Mark unconsciously twitched his mouth. He didn't know whether Edward was praising him or debasing him. No one would ever praise like Edward, the master of backhanded compliments. He'd pick you up one moment and bring you down the next.

  "Mark, you go out first." Daisy ordered, frowning. It seemed that Edward was determined to get an answer today. So she decided to tell him. She would always give in and tell him anyway.

  "Yes, colonel." Mark smiled tacitly and walked out. He was used to it —— his colonel yielding to Edward. That happened every day recently. What confused him was the U-turn she made, from a tough military officer to a meek little woman. And Edward had everything to do with it. Indeed, love had scary magic. He preferred not to experience love for fear of ending up like Daisy.

  "So…… What do you want to know?" Daisy pulled a chair up to the bed and sat down. She stared at Edward and determined to tell him whatever he wanted to know.

  "Who slapped you? If I have to guess, it was Leo, right? That's why you didn't dodge or fight back."

  Edward's eyes were as sharp as an eagle. He knew with only a glance that Daisy's swollen face was because of a heavy slap. But Daisy was too capable to let that happen, unless she was willing to take the slap. But who would have that effect on her? It must be someone that meant a lot to her. So quite naturally, Edward figured that Leo must be the one that slapped her. He knew that though Daisy was tough, she always desired her father's love.

  "How do you know it's him? You must think that I'm stupid, right? I know he doesn't love me, but I just hope that maybe, maybe he would change his mind some day and take me as his daughter, you know." Daisy bit her lip in sorrow and smiled in self-mockery. She looked both sad and lonely. She should have understood that Leo didn't see her as a daughter when she was kicked out of the Ouyang Family twelve years ago. But she always remembered how much Leo indulged her in her childhood. She always hoped that his aloofness was just a bad dream, that deep down he still loved her.

  "Yes, you are stupid. But you're also kind and sweet. Does it still hurt?" Carefully Edward caressed her swollen face, his hand quivering for fear of hurting her. Then he helped brush her hair behind her ears, like he used to do. That long-absent move made Daisy's eyes red.

  "It hurt initially, not physically, but mentally. But when I saw you wake up, it didn't hurt any more. Having you is like having the whole world."

  Daisy held Edward's hand, gently rubbing her face against his big warm palm. Her eyes were full of happiness. She knew that even if she lost eve

  b doctor. So what's going on?' Edward felt a turmoil of thoughts surging in his head. A multitude of speculations sprang up in his mind.

  "From the time you got shot til now, twenty hours have passed. Why do you ask? You have somewhere you need to be besides here?" Daisy answered and checked her watch. It was about six o'clock p.m…… Edward woke up half an hour later than Tom expected, but he woke up anyway. That was what mattered.

  "Oh. Nothing. I thought a year had passed." If not for the pain on his chest, he would really think that a year had gone by. After all, Daisy was poles apart from her usual self. Luckily, it had just been dozens of hours. He wouldn't want to lose a year in his happy life with her.

  Edward's answer made Daisy twitch her mouth in confusion. What gave Edward such a strange idea? Maybe because she was too outgoing today? Maybe Edward didn't like it?

  "Do you think that my change is too weird?" Daisy shut her eyes in a bit of embarrassment. She herself also thought that she deviated from her usual self too much. It was a bit unlike her, truth be told. But she had promised to never hide her love for Edward any more. Though unconscious Edward hadn't heard about her promise, she must deliver it anyway. She didn't want to regret not displaying her love to him should she lose him again.

  "No. You know I love you no matter what kind of person you become. You will always take a lion's share of my heart. Besides, I love your change. You're more lively and vivacious now. I like it."

  Edward held her head in his arms and kissed her hair affectionately. Though he was a bit tired now, he didn't let go of her. In his eyes one could only see love. They were the living example of the oath "To have and to hold till death us do part".