"Colonel, do you think we can nail down several weapons this time?" Mark asked with great interest. As a soldier, anyone would like to touch this kind of hi-tech equipment, and Mark was no exception.
"I'm not sure right now. But, I think we won't take many this time as we are facing a great budget problem." Daisy replied. Her attention was still focused on the file.
"Colonel, why can't we request sponsorship for this program?" Mark asked with a frown. He was not as cheerful now as he was moments ago.
"This is a matter the leaders should worry about. It would be better if you just do your own job." Daisy raised her head and glanced at him. Then she continued to review the file.
"Okay, Colonel, let me find out what the other leaders think about this. You take your time, and I'll take your leave now." Mark said. Then he walked out of the office quickly. He was such a spirited young man!
Daisy felt speechless by his words. Mark had the knack for spying. He got his hands on all kinds of rumor and gossip. Daisy wondered how he got them. Maybe it was just like what he said, 'Knowing this and that ensures victory'.
Daisy continued to sift through the file. She didn't have the time to think where Mark go to get his dose of gossip. But right at that moment, she was interrupted by a sudden knock on the door.
"Come in, please, " Daisy answered without raising her head. But she knew it wasn't Mark. Mark never knocked on the door before entering. He was very unceremonious like an impudent boy.
"Daisy, I heard from Mark that you are back to work. I come by to see you." Kevin walked in with quick steps. There was a delighted smile on his face. He didn't like to call Daisy Colonel in private. He felt that the appellation would make them feel estranged.
"Mark is really fast. Has he already been to your office? He must have gone there to get advice from the other officers." Daisy said with a little shame. She regretted that she hadn't trained him well.
"Yes. I wouldn't have known that you're already back if he didn't show up at my office.'' Kevin laughed and sat down in the chair facing the desk. He was quite clear about Mark's prying behavior. He did this because, to quote Mark's own words, 'It appears that my colonel is a female. I have to be more alert and help her avoid any trouble that may come her way.'
"Ah! Sometimes I feel humiliated because of him. What do you want to drink?" Daisy asked. She stood up with a cup in her hand and proceeded to make tea for Kevin. But she still asked him politely when she walked to the water dispenser.
"Some green tea, please. You only have green tea here, I think." Kevin knew about her temperament. She was very particular about the things she liked. Once she decided on something, she would stick to it to the end. Daisy didn't like change.
"You're right, I was asking for the sake of courtesy. If you ask for other teas, I will disappoint you. Because I don't have any here." Daisy said with a gentle smile. She knew he was the only person who knew about this habit.
"I can't imagine your reaction if I had asked for any other drink." Keven joked. He looked at her with gentleness and affection in his eyes.
"I knew you wouldn't, that's why I asked you that question." She bent down in front of him to serve the tea. She didn't expect that Kevin would notice the love bites on her neck.
Keven's smiling face froze in an instant. His flashing eyes became dark immediately. He became numb by the pain which quickly expanded in his heart.
"What's wrong, Kevin?" Daisy looked at him doubtfully. She wondered what made his face so pale suddenly.
"Oh! I'm fine. I have a stomachache. Perhaps it is because I haven't tasted your cooking for a long time. My stomach is going on a strike now. Keven tried his best to hide his true feelings. He smiled bitterly. 'Isn't this the result that I have expected? Why couldn't I let go of her?' Keven thought to himself.
"Nonsense. You probably skipped your meal recently, right?" Daisy asked with a frown. She disapproved of him not paying attention to his health.
"Haha! You caught me again." He was saying it with a smile, but only he knew how sad and desperate he felt in his heart.
"Ah! Every time you get a stomachache, its because you haven't eaten on time. You make me worried." Daisy looked at him in despair. They had been friends for years. She certainly knew the reason for his stomachache.
"Haha! I will try to change this bad habit." Kevin said with a smile. This time, the smile was sincere. He felt delighted to hear Daisy's words. If he could get Daisy's loving care occasionally, his pain would be worthwhile.
"I have heard this a thousand times. You need to find another excuse for next time." Daisy stared at him with a sullen look. She cared about Kevin. Kevin was like a brother in her eyes.
"Okay, I will think about it tonight. I promise you I will come up with more convincing excuses." Kevin skipped the point and joked. He didn't take her words seriously. He took a sip of the tea. The hot tea made him frown a bit.
Daisy didn't know what to say after she heard Kevin's words. She stared at him helplessly. She knew he was not taking her seriously.
"Have you checked the files for today's meeting?" Daisy asked. She knew she wouldn't get any answer on the health issue, so she stopped bothering him.
"Yes. Do you have any suggestions?" asked Kevin. He took back his frivolous expression and returned to his calm demeanor.
"I'm not qualified to give any suggestion on it. In front of a learned man like you, I 'm only qualified to listen to your opinions." Daisy knew she wasn't well-versed with equipment knowledge, so she didn't offer any suggestion on this.
"You know what? Sometimes you are too modest. In fact, you know more about weapons than me. Your good shooting technique is well-known in the military. You are number one. And I am not as good as you when it comes to shooting. Said Kevin.
It was not flattery. Daisy's familiarity with guns was astonishing. She could make out the type of the weapon by listening to the sound when it's getting loaded. She was able to disassemble the gun and resume it in 20 seconds. Nobody could break this record. So Daisy earned her current position with her efforts.