Food Stall: Customers Chase Me across the Country-Chapter 360 - 361: Ili’s First Sight, Guozigou Bridge
The fried chicken was prepared quickly, Wang Fan used dragon drumsticks for marinating, although they lack the punch of chicken wings, in terms of flavor and texture, they are superior.
He also thoughtfully prepared a big bowl of fries for them, enough to fill them up.
This fried chicken is different from those dipped in tomato sauce; it was coated with his homemade seasoning as soon as it came out of the pan, making it incredibly delicious to eat directly.
Zhang Ying, Meng Xiuyue, and the others didn’t rush to eat. Instead, they immediately started taking photos, and once done, promptly logged into Penguin to apply for Wang Fan’s fan group.
Then they eagerly posted it to their social media circle, finally finding their closest friends in their contacts list to share this chicken with them.
After all, bumping into Boss Wang’s gourmet delights in the middle of the night, how could they not share it with everyone?
This is what we call "sharing the blessing"!
After a smooth series of actions, they started devouring the pile of crispy chicken chunks like hungry wolves.
The aromas of scallion, garlic, ginger, cumin, and some indistinguishably rich spices mingle with the meat and batter, making one’s mouth water uncontrollably.
"Crunch..."
The crispy texture is captivating; biting into the chicken releases abundant juices and a tender, bouncy texture that immediately conquered them.
The savory taste mixed with scallion, ginger, garlic, and a hint of spiciness, along with a subtle aroma of wine...
"Wow... honestly, I’ve had a lot of fried chicken in my life, but never this good."
"It’s the first time I’ve tasted such delicious fried chicken without needing any sauce."
"Reputation doesn’t always live up, those folks online were way too modest, Boss Wang’s culinary skills cannot possibly be limited to what they said!"
"It’s time to make up my mind, I can’t hold back my artillery anymore."
"It was only after joining the group that we found out, Boss Wang said earlier that if fans run into him during this trip, he’d gift us a dish, obviously, we’re getting the better end of the deal."
Meng Xiuyue listened to them talk but didn’t intend to join in.
Instead, she excitedly thought to herself: "Keep talking, everyone say a bit more, so I can sneak in some extra bites..."
Zhang Ying thought Meng Xiuyue was acting curious, her usually talkative friend turned unusually quiet.
After a careful look, she figured it out and became unusually furious.
Darn you, crafty tomato! You’re sneaking fried chicken like crazy while we chat! You must have stuffed at least four pieces into those cheeks of yours, right?!
Seeing their colleagues still rambling, Zhang Ying kept quiet, simply accelerating her hand and mouth actions, no longer joining in the conversation.
"Crunch crunch crunch..."
Like two big hamsters, Zhang Ying and Meng Xiuyue said nothing as they voraciously demolished the chicken.
The others soon noticed their strange silence and quickly realized what was happening, their temper flaring up.
"Oh really, you’re working together with them, aren’t you? While we’re all rambling, you two have piled bones high as a mountain at your spot!"
"Oh gosh, had you not said so, I wouldn’t have known they were so loaded, quick, take action!"
"You had to betray comradeship, I’m gonna fight you for this!"
Everyone suddenly fell silent, rolling up their sleeves to grab chicken pieces from the big bowl, soon creating piles of bones in front of everyone.
Each chicken bone was gnawed clean, a passing dog would shake its head.
However, dogs can’t eat cooked chicken bones, so they probably won’t curse them too much?
Wang Fan was generous, Huaxia hospitality demands people be well-fed, quantity is essential.
Their frantic grab made the chicken disappear rapidly, paired with their own beer, a bite of crispy fried chicken, a sip of lake-chilled beer—it’s a heavenly sensation, the only problem being their visibly swelling bellies, and all the dieting vows long forgotten with the chicken bones thrown sky-high.
...
After touring Talimu Lake the next day, the two drove straight to Guozigou Bridge; a trip to Talimu Lake without visiting Guozigou Bridge would be incomplete.
This bridge, claimed to be "most extravagant," spans just a mere 700 meters, yet cost 2.39 billion yuan, with each meter priced at 3.4 million yuan, regarded as Huaxia’s most expensive bridge.
Though costly, it’s worth it.
Guozigou is the throat of entry and exit for the Ili River Valley; spanning 28 kilometers, it’s a famed gorge pathway heading north to Sayram Lake, south to the Ili River Valley. Guozigou stands as a natural barrier to the Ili River Valley and simultaneously the biggest obstacle for locals.
For a long time, Ili’s external contacts solely relied on a national road; even slight rain or snow often caused roadblocks.
The Guozigou Bridge completely solved the travel issue, granting locals all-weather access to Urumqi, bearing great significance for Great Border’s stability and development.
Terrain differences, steep slopes, harsh conditions, narrow construction sites, prolonged winters...
Each necessary hurdle faced by infrastructure experts was tackled, leading to Ili’s top landmark.
Daring to call this the top landmark means it’s more than its strategic importance; it’s genuinely spectacular too.
Guozigou Bridge resembles a meandering dragon spanning the valley, grand and magnificent. The soaring pylons stand amid lush mountains, silently showcasing human genius and bravado.
Below lies a deep valley, with streams trickling through. The valley boasts lush trees, dotted with wildflowers, presenting an enchanting sight.
After marveling at Guozigou Bridge, the two continued their journey.
Actually, Zhuo Qianqian’s hometown, Aksu, is next to Ili, their plan was aimed at Aksu, but Great Border is vast, neighboring cities can still be over 800 kilometers apart.
Today’s last stop in Ili is the Yining Grand Bazaar.
The term "Bazaar" refers to markets or agricultural trade, Yining City’s Han People’s Street Food Grand Bazaar, located at East Liang Street and Houtan Road, Xinhuadong Road, Yining City, is a large restaurant combining local delicacies and tourism shopping.
Today, they’re here to fill their stomachs once more with local specialties, then rush to Aksu to meet their future in-laws.
Regarding being buried in sand, they’ll just take it as it comes.
