Chapter 498 Be Relegated to A Lieutenant
"Huh. Everyone knows how to make excuses. If you could get promoted on your own, why would
Edward woo the military chiefs? It must have been for the uing appraisal cycle. Rumor has it that
Colonel Ouyang stands a big chance of getting a promotion. But the problem is what you have traded
for this promotion."
Hank questioned and startedughing loudly. He stared at Daisy with contempt as if Daisy had pulled
some strings to get promoted this time. He believed there was an ulterior motive behind inviting the
military chiefs to FX International Group''s anniversary party. Hank believed it was nned to gain the
army leaders'' favor.
"You seem to be obsessed with my business. You must know a lot about me. There is no need for you
to ask me any more."
Daisy sneered and turned around. It seemed that she wouldn''t be able to persuade certain people that
she got promoted simply because of her outstanding performance. So far as Hank was concerned,
Daisy had climbed up the militarydder only because of her connections. No matter how much she
exined, Hank just insisted on his own view. Then Daisy decided not to waste any more time in giving
exnations to him.
"It''s not just me. All the military officers in the army base are of the same opinion. It''s quite unlikely to
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have a young woman like you in such a high rank. I am sure there have been plenty of dirty deals
behind the curtain." Hank didn''t let go of Daisy, he followed her closely and continued his insults.
"If they have a problem with my promotion, they should report to the superiors, instead of sending you
as their representative to bother me. I don''t call the shots. As for the so-called dirty deals, you
specte that because I am a woman. In your mind, women cannot have any achievements without an
inappropriate rtionship? You sound quite sexist."
Daisy hated such office politics. She hadn''t done anything yet. Still, she was being dragged into all
these disputes. ''Am I really that invidious in their view? Or they just regard me as a pushover who can
be bullied by anyone? They couldn''t possibly get through a day without defaming me?'' Daisy
condemned deep down.
"Indeed. Mr. Hank, why do you always bother our colonel? If you feel anything unreasonable is going
on, you should discuss it with themanders. Our colonel doesn''t have a say in the promotions."
Mark retorted. He was sick of Hank''s persistent provocations. If it hadn''t been for Daisy''s kindness, she
or any other officer in her position would have already beaten up Hank or even kicked him out of the
army. An officer in Hank''s rank wasn''t supposed to defy officers of higher rank.
"Who are you to interrupt our conversation? You are merely a sergeant. Colonel Ouyang, you seem to
be too tolerant of your subordinate." Hank said while casting a cold re at Mark. He couldn''t take it
out on Daisy because she was in a higher rank. But he couldn''t allow a sergeant to scold him.
"Mark, go finish aplete set of basic military exercises. That''s your punishment for interrupting. Are
you fine with that?" With a frowned face, Daisy paused and ordered. ''Mark should have known better
than to give Hank a hard time. Hank was just looking for excuses to nder me. Now he found one and
Mark became the victim.'' Daisy thought to herself.
"Yes, colonel. I''m on my way." Mark gave a salute, passed the briefcase to Daisy and then ran towards
the training field. On the face of it, he seemed calm andposed, but deep down, he had already
cursed Hank thousands of times, ''Hank is so mean and evil that he tried to demean Daisy with my
interruption. But I am the one to be med; my carelessness invited trouble.''
"Hank, are you satisfied with this punishment?" Daisy asked. She announced the punishment first to
gain the initiative, or else Hank, the despicable man, would have proposed an even harsher penalty.
"He is your aide. You can give him any punishment as you see fit. But a set of military training seems a
bit too much, doesn''t it? After all, what Mark said was just to defend you."
Hankughed evilly. He pretended to be thoughtful towards Mark''s interests, but deep down he was
quite upset about Daisy''s quick response. She gave the punishment even before he could speak. Now
what''s done was done. He couldn''t reveal his discontentment towards her order no matter how mad he
was.
"He deserved it for offending an officer in higher rank. Rules are the pirs of our society, after all."
Daisy sneered while she thought, ''Too much? He would be more bothered if you were to name the
punishment.''
"Is this statement by Colonel Ouyang indirectly implying that I have no concept of superiority?" Hank''s
tone became cold. He felt that Daisy''s words were directed at him.
"If you think so, suit yourself. If there''s nothing else, I should get back to work now." Daisy stopped at
her office without any hint of inviting him in.
"Don''t you think you should give me an exnation? Or a solution?" Hank said, making it clear that he
wouldn''t let go the matter of that video and his demotion. He asked Daisy to give him a solution. Yet,
his attitude didn''t have the least bit of humbleness. He acted as if he deserved a conciliation n. s,
no one would ever get along with such a man.
"Hank, don''t you think your requestcks reason? Like I''ve said so many times, I am not the one in
charge. So if you''ve got a problem with your demotion, go to your superiors. Don''t waste your time on
me."
Daisy was speechless. She didn''t know what part of her words Hank didn''t understand. Why was he
persistently bothering her for a solution? Were her words that hard to understand?
"That video was turned in by Edward, right? If you ask Edward to tell themanders that he faked
and fabricated the video, then I won''t get demoted." Hank said. He was so arrogant that he proposed
such an unreasonable demand.
"Then why would he fake a video to throw dirt on you? Hank, I didn''t give you a hard time even when
you defamed me because we are in the same army. But there''s no way that I''ll bring my husband''s
integrity into question. If the video really is fraudulent, I would tell the truth. But you know it''s real."
Daisy''s tone turned harsh, and her face grew more frigid. She wouldn''t do anything to hurt Edward
even if it was for her own interests. And she certainly would not let Edward get used of lying for
Hank.
"But you wouldn''t lose anything in doing so. I have been demoted to a lieutenant. As an army officer,
you surely understand what a consequential loss it would be for me. Edward just needs to say the
video is fake, that way I''ll be able to keep my rank. A few words can save my career."
For Hank, others'' dignity was worth nothing. He only valued his own reputation. That was why he said
that way, making nothing of others'' integrity.
"So in your view, Edward should be used as a liar for you? Cut the crap. You are asking me to
debase his noble status for you? Not a chance. So stop building castles in the air. Besides, aren''t you
always saying that I got promoted by using connections? So I certainly wouldn''t know what a grave
loss the demotion would mean to you."
Daisy retorted. She believed, when dealing with a nuisance like Hank, it would be best to use his own
words to fight against him. As for Edward, one thing was for sure that he would never debase himself
for Hank. He wouldn''t even sumb to themanders.
"Colonel Ouyang, so you''ll just stand by and watch me go down?" Hank''s face turned pale. Yes, he had
always been trying to keep her down all long with these connections gossip, but she had also
consistently imed that she climbed up all by her own efforts. But now she was acknowledging the
use of connections?
"Hank, what do you expect her to do then?" Kevin came over, looking fairly tired. It was apparent that
he had just returned from outside.
"Major General Gu, this has nothing to do with you." Hank dreaded Kevin''s high rank, but he also
resented him defending Daisy, especially at this moment.
"Of course it''s my business. As your superior, I''m supposed to help you address your disputes. You
don''t want to be used of viting military discipline, huh?" Kevin guessed that their disputes
stemmed from the arbitration concerning Hank. The army work was quite efficient.
"No, I wouldn''t want to be used of that." Hank didn''t dare to mess with Kevin. After all, he intended
to spend the rest of his life in the military and Kevin was in a much higher rank than him.
"Then you should leave and get back to your work. Tick tock..." Kevin seldom put on airs as a senior
officer. But he disliked Hank too much to be enough polite to him.
"I..." Hank would have continued but stopped when he saw Kevin''s cold look. After all, Kevin was much
more difficult to deal with. Daisy might look aloof, but she was a woman, thus no matter how cold she
seemed, she would never be so brittle. But Kevin was different. He might be easy to get along, but if
you messed with him, you would face dire consequences.
"Thank you for saving me from the trouble. Did you juste back from the grassroots? You must
have started offst night since you arrived at this time." Daisy asked after Hank was out of her sight.
"Yes. I came back as soon as I finished the inspection. Recently the army base may not be too
amicable for you. Watch out for any possible traps set by others, especially the devious ones like
Hank." Kevin said. He knew Daisy''s bark was worse than her bite. She might act aloof and cold, but
deep down she was kind and sweet. Or she wouldn''t possibly put up with Hank''s provocation again and
again.
"I will. Every year before themendatory ceremony, there are some unavoidable ''incidents''. I
survive them every year. Don''t worry about me. You seem quite tired. Maybe you should go home first
and get some rest."
Daisy didn''t ignore Kevin just because he had feelings for her. She believed in Kevin''s integrity; she
didn''t think Kevin would go overboard.