The next day, my parents went to work as usual.

I went to school as if nothing had happened.

I dare not show any flaws.

My deskmate Mengya nudged me with her elbow.

"Xiaomei, can I borrow your phone? I want to call my dad."

I regretfully shook my head, "My phone was taken away by my parents yesterday."

Mengya looked surprised, "We are in the same boat. My phone was taken away by my mom too."

I suddenly became interested.

"How is your mom? Is she strict? Tough?"

Mengya sighed, "My mom used to be nice to me, but this week, for some reason, she has been either scolding me or hitting me."

I exclaimed silently: Am I not the only one who has encountered strange phenomena?

"Is it just your mom at home?"

"Yes, my dad is working out of town and my mom is a housewife."

"Tell your mom to find a hobby, so she won't feel irritated." I pretended to chat casually.

Mengya pondered, "My mom likes swimming and goes every day, rain or shine. She asked me to go with her on the weekend."

Swimming again?

My heart sank suddenly.

My parents' situation is similar to Mengya's mother.

Mengya leaned close to me mysteriously.

"Yesterday in my mom's bedroom, I found a strange thing and secretly copied it."

She took out a crumpled note from her backpack and handed it to me to read -

【Family Rules: Parent Edition】

【1. If your child doesn't listen, a beating is enough. Don't show them any kindness, otherwise, the child will take advantage of you.】

【2. Raise children to prevent old age. When children grow up and earn money, they must repay you for raising them.】

【3. Studying is the only way for children to succeed and the college entrance examination is the only chance for children to turn their lives around.】

【4. You must establish authority, make the child fear you, admire you, and respect you.】

【5. Keep swimming. If you leave seawater for 24 hours, your consciousness will become confused.】

【6. Humans like to nest in houses, you must learn to adapt, mimic, and adjust.】

【7. When the moon rises, your form will show distortion and incoordination, please be careful to hide it.】

【8. Always take your child to swim in the deep sea.】

【9. Always remember, you are human, you are a qualified parent.】

【10. Well-behaved children are more beneficial for family planning (parasitism).】

Suddenly, I remembered that when I returned home that day, I found a note titled【Family Rules: Children's Edition】.

At the time, I didn't pay attention to it, tore it up, and threw it away.

Now, thinking back, those rules were outrageous.

The 【Parent Edition】 in my hand is even more bizarre.

Especially from the 5th rule onwards.

Now I am sure of my inner speculation: the parents at home are not my own.

Who are they really?

What is their purpose?

Where have my real parents gone?

I need to investigate thoroughly.

I didn't eat lunch and during the lunch break, Mengya and I went to test the soil.

The Environmental Protection Bureau and the Forestry Bureau turned us away.

We had to contact a third-party private institution.

The testing fee was high, but the results came out the next day.

Mengya kindly paid for it.

She comforted me all the way.

"Your parents may just like night swimming, don't worry too much. It's like some people are addicted to square dancing, and others are addicted to playing mahjong."

"If your mom's neck grows longer, it must be your nightmare. There are no demons these days, believe in science."

"Communicate well with your parents, have a calm conversation."

I thanked Mengya repeatedly and reminded her to be careful with her mom.

With that【Family Rules: Parent Edition】, I seemed to have found a turning point.

I must stop my parents from going swimming.

Let them stay away from seawater for 24 hours and see what happens.