Day had barely broken, and the sun had yet to rise, when Sun Jiaqiang climbed out of bed. He first went outside to the pit latrine to relieve himself, then returned to light the stove. While the water heated, he took the Big Broom and swept the Purchasing Station's Big Courtyard again.
He had actually swept it the night before. Apart from a few fallen leaves, the courtyard was quite clean that morning. Still, Sun Jiaqiang thought it needed another sweep. When people came in to sell things, seeing a spotless courtyard ought to put them in a good mood.
After sweeping the courtyard, he returned to the room that had been converted into a kitchen. The water on the stove had not boiled yet. He pulled over the large iron bucket, took a package of brick tea from the windowsill beside him, and deftly broke off three small pieces and tossed them in.
Once the water in the pot boiled, he scooped it out with the Ladle and poured it into the large iron bucket. The boiling water steeped the three little pieces of brick tea, soon turning reddish brown.
Golden flowers had already developed in the brick tea. According to what people would say in later years, those were very nutritious.
When Sun Jiaxiang first drank it, he thought the tea had gone moldy and told Li Long to throw it away. But Li Long told him those were golden flowers, something very useful that indicated the tea was of good quality.
Sun Jiaqiang had been skeptical. Only after Li Long demonstrated by drinking it himself and showed there was nothing wrong with it did he believe him.
Since he was working here, his first task every day was to provide good service. Li Long had already arranged