Journey to Happy Ending

Chapter 1534 The Earthquake Relief (Part One)

"I know. Even if you didn't actually say that, I'll stick to it," Kevin said. Different from his father, Duke

had come straight to the point. By nature he was arrogant and unruly.

That night, the two men had drunk a lot. They finally had something in common – their love for Leena.

The relations between them had become more harmonious.

Days passed, and after the New Year holidays, Lee returned to work. However, Leena was still

nowhere to be found.

"Major General, you should eat something now." Lee's eyes were clouded with worry: Kevin was

wasting away, daily getting thinner.

"Okay. Put the food over there. I'll eat later." Kevin answered absently, not raising his head, focused as

he was on the topographic map on his desk.

"It doesn't take long to eat! If you continue starving yourself, you will end up with stomach trouble," Lee

grumbled. Kevin had been eating irregularly since Leena left. His health would soon suffer.

"Lee, you're being just as garrulous as Mark!" Kevin had raised his head, and was now teasing Lee.

"Do you think that I like seeing you like this? You don't take care of yourself, and now I have to remind

you to do so all the time." Lee was uncomfortable under Kevin's steady gaze. He was worried about

Kevin's health, but more importantly, he had to take good care of Kevin for Leena's sake to show his

gratitude. Leena had gifted his family with many things, and he estimated that these must be worth no

less than 100, 000.

"Fine. I'll eat right now. There, are you satisfied?" Kevin had no choice but to reach for the meal which

Lee had brought for him from the canteen.

"Major General, Lieutenant Colonel Han said that you would be in command of the seven-day survival

challenge. But then you will miss the officer assessment in the capital city, right?" Lee was trying to

confirm what he had heard. He often heard rumors through the grapevine, and from his good friend

Mark.

"Yeah. Senior Colonel Ouyang will be attending the assessment," Kevin responded, his expression

stolid. He didn't consider this a serious matter.

"But you will lose the chance at promotion!" Lee said anxiously. Although Kevin already held the rank of

major general, he was destined for higher stations. As the saying went, men struggled upwards, while

water flowed downwards. How could he now not desire progress?

"It doesn't matter. I'm content with the status quo," Kevin answered as he ate. Lee had urged him to

eat, but now he kept asking questions, diverting his attention.

Lee's face was blackened with anger. Seeing Kevin's indifference to status, he didn't know what to say.

His heart was torn with anxiety at Kevin's lack of drive.

"What else?" Kevin again looked up at Lee.

"No. Take your time and eat. I'll come back later." In fact, Lee had a lot more to say, but since Kevin

took such a cavalier attitude, he believed that if he continued, his words would fall on deaf ears. So, he

kept his mouth shut.

After Lee left, Kevin wanted to set aside his chopsticks, but he was afraid that Lee would return, and

harass him further, so he decided to finish eating first. However, before he could begin to eat, the door

opened yet again.

"You're eating late," Daisy said in surprise when she saw Kevin's unfinished meal.Belongs © to NôvelDrama.Org.

"Yeah. Lee brought the food late. What's up?" Kevin looked at her, somewhat surprised. It was the first

time that Daisy had entered without first knocking at the door.

"No, eat first. It isn't that important." The two had been friends for years, so she knew Kevin well. If she

spoke to him now, he would stop to listen and never finish the meal.

"Shoot. I can listen and eat at the same time." Kevin sensed Daisy's poorly concealed anger, so he

couldn't eat now.

"I heard that you won't be taking part in the officer assessment in the capital city." Daisy had heard

about it from Mark, and she was shocked.

"Yeah. There's a field survival training, so I'm not going to be attending the assessment." Kevin was

relieved. He thought Daisy had come for something more important, but it turned out to be this small

matter.

"You can leave the training to Hank. Surely, you don't need to command it yourself. Are you

demoralized because Leena left?" Daisy was pissed off because she knew what such an opportunity

should mean to them as military officers.

"No, I'm not. I'm just contented with my current position." True: Leena's leaving was one of the reasons,

but it was more because he was an easily contented man, and placed little value on getting promoted.

"This is not like you at all! Have you ever considered who will have the best chance at succeeding the

commander when he retires? If you give up now, he will be greatly disappointed, because he likes you

very much." As Napoleon once said, every soldier carries a marshal's baton in his knapsack. In the

past, Kevin had sprinted on the road to success, but now, suddenly, he lacked drive. Leena's leaving

must have been a severe blow for him.

"You can take part in it. We've always been well-matched," Kevin said with a smile. He had become

indifferent to power. Moreover, the powers-that-be might already have decided on a successor for the

commander. Though not officially announced, the successor might not even come from their army

base.

"Don't tease. I'm not interested in competing for the position." In the past, Daisy had worked hard to

catch up with Edward, but now she was well satisfied, as she had won his heart. She had no interest

now in the position of commander, and had decided to make room for someone more qualified.

"Neither am I. Don't force me to fight for it." Kevin's greatest hope now was that Leena would return as

soon as possible. He no longer cared about advancement or promotion at all.

"Haha. The others strive for advancement, while we both don't care about getting promoted. It's

interesting!" Kevin's words amused Daisy, and she couldn't help laughing. Her cool face softened.

"Maybe it's because we're old. We're no longer as frivolous as when we were younger." Kevin sighed.

He knew full well that age had nothing to do with it, but rather it was his mood.

"Fine. Since you have made up your mind, I won't force you. But our army base must be presented at

the assessment. I'll have to go as representative, if you won't go." Daisy felt resigned. She didn't want

to attend the assessment, but since Kevin had decided to refuse, she had to step up. She sighed at the

thought of her arrogant husband. He would be angry with her again, likely for several days this time.

"I'm sorry that you have to go on my behalf." Kevin grinned by way of thanks.

"It's all right. It's good to be assessed more often, and it's not really hard work anyway," Daisy said with

an indifferent shrug. Anyway, one of them had to attend the assessment. She was considerate and

would replace Kevin.

Everything seemed to be doomed. The next day, after Daisy headed for the capital city, Kevin received

new mission orders. It was not the special training for field survival, but rather a relief mission after an

earthquake struck a coastal city far away from S City. Although the epicenter was not deep, the

resulting tsunami had brought massive losses and injuries to the earthquake-stricken city.