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

For the next three days, the backyard became a construction site.

Lu Yanzhi arrived early the next morning, riding his Forever brand bicycle with a shovel, hoe, and two bags of newly prepared substrate soil strapped to the back seat.

Gu Bei also came after school.

"Teacher Lu really knows how to boss people around," he grumbled as he shoveled dirt. "He takes credit for Tangtang's work while I do all the hard labor. I'm not happy about it."

"Stop talking nonsense and get to work. All the credit is yours, okay?" Lu Yanzhi tossed him a pair of gloves.

One of the two was responsible for removing the top layer of rotten soil, bagging it, and transporting it away, while the other was responsible for laying a new substrate layer, which was specially prepared by Lu Yanzhi, consisting of sand, humus, and a small amount of lime to neutralize the acidity.

Shen Tang was strictly restricted from physical labor by Mu Qinghan: "You are only allowed to give verbal instructions, not to do anything."

She could only squat by the ground and watch, occasionally pointing out things like, "Make this side a little thinner" or "Don't forget that corner."

Mu Qinghan sat on the veranda, ostensibly to bask in the sun and read, but in reality, he had been flipping through the book all afternoon and was still on page three.

His gaze occasionally swept towards the backyard: Shen Tang was squatting by the ground, and Lu Yanzhi was squatting next to her. The two of them were looking at soil samples together, whispering to each other from time to time.

Gu Bei, shoveling dirt, glanced up at Mu Qinghan under the eaves, then at the two squatting together, and muttered softly, "Commander Mu is reading this book... pretty slowly today."

Lu Yanzhi didn't even turn his head: "Get to work, less talk."

Gu Bei muttered another disgruntled remark.

Lu Yanzhi rolled his eyes. "Don't mess with him."

The next afternoon, just as Gu Bei and Lu Yanzhi were working enthusiastically, "knock knock—"

There was a knock on the small door to the backyard.

Shen Tang looked up—

Zhang Cuihua stood at the door.

She was wearing a drab gray cotton-padded coat with the sleeves rolled up to her elbows, and carrying a shovel in her hand.

"Sister-in-law Cuihua?" Shen Tang was somewhat surprised.

Cuihua is a gossip and loves to take advantage of others. Her relationship with Zhang Cuihua in the compound isn't exactly good; they're just nodding acquaintances, neither close nor distant. Why is she here today?

"I heard you're tilling the land here." Zhang Cuihua slung the shovel over her shoulder, her voice loud and deliberately clear. "I'll lend a hand. Tiger's been so worried about what happened to your vegetable garden; he's been begging me to come help."

As she walked towards the vegetable garden, she muttered to herself, "Look at this soil... tsk tsk, what a mess it is. It's alright, I'll just turn it over."

Shen Tang stared at her hurried figure for a moment, then smiled.

"Thank you, sister-in-law."

"No need to thank me." Zhang Cuihua had already started shoveling soil, her movements indeed swift and efficient. "We see each other all the time, it's just a small favor."

She shoveled a few times, then stopped, and casually remarked, "Tiger wanted to come too. But the boy hasn't been feeling well these past few days; he caught a cold. I told him to stay home."

Shen Tang frowned: "Tiger has a cold? Is it serious? Should I go see him..."

"No need, no need!" Zhang Cuihua turned around, her reaction so quick she almost poked her foot with the shovel in her hand. "It's just a common cold! Just a runny nose. I've taken medicine, I can just stay home and rest. I'm mainly worried about infecting you. You just got over your fever, you're still weak. What if he passes on his illness to you?"

"It's not that precious." Shen Tang smiled. "But since my sister-in-law said so, I won't insist. However—"

She turned and walked towards the east wing, and after a while came out with a can of malted milk powder and two packets of red dates.

"These are what everyone brought when they visited me the other day. I can't finish them all by myself." She handed the food to Zhang Cuihua, "Give this to Hu Zi to help him recover. Children's colds are very tiring; they need to eat more nutritious food."

Zhang Cuihua looked at the malted milk powder and red dates in her hand.

The iron can, weighing half a pound, was quite heavy. It had the word "Shanghai" printed on it, indicating it was a special supply from the military region.

Normally, she would have put it in her pocket without saying a word. Only a fool wouldn't take something that's given away for free.

But today she's here to atone for Hu Zi's sins, so how can she take Shen Tang's things?

"...This is too expensive." She quickly declined, "You keep it for yourself—"

"Take it." Shen Tang stuffed the things into her arms. "Hu Zi is a good boy. I can't visit him because he's sick, so please thank him for me, sister-in-law."

Zhang Cuihua paused for a moment.

Good boy.

These words felt like a wad of cotton stuck in her stomach.

This is how Shen Tang views Hu Zi.

"...Okay." Her voice was a little strained. "Then I thank you on Tiger's behalf."

She stuffed the malted milk powder and red dates into her cotton-padded jacket pocket, lowered her head, and continued shoveling soil.

He shoveled harder than before, the shovel slamming into the soil with a loud clang.

……

evening.

When Zhang Cuihua put down the shovel, two blisters had formed on her palms.

"Alright, sister-in-law, that's enough for today." Shen Tang handed her a glass of water. "We'll talk about it tomorrow."

"Not tired at all." Zhang Cuihua took a couple of gulps of water, wiped the sweat from her forehead, and said, "I'll come again tomorrow."

She took the things Shen Tang had given her and went out through the small back gate.

As dusk fell, there were few people on the roads of the compound.

Zhang Cuihua walked quickly, the malted milk powder in her pocket.

As she turned past the row of poplar trees near the barracks, her steps suddenly halted.

A dozen or so steps ahead, Liu Fang was walking in from outside the compound, arm in arm with Chen Zhiyuan.

The two walked side by side. Liu Fang, wearing a pale yellow cotton-padded jacket and with her hair neatly combed, smiled and said something. Chen Zhiyuan nodded occasionally in response, his expression indifferent, but he didn't shake off her hand.

Zhang Cuihua stood behind the poplar tree and did not go out.

She looked at Liu Fang—

Smiling and gentle.

"Milk is great for watering plants. Just pour it directly onto the plants. A higher concentration provides more nutrients."

Zhang Cuihua clutched the can of malted milk powder tightly in her pocket.

She didn't know if Liu Fang did it on purpose.

But while her son was crying his heart out, Shen Tang was lying in bed with a high fever.

Liu Fang, however, was perfectly fine. Smiling, she linked arms with her man and walked past her.

Zhang Cuihua stood behind the tree, motionless.

Only after the two figures disappeared at the end of the alley did she start walking home.

They walked very fast and didn't look back.

Day three.

The topsoil has been completely replaced. The new substrate layer is flat and soft, with a healthy dark brown color.

Lu Yanzhi brought a batch of pre-bred seedlings from the agricultural research station—salt-tolerant bok choy, herbs, and several special strains preserved in his laboratory.

"The seedlings are temporarily planted on the side, and then transplanted after the substrate layer has stabilized for two or three days," he said.

"good."

Shen Tang squatted down beside the newly turned soil, gently touching the soft surface with her fingers.

Consciousness sinks into space.

In the space—

It's still barren.

The spring remains dry. The soil remains compacted.

But in the very corner...

There is a small seedling.

There is only one.

A stem as thin as a hair, topped with a tender leaf the size of a fingernail. It trembled as it emerged from the cracks in the dry soil.

Shen Tang looked at the seedling.

It is still alive.

The space is still alive.

She was just very weak.

The space is being repaired, but very slowly. It takes time.

The system notification slowly appeared:

[External land ecological restoration in progress... Spiritual spring water reserves: 0... Spatial self-repair in progress (very slow)... Expected recovery condition: Token binding depth increased to 100%.]

Increased binding depth.

Shen Tang stared at the line of text, lost in thought.

Binding depth – related to ownership of the bracelet.

The bracelet is on her wrist now, but nominally... it still belongs to the Mu family; it's a token of their engagement. Mu Qinghan had wanted to go back before.

If the bracelet truly belongs to her—

The space can then be fully restored.

But this is not something she can decide.

The only one who can decide who owns the bracelet is Mu Qinghan.