Sir, this is ₹5 worth of tea." The man got angry. "Are you making fun of me?" The boy smiled and said, "No, sir. You wanted tea but didn't want to pay for it. You wanted the value without the price." The businessman argued, "Tea leaves, milk, sugar—they don't cost ₹20!" The boy nodded. "True. But neither does a shirt cost what the cloth costs. Neither does a house cost what the bricks cost. People pay for effort, skill, time, and service." The crowd gathered around, listening. Embarrassed, the businessman finally handed over ₹20. This time, the boy served him a steaming cup of tea. After taking a sip, the businessman asked, "Why didn't you simply refuse me earlier?" The boy replied, "Because some people only understand value when they see the consequences of undervaluing it." The entire stall fell silent. The tea wasn't what humbled the businessman. It was the lesson. Moral: People often want premium results at discount prices. The problem isn't the cost—it's failing to recognize the value behind it.