她馬麻越想越不對勁。
上次可蓉「也」很晚回家，用同樣理由：”I was doing homework with Mr. Wu’s assistance. I finished today’s workload before leaving. That’s why I am ‘a little’ late.”
「老師有必要做到這種程度嗎？妳說女老師就算了──那個姓吳的小鬼是個二十多歲的男人──噢不，是只會用命根子思考的大野狼──呢！」她馬麻一定這麼想。
可蓉用眼角餘光看向馬麻的臉：
一張責備、質疑，卻不確定，仍抱持想相信妳的面孔。
那種「想相信妳」的感情，不是基於真的相信妳的信念，而是不容自己「完美家長」的自尊，與「教育有方」的信心，因為「原來妳是這種說謊成性的小孩」與「身為家長我沒有把妳教好」的事實，而被碰碎。
「Ariel, are you hiding something from Mommy? Why are you getting so close to your homeroom teacher?」
「Because I am making him fall for me—」
【我要他拜倒在我的石榴裙下，不行嗎？──】
可蓉沒有這麼說，儘管氣一上來，差點忘了要控制情緒──儘管只有毫秒──一已經在內心犯了戒律、不小心踰越「不准頂撞媽咪」的規矩。
「I have been busy with the rehearsals with the girls. I don’t have enough time to study on my own. . . . I asked Mr. Wu for help . . . He has been a big help for my grades. I really appreciate his help, no other feelings. That’s all.」
劉馬麻皺起眉頭。
「I swear to—」
她急著堵住自己的嘴，remembering that she was scolded pretty bad once when blurting out swearing words.
【她曾因不小心「出口成髒，」慘遭臭罵】
「I cross my heart: He was helping me with my homework. That is all.」
「Mommy don’t know whether you are lying . . . Why—‘second place’ among all the students in the school—aren’t you supposed to rank the ‘first place?’」
【妳怎麼沒拿「第一名？」】
可蓉無言以對。
她真的盡了最大努力──既要假扮班上的資優生、假裝跟話劇女孩們融洽相處，又要迎合媽咪，還得兼顧課業──
最後還是以全科總分一、兩分之差，輸給校排第一的女生。
「I have done the best I could,」她據實以對，「Mommy . . .」
「I’m not scolding you . . . I just want to know what you have been doing with your homeroom teacher—that’s all I want to know.」
她心一抽；一時之間找不到藉口，只好沉默。
「It seems to Mommy . . . You are not seeking advice but doing something else . . .」
「It is because I didn’t do well in the first midterm exam . . . I realize the most efficient way is to seek help from the homeroom teacher . . . So I turn to Mr. Wu for help.」
她馬麻沒聽出蹊蹺──
（那是因為，平常也鮮少操心可蓉的課業。畢竟，Ariel可是劉馬麻用心「栽培」的寶貝女兒──以前就是，現在仍是，今後必定還是資優生。）
「Okay—Mommy believe you . . .」經一番拷問也問不出什麼，她媽媽嘆了口氣，只能暫且妥協，「for this time only.」
Make sure you rank the first place next time.
【記得下次要考第一名。】
