Shen Hong, a resident of Ge'ermu, Qinghai province, received a phone call from her son last week saying that someone had stolen the money she had given him to pay for his tuition. He asked for another shot of cash.

Shen sent more money to her son, who is studying at a college in Xining, the provincial capital. She later went to the capital to visit her sister, who told Shen that her son was living a happy life and had been seen throwing a party for his classmates at a karaoke hall on March 2, the very day he claimed to have lost the money.

Shen was surprised and decided to talk to her son about the allegations. He quickly confessed that he had used his school fees to treat his classmates.

Editor: Carolyn