He was a disabled military officer who doted on his research work in the Northwest.

In the December sunset, the emerald green leaves were dazzlingly vibrant.

Shen Tang's vegetable garden, Shen Tang's medicine, Shen Tang's medical skills.

Mu Qinghan's leg is recovering.

If he really recovered—and flew again—

Then Chen Zhiyuan would always be just a deputy, and she would always be just the deputy's wife.

Liu Fang's fingernails dug into her palm.

She remembered a few days ago—

That afternoon, she went to deliver lunch to Chen Zhiyuan and passed by Wang Xiulian's house. The door was half open, and Shen Tang was squatting by the flowerpots in Wang Xiulian's yard, pouring something into the soil from a cup.

Wang Xiulian, standing nearby, asked curiously, "Tangtang, what are you watering?"

"Milk diluted with water," Shen Tang said without looking up. "A 1:10 ratio. Diluting it before watering the plants will supplement them with trace elements, making the leaves grow better."

"Oh my, milk can be used to water flowers?" Wang Xiulian exclaimed in surprise.

"Yes, but it must be diluted with water." Shen Tang stood up, patting the soil off her hands. "Pure milk must never be poured directly onto the soil—the protein ferments and rots in the soil, breeding harmful bacteria and burning the roots. Especially in the saline-alkali soil of my vegetable garden, the microbial balance is very fragile—if pure milk is poured in, the microbial community will collapse immediately, and all the vegetables will die."

Wang Xiulian clicked her tongue twice: "So particular."

"Farming, you know," Shen Tang smiled, "is basically about cultivating microorganisms. If the microorganisms are healthy, everything grows well. If the microorganisms collapse, everything is doomed."

Liu Fang paused for a moment while standing in the alley.

Then he walked past as if nothing had happened.

She didn't understand the part about bacteria at the beginning, but she understood the last sentence—

"Never pour pure milk directly onto vegetables—it will cause the bacterial flora to collapse, and the vegetables will all die."

She remembered it.

Liu Fang stood at her doorstep and glanced at the things in her hands.

That's a bottle of milk that Chen Zhiyuan brought back today—a supply allocated by the military region to enhance the nutrition of rescue workers and medical staff.

Shen Tang also brought back a bottle. In the afternoon, the children from the compound gathered around, watching eagerly. Shen Tang smiled and distributed the milk to them—pouring a small half-cup for each of them. Tiger drank the most, his white beard still hanging from his mouth.

Liu Fang looked at the bottle of milk in her hand.

It was issued by the military region. Pure milk.

Pure.

The kind that isn't diluted with water.

She did not go inside.

He turned around and walked towards the neighboring courtyard.

……

Zhang Cuihua's house. Under the grape trellis.

"Sister-in-law Cuihua." Liu Fang appeared at the courtyard gate with a smile.

Zhang Cuihua was collecting laundry: "Oh, Liu Fang! Coming to visit?"

"Hmm, have a seat." Liu Fang leaned against the grape trellis post and said casually, "Sister-in-law, how's your clivia doing lately? The leaves looked a bit wilted last time."

"Don't even mention it! The leaf tips are turning yellow, I don't know what to do."

"Hey—I heard someone say today that milk is really good for watering plants." Liu Fang's tone was extremely natural. "It's rich in nutrients, like protein and calcium, and plants absorb it and grow strong."

"Watering flowers with milk?" Zhang Cuihua became interested.

"Yes. It was a special batch issued by the military region this time. I can't finish the bottle, and I was thinking of using it to water my spider plant. But there's not much to water in my other plant—you could try watering your clivia, though."

"What kind of milk should we use? Diluted with water?"

"Just water it directly," Liu Fang smiled. "A higher concentration means more nutrients. Diluting it with water will make it almost like plain water."

Zhang Cuihua nodded: "Okay, since milk works well for watering flowers, I'll try it later."

Tiger sat on a bench, making "putt-putt-putt" sounds like a motorcycle.

He overheard his mother and Aunt Liu Fang talking—"Milk is good for watering flowers. It's highly concentrated and nutritious, so you should water them directly with it."

Tiger remembered the glass of milk Aunt Shen Tang had given him that afternoon—it was delicious! He also remembered Uncle Mu's lush green vegetable garden.

Aunt Shen Tang's dishes are more precious than milk.

If you water the vegetables with milk, will they grow better?

Aunt Shen Tang will definitely be very happy!

Tiger jumped off the stool, ran into the house, opened the cupboard, and inside was the cow that his mother had brought—Zhang Cuihua had given Tiger all of it, and there was still half left.

Tiger, clutching a half-empty bottle of milk, ran out of the courtyard gate.

Zhang Cuihua called out from behind, "Huzi! Where are you going?!"

"Help Aunt Shen Tang water the vegetables!" Tiger's voice carried over to the other side of the courtyard wall. "Use milk! Milk is good for watering flowers! Vegetables are flowers too!"

Zhang Cuihua smiled and didn't take it seriously—although she didn't like Shen Tang, the child was very close to Shen Tang and wanted to help with everything. Shen Tang wasn't a bad person either, so she let her be.

From the other side of the courtyard wall, the sound of milk being poured came from.

Shen Tang and Mu Qinghan were not home. Hu Zi squatted alone by the vegetable garden, pouring most of a bottle of milk onto the lush green leaves. The white liquid seeped into the soil, leaving a thin film of milk on the leaves.

"Alright!" Tiger clapped his hands in satisfaction.

He was about to run home—

"Tiger?"

Liu Fang's voice came from the side path.

She was carrying a bunch of celery in her hand. When she saw Hu Zi running out of the Mu family's backyard, she walked over with a smile:

What are you doing?

"I poured milk on Aunt Shen Tang's vegetables!" Tiger looked up, his face full of pride. "I heard you and Mom say that milk is good for watering flowers—Aunt Shen Tang has been working so hard lately. Mom said she's in the hospital treating patients, and I wanted to help her!"

"Oh dear—" Liu Fang squatted down, smiling as she ruffled Hu Zi's hair. "Hu Zi is such a good boy, he knows how to care for Aunt Shen Tang. But—"

She lowered her voice, as if sharing a little secret:

"You don't need to tell anyone about doing good deeds. Aunt Shen Tang has been too busy lately, so just quietly water her vegetables every day. When the vegetables grow exceptionally well, she'll know it was Hu Zi who helped. She'll be so happy then!"

Tiger's eyes lit up: "Really?"

"Really." Liu Fang smiled gently. "That's called—doing good deeds anonymously. The most admirable good people are like that. Look at your Aunt Tangtang, she's like that too. She never talks about what she's done, but everyone sees what she does. Tiger should learn from Aunt Tangtang, shouldn't he?"

"Yes!" Tiger nodded vigorously. "I want to learn from Aunt Tangtang, to do good deeds anonymously. I'll water it every day from now on! And I won't tell Aunt Tangtang!"

"Good boy, so thoughtful." Liu Fang stood up, patted his shoulder, and said, "Go home now."

Tiger skipped and hopped away.

Liu Fang stood on the path, watching his figure disappear around the corner.

The curve of the corners of her mouth slowly changed shape.

From this day forward—

Every evening, when Shen Tang and Mu Qinghan were not at home, Hu Zi would carry a bottle of milk. Sometimes it was the military-rationed milk that Zhang Cuihua had been given, and sometimes it was "borrowed" from other friends.

He tiptoed into the Mu family's backyard, squatted by the vegetable garden, and carefully poured milk onto the base of each vegetable.

Then he quietly ran home.

I won't tell anyone.

Do good deeds anonymously.

Aunt Shen Tang will be very happy.