After laying the mattress, the five of them squeezed together in the cramped space and slept. Thankfully, the weather had turned cool and was no longer hot and stifling. All in all, they slept comfortably.

  In their room, Daddy Bai and Mommy Bai were discussing Bai Qingqing’s issue.

  Mommy Bai said worriedly, “Old Bai, I feel that your daughter must be dating a boy.”


  Daddy Bai’s expression first turned dark, and then he grew more annoyed. “Eh, when Qingqing is obedient she’s your daughter, and when she’s not, she becomes my daughter huh.”


  “Now is not the time to discuss this.” Mommy Bai sheepishly changed the focal point. She said, “Qingqing has become playful and even plays truant. Her results have deteriorated drastically. What should we do?”


  As Daddy Bai hadn’t seen his daughter’s sexy bra, he hadn’t thought along those lines. It was only when Mommy Bai pointed it out that he felt that it did seem like it. He stood up and said, “Let’s go and ask her again.”


  “Hey, don’t be reckless.” Mommy Bai held him back and said with a serious face, “Don’t you know that youngsters have their rebellious stage? The more parents try to discipline them, the more the kid wants to rebel. We should give this matter careful thought before acting.”


  “Then, how are you planning to handle it?” asked Daddy Bai.

  Mommy Bai said, “If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. Let’s first find out who Qingqing has been hanging out with lately. We’ll find out the whole story and prescribe the right remedy for the situation.”


  Daddy Bai felt a headache hearing all that. He urged, “Stop sounding so abstract. Speak human language.”


  “This week Qingqing applied for half a day’s leave, very possibly to find her boyfriend. Maybe they’re not from the same school. Since she only took half a day off, the boy should be not far from her school. In the future, drive around her school more often. You might just bump into her.”


  After some thought, Mommy Bai added, “I’ll find a chance to sneak a look at Qingqing’s phone and see who she’s been contacting.”


  Daddy Bai nodded repeatedly. After Mommy Bai finished speaking, he immediately said, “Alright, we’ll do as you say.”
……

  The next day, when Bai Qingqing woke up, she was lying on a neatly-made bed. Her spouses had already left without her knowing.

  At breakfast, Mommy Bai said, “After eating we’ll go look for a tuition class.”


  “Do we really have to go? It’s too troublesome!” Bai Qingqing took out her phone and, after tapping a few times on it, said, “There’s information on the Internet. We can search for it from home. Saves time and energy.”


  As she wanted to investigate her daughter’s interpersonal relationships, Mommy Bai was in no hurry to send her out, so she said, “Alright, Qingqing. Help Mommy wash the dishes.”


  “Sure.” Bai Qingqing immediately got up and placed her phone on the dining table.

  Right after she entered the kitchen, Mommy Bai reached for her phone.

  Having just stepped into the kitchen, Bai Qingqing suddenly turned around. Mommy Bai immediately retracted her hand and pretended to be digging dirt from her nails.

  Bai Qingqing jogged back and took away her phone before entering the kitchen again.

  “Qingqing, show me your phone. I’ll start looking up,” said Mommy Bai.

  Bai Qingqing turned back and smiled at her. “Let’s choose together after I’m done with the dishes.”


  Mommy Bai felt extremely regretful. She should have decisively picked up the phone just now.

  After Bai Qingqing finished washing the dishes, the mother-and-daughter duo sat on the sofa and started choosing. Both were distracted, so they didn’t manage to pick one after looking for a long time.

  Meanwhile, Mommy Bai even changed her mind. Afraid that her daughter would skip the tuition classes, she decided to hire a home tutor to coach her individually.

  For most of the morning, Mommy Bai’s time was spent with her daughter, and in the latter half of the day she went out.

  Finally managing to relax, Bai Qingqing called her mates to inform them she was safe.

  Last night she had instructed them not to call before she had done so.

  When Bai Xiaofan heard the voice, he ran out with his game console, knelt on the sofa, and asked, “Did you just call your boyfriend again?”