Diary - This afternoon, my dad asked my mum

[Maybo]

This is an entry from my diary. Please check it and correct any mistakes.

This afternoon, my dad asked my mum how to turn off the light on his phone, but she didn't know how to. I took a look and said it wasn't a light but inbox message signals. She then checked out the messages and discovered something creepy - my dad got two separate messages from the same number: one is "Daddy, how have you been lately?" and another is "help me". I checked the number was from Guangdong so it was impossible that my brother texted him. I recalled 20 years ago, I peeped my dad's inbox message and found someone called him hubby and wished him a happy Chinese new year. I'm wondering if he's had another woman and a child all these years.

 

[Tarheel]

Maybe it was a mistake. It could be from somebody who doesn't even know him.

I haven't noticed any errors in your post.

Breakfast time!

 

[Maybo]

Maybe it was a mistake. It could be from somebody who doesn't even know him.

I haven't noticed any errors in your post.

Breakfast time!

Maybe, if he got some messages from the same number again, I might call back, because we don't usually receive wrong messages or scams from the same number.

 

[emsr2d2]

This afternoon, my dad asked my mum how to "turn off the light" on his phone, but she didn't know how. to.

I've put "turn off the light" to make it clear that those were the words your dad actually used. When I first read your post, I assumed you meant "turn off the torch" or "lower the brightness". It was only when I continued reading that I realised your dad had used the wrong term for what he wanted to do.

I took a look and said it wasn't a light but inbox message signals an incoming text alert.

See above.

She My mum then checked out read the messages texts and discovered something creepy - my dad got had received two separate messages from the same number.

Why on earth was your mum reading your dad's private messages?!

One is said "Daddy, how have you been lately?" and another is the other said "Help me".

If there were only two, you need to refer to them as "one" and "the other".

I checked and found the number was from Guangdong so it was impossible that my brother had texted him.

See above.

I recalled that 20 years ago, I peeped at my dad's inbox message texts/phone and found someone who called him "hubby" and wished him a Happy Chinese New Year".

See above.

I'm wondering if he's had another woman wife and a child all these years.

See above.

Well, I'm looking forward to the next instalment of this soap opera but first, I have questions!
How fast did your mum challenge him on these messages?
Did he point out she shouldn't have been reading his private communications in the first place?
Has anyone tried calling the number in question and asking how they know your dad?

 

[Maybo]

How fast did your mum challenge him on these messages?

She challenged him the second she'd finished reading the messages. My dad said those were scammers. However, later we found a piece of paper on the ground with the number written on it. I suspect he called the number when he was outside and forgot to throw it away.

Did he point out she shouldn't have been reading his private communications in the first place?

No. My dad's phone is quite old fashion. The incoming text alert flashes with red lights when he's received a text. The only way to stop the alert is to read all the messages. My dad has poor vision so my mum reads them.

Has anyone tried calling the number in question and asking how they know your dad?

No. My mum seemed to believe him, but I didn't. I'll keep observing him.

 

[emsr2d2]

She challenged him the second she'd finished reading the messages. My dad said those they were from scammers. However, later we found a piece of paper on the ground with the number written on it. I suspect he called the number when he was outside and forgot to throw it away.

Intriguing. So now he either knows for sure it's a scammer or he's spoken to the real person on that number. Let us know what he says when you tell him you found the piece of paper with the number on outside.

No. My dad's phone is quite old-fashioned. The incoming text alert flashes with A red lights light flashes when he's received he receives a text. The only way to stop the alert is to read all the messages. My dad has poor vision so my mum reads them to him.

That's not that old-fashioned. It's just a flashing version of the notifications system that smartphones use.
Note that it's a bit more common to say that someone's eyesight isn't very good.

No. My mum seemed to believe him, but I didn't. I'll keep observing him.

Keep us posted!

 

[Maybo]

That's not that old-fashioned. It's just a flashing version of the notifications system that smartphones use.

His phone isn’t a smartphone. Something like Nokia but a folded one with colour screens.

 

[Maybo]

Keep us posted!

Okay.

 

[emsr2d2]

His phone isn’t a smartphone. Something like Nokia but a folded one with colour screens.

I know that. I said the flashing lights on his phone are like the notification symbols on a smartphone. We all had phones like your dad's (or even more basic) before smartphones were invented!

 

[Maybo]

I checked my dad’s phone last night. He received the two messages back in August, two days apart. I also checked the sent box and found that he’d texted that number twice after a few days he’d received the messages. I don’t know why I couldn’t open them, or maybe they were just blank. I’m still trying to figure it out. There is no outgoing calls to that number.
It’s just strange that if he considers the number is a scam, then why did he bother to text them and write the number on paper. I’don’t know if he’d called it. He’s definitely hiding something!

 

[Maybo]

Let us know what he says when you tell him you found the piece of paper with the number on outside.

I didn’t asked him because I was worried he found out that we’d discovered his secret.

 

[emsr2d2]

I checked my dad’s phone last night. He received the those two messages back in August, two days apart. I also checked the sent box and found that he’d texted that number twice after a few days after he’d received the messages. I don’t know why I couldn’t open them; or maybe they were just blank. I’m still trying to figure it out. There is are no outgoing calls to that number.
It’s just strange that if he considers the number is a scam, then why did he bother to text them and write the number on a piece of paper? I no apostrophe here don’t know if he’d he called it. He’s definitely hiding something!

I didn’t asked ask him because I was worried he found out would realise that we’d discovered his secret.