She took a sip of the cocktail, sweet on the lips, but as she drank more, it turned slightly bitter.

During this time, a few men came over to hit on her.

Wang Dahai saw this but did not stop them, letting her experience it all.

By the time they left the bar, it was almost eleven o'clock.

Chu Qing had finished her drink and was slightly drunk, the world around her seemed surreal, yet her mind was clear.

Dahai led her to the motorcycle and handed her a helmet, "Put it on."

Then he patted the seat, "Get on."

Chu Qing climbed onto the motorcycle, her first time on such a cool bike, she was very excited.

After she got on, Dahai asked, "Where do you live?"

Chu Qing said, "I don't want to go home."

"Why not?"

"My mom will scold me."

"She won't, come on, tell me your address."

"I don't want to, I'm not going back."

"Qing, do you trust me?"

"I do, but..."

"If you trust me, give me your address. If your mom scolds you, I'll immediately take you away on the bike."

Chu Qing hesitated for a long time, but eventually, she gave him her address.

Dahai already knew where she lived; his asking was just a formality.

After getting the address, Dahai took her small hand and placed it on his waist, "Hold on tight."

Chu Qing half-heartedly embraced his waist, but when Dahai twisted the throttle, the motorcycle shot forward, and she clung to him tightly.

A quarter of an hour later, the bike stopped under her apartment building.

Chu Qing took off her helmet and looked nervously at the unit building in front of her.

Dahai said, "Don't be afraid, I'm here, your mom won't scold you."

"Okay."

By now, Chu Qing had sobered up quite a bit.

Thinking back on her day—skipping classes, playing pool, visiting a bar...

And more than that, meeting an online friend.

Now, that online friend was accompanying her home.

She felt like she must have been crazy today.

Yet, the events of this single day were more thrilling than her entire life thus far.

After coming out of the elevator, they arrived at the door.

Chu Qing hesitated, not daring to knock, but Dahai went straight to the door and knocked loudly.

Director Han hadn't eaten since returning home and had been waiting until now.

Hearing the knock, she immediately ran to the door.

Peering through the peephole and seeing her daughter standing behind Dahai, she quickly opened the door.

"Qing, where have you been!" As soon as Director Han opened the door, she spoke with anger and blame.

Chu Qing hung her head, not daring to look up. As Director Han was about to speak again, Dahai said, "Are you Chu Qing's mother?"

Director Han was about to scold him too, but hearing Dahai's feigned ignorance, she went along with it, "And you are?"

Dahai didn't respond, but instead said to Chu Qing, "Qing, you go to your room first."

Seeing Chu Qing hiding behind him, with her head lowered, afraid to move, Dahai suddenly felt a pang of sympathy for the girl.

He patted Chu Qing's head, "Good girl, go to your room first. I'll have a word with your mom."

"Okay." Only then did Chu Qing, still with her head down, hurry to her room.

After she left, Wang Dahai said, "Chu Qing's mother, let's go downstairs and talk."

Director Han resisted the urge to go back to her room immediately, grunted in acknowledgment, closed the door, and followed Wang Dahai into the elevator.

Once they had exited the elevator, Director Han was about to speak when Wang Dahai preempted her, "Director Han, do you want to see Qing continue to skip school?"

Director Han opened her mouth and after a long pause said, "No."

"Then when you go back, don't scold her."

"The young lady is going through a rebellious phase, and moreover, the role of her father is missing from her life. I've noticed from her behavior that she desperately lacks paternal love."

"I only used half an hour today to get her to come out."

"If I wanted to do something to her, really, it would be very easy."

Director Han listened with a pounding heart.

But this was indeed the truth.

Wang Dahai had gotten her number and managed to arrange a meeting with her within half an hour.

"If you continue to be this strict with her, to restrict her life, forbidding her to do this and that, believe me, the next time she skips school is just a matter of time."

"And next time, what kind of man she will run into is really hard to say."

"Qing is quite attractive, a real beauty in the making; as soon as a man asks her out, you might as well get ready to be a grandmother sooner rather than later."

"She's only 15..."

"Heh, do rapists care how old she is?"

Wang Dahai scoffed, "In the future, I'll often ask her out to meet up, and I'll give her some guidance in life to try to keep her on the straight and narrow. But, you're her mother, and it's your job to guide her in these matters. I can't be expected to always be there to discipline her."

"She's only a high school freshman, and it should be vacation time, yet you're making her go to school for supplemental classes. Really, don't you think that's a bit too much?"

"...But if she doesn't take extra classes now, she will fall behind in her studies later."

"Is academic success more important or is mental health?"

Wang Dahai waved his hand, "I'm not going to debate education with you; our philosophies on education are different. I've said what I needed to say, and I've pointed out the problems she has."

"Whether or not you'll continue to behave this way is none of my concern, and frankly, I don't care. But tonight, you are not allowed to yell at her because I've made a promise to her that I would handle you. Can you do that?"

Director Han felt extremely uncomfortable with Wang Dahai's tone, his way of scolding and instructing her from start to finish.

And yet, she couldn't refute him.

"I won't scold her."

"That's good," Wang Dahai said. "Besides, you owe me a favor."

Director Han pursed her lips, "If Director Wu needs anything in the future, I'll step in."

Wang Dahai finally nodded in satisfaction.

"Oh, by the way," Wang Dahai said, "I meant what I said at lunch; if you need anything, just call me."

Director Han shook her head, "No need."

"Are you sure you won't need it?" Wang Dahai chuckled. "Qing's mental state isn't something that can be adjusted overnight. I'll meet with her regularly in the future, take her out for some fun, let her relax a bit."

"No need..."

"This is a good opportunity for you to owe a favor, do you think I'll let it pass?" Wang Dahai said.

"..." His bluntness left Director Han somewhat at a loss for words.

"Alright, I'm going back now, call me if you need anything."

"Remember, don't scold her when you get back! Communicate properly with her; apologize if you need to, reflect if you must."

With that, Wang Dahai put on his helmet and rode away.

Watching Wang Dahai's receding figure, Director Han suddenly felt absurd, speechless.

She had been chastised by a youngster.

And earlier in the day, he was the one in need of her favor.

But in just half a day, their positions had been reversed.

This left her feeling quite surreal.

But paradoxically, she couldn't say anything.

After all, if Wang Dahai hadn't stepped in at the right time, she really couldn't guarantee what could have happened to her daughter today.

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