Love Began with the First Meeting

Margie looked at Cain, who was seating opposite her. She observed how he clasped his long fingers together and kept his long legs crossed. What he did yesterday had completely changed her image of him. Back in the training ground, he was considered "the Devil." He would train like a madman and eat his meal like he was starving. He would always disturb her whenever she was alone. She didn't expect that the Devil actually had a soft side of him.

The way he talked and joked with her mother yesterday made her realize his affections. When she escorted him out, her child-like eyes met his dark and mysterious ones. His gaze alone mesmerized her, as if she was under a spell. She felt her skin prickle and warmth rise up to her cheeks. Indeed her perspective of him had changed.

"You know, watching me eat can be enjoyable for you but it can't make your stomach full," Cain said, bringing Maggie back to reality. He softly cut up his steak with his fork and knife. When he finished, he looked up at Maggie and switched their plates. "Eat."

Maggie only frowned while Cain resumed his meal gracefully. She muttered, "I am quite surprised that you are being this gentle, as if I will believe that. It's clear you are up to no good." To express her displeasure, she shoved down a large piece of steak into her mouth and chewed loudly. It was clear she was being rude towards him on purpose.

Both of them were eating in a fancy Western-style restaurant. There were times Benjamin and Monica would invite Maggie to eat here once in a while. That didn't mean she didn't know anything about table manners at all. She simply wanted to embarrass Cain. What was he hiding behind that handsome smile and bewitching eyes? For sure, the Devil was in there.

When people started to fill the restaurant, the scraping sound of Maggie's fork against the plate filled their ears. Disapproving glares were aimed at their table and some even whispered in gossip.

Cain only kept his composure and gave her a fond smile. Maggie felt her heart skip a beat.

It took her a while to realize that she was only making a fool of herself. If looks could kill, then the sharp glares at Maggie's direction could be enough to kill her. Women were captivated at the way Cain moved. There was a hint of jealousy in the atmosphere and whispers of admiration for Cain could be heard.

"Ugh. Well-played." Maggie gritted her teeth in annoyance. Why did she even accept his invitation for dinner?

When Cain saw her take a bite of her steak in annoyance, a small amused smile danced on his lips. "It must be very hard for you to be with Edgar."

"Well, not really," Maggie replied.

"He doesn't have much time for you, am I right?" Cain only continued.

Maggie tilted her head to the side with a smile. "Then you absolutely have no idea how it feels to be with the one you love. Even if he isn't around, my heart is still filled with love and happiness." She closed her eyes and put a hand on her chest.

"I had witnessed many things that proved to be worthless as time passes by," Cain interjected indifferently. "Those sappy love stories don't apply in the real world. Give them a bit of temptation, they crumble away."

Maggie frowned and rolled her eyes. "Seriously, Cain, I noticed that whenever you talked to me, it seemed like you wanted me to break up with Edgar. Do you have feelings for me or do you have a grudge against Edgar? To put it simply, either you love me or you hate Edgar."

Cain sipped some water, his expression not changing. But deep inside, his pulse quickened. After all, she was raised in a military family with her sharp wits cultivated in a special environment. She might tend to leap before thinking but her instincts were good. "What if I tell you that..." Cain leaned forward, his eyes were intense and intimate. "You got a pretty good hunch." His pupils darkened as Maggie gave him a strange look. A teasing smile grew on his lips.

Maggie immediately realized she was tricked! She tried her best to not throw the plates at Cain's face.

Cain straightened up as he smile widened. It made his eyes shine into something roguish. That is how human brains work. The more one denies one thing, the more firmly others believe it. But once you confirm their thoughts, they would think you are toying with them. Real or not, only a few could tell it.

Jerry, who was the commander of Henry's company, had been sent by Political Commissar Wang.

He and Edgar had gotten off the plane and headed straight to Henry's home. Henry's family wasn't well-off. His father used to work at a state-owned enterprise, broke his legs in a work-related incident, and had been making handicrafts at home with his mother. His mother would sell these handcrafts on streets. With the support of social care, they still managed to make ends meet.

Henry wasn't home yet when Edgar and Jerry arrived. Well, it made sense since they took the plane while Henry boarded the train.

"Oh, dear me!" Henry's mother spoke up. She and her husband were slightly surprised by their sudden visit. "Who are you?"

Jerry replied, "Nice to meet you. We are " Jerry spoke.

"We are Henry's commanders," Edgar cut Jerry off when he noticed that Henry's parents were getting nervous. He smiled, "We are on a business trip. Henry has asked us to bring his salary to you." With that, he took out two thousand dollars from his wallet and handed it to them.

Henry's mother only gave a puzzled look. She looked down at the money and asked in confusion, "But Henry just mailed us his salary a few days ago. So why did he..."

"Oh..." Edgar's eyes rose together but his smile didn't falter. "Well, this is his prize money for winning the shooting competition. He has been training hard lately so he asked us to bring this to you."

Henry's mother exploded into a big smile. She couldn't help but feel happy and proud about the good news. She asked, "My dear Henry won the shooting competition?"

Edgar nodded and gazed at her. "Well, Henry told us that he had a good aim since his father taught him how to use a slingshot when he was a child."

Henry's father grinned when he heard Edgar's earnest tone and compliments. After all, parents wanted to see their children succeed. He couldn't contain his complacency and pointed a finger at his wife. "I told you so, darling! Remember the time you accused me and Henry for being frivolous?" He grinned wider, taunting his wife.

Henry's mother smiled, shaking her head. "Oh well, what a good time for a comeback." Then she invited Edgar and Jerry to stay for lunch. "You have come such a long way. Please be our guests and stay for lunch. You are not allowed to refuse!" "We-" Jerry wanted to refuse.

"That's very kind of you! We are more than happy to stay. Thank you for your hospitality!" Edgar cut him off once again in an enthusiastic voice.

Jerry felt a vein pop on his temple. He was holding back the annoyance he was feeling towards Edgar. After all, it was his own soldier who got in trouble. But Edgar was way above his rank. He showed a smile despite being interrupted by Edgar. And right now, they made a mistake to accept a civilian's invitation for lunch. It made him feel like he was taking bribes.

When Henry's mother joyfully set out to buy ingredients for lunch, Edgar pulled Jerry aside and said in a low voice, "It's not really taking a bribe. Think of it as a meal for which we paid two thousand dollars."