CHAPTER 213: CHAPTER 213: JIANG’S FRIED CHICKEN, SO GOOD IT’S CRIMINAL!

At the entrance of the fried chicken shop, the customers were all staring in astonishment.

The police are arresting a wanted criminal? What’s going on here?

Everyone’s cameras were focused on Zhou Laohu. Even after being arrested, he was still shouting, "Let me eat a piece of fried chicken! Let me eat a piece of fried chicken!"

The scene was particularly amusing. Even at a time like this, he hadn’t forgotten about wanting fried chicken! He must be a real foodie.

Actually, Zhou Laohu wasn’t a foodie; he was just genuinely famished. He was so hungry he was losing strength, and with fried chicken right in front of him, of course, he desperately wanted to eat.

Ma Jiang led other officers to make the arrest. The police car arrived soon after.

Fortunately for Jiang Feng, there wasn’t much chicken left, so he and Sun Zhuangfei could just about manage. He’d have to hire new workers tomorrow.

Besides, operating the fried chicken shop for the past two days had generated good revenue; the income was decent. Hiring a few people wouldn’t be a problem.

The customers watched the police arrive, still eager for more of the drama.

"Is this for real? Was that guy actually a wanted criminal?"

"Looks like it. The police cars are over there."

"This is unbelievable, isn’t it?"

"Did the fried chicken lure out a wanted criminal?"

"That guy was still asking for fried chicken while being arrested!"

The crowd was buzzing with excitement. What could be more interesting than witnessing a live spectacle?

Everyone immediately posted the videos online.

「Meanwhile.」

At the police station, the bar owner, Wang Youcai, had just finished giving his statement. Despite the interrogation, he hadn’t confessed to anything. He was very cautious and had connections backing him up.

A look of disappointment was clear on the face of the officer questioning him. Just as they were preparing to let Wang Youcai go, the interrogating officer was suddenly called out of the room. When he returned, a relieved smile graced his face.

Seeing the officer’s smile, Wang Youcai knew it was over for him; he wouldn’t escape. Something had definitely gone wrong.And things had unfolded just as he’d feared.

He had harbored two wanted criminals. Seeking leniency, they had turned him in. None of them would escape.

Inside the fried chicken shop, Jiang Feng and Sun Zhuangfei worked diligently and finally finished preparing all the fried chicken. With some customers still outside, Jiang Feng had no choice but to tell them they were sold out.

The day’s business ended amidst the commotion.

Once the fried chicken shop closed, Jiang Feng hurried off to recruit new staff. Fortunately, with the high wages he offered, finding three people willing to work for another four days was easy.

Though the fried chicken shop’s operations had ended for the day, the online buzz was just beginning.

Soon, the news of the police arresting the wanted criminals hit the top of the trending searches. In a city where major news was rare, an incident like this, captured by many, immediately drew a crowd eager for a spectacle.

"Thanks to the internet, we can watch the process of capturing fugitives live!"

"Wow, this cashier is incredible! He practically took off on the spot!"

"That handsome guy in the chef’s uniform frying chicken, why does he look so familiar?"

"I also think he looks familiar!"

"Man, what crime did this guy commit to be arrested like that?"

Everyone was discussing it in the comments section. It didn’t take long for someone to recognize Jiang Feng.

"Isn’t he that popular guy with the street stall?"

"I know him too!"

"Haha, his fried chicken shop is already a hit. Lots of people go there every day, didn’t you know?"

"I can testify, the fried chicken is super delicious! Just listen to what that wanted criminal was shouting at the end."

"Unbelievable, fried chicken lured out a wanted criminal?"

"Is that Boss Jiang? Seriously, how come Boss Jiang appears in all sorts of strange videos? Can’t he just create his own account?"

The online debate grew even more heated. Soon after, the Yangzhou police issued a statement.

Two major criminal suspects, having fled from another province into Yangzhou, were apprehended by the police. Additionally, a bar owner who harbored the criminals was arrested. This bar owner, from the same hometown as the two suspects, had previously been involved in illegal and criminal activities.

Once people learned the full story, they were quite excited. In fact, many were asking in the comments:

"Was it because the wanted criminals wanted fried chicken that they got discovered?"

"After hiding for so long, they still couldn’t stay hidden!"

"Hahaha, getting caught because of fried chicken! Those two wanted criminals must be kicking themselves!"

"Ask them if they still want fried chicken now?"

This story spread like wildfire, quickly becoming a hot topic of local conversation. Outsiders who watched these videos often just saw it as entertainment. But locals who saw them would discuss it with others over meals and also chat about Jiang Feng’s fried chicken shop. As a result, everyone became even more interested in Jiang Feng’s fried chicken shop.

「The next day,」

Sun Zhuangfei was responsible for collecting the chicken from the farm and bringing it back. Jiang Feng, meanwhile, had hired three young people to help in the shop.

It was still early, yet a large crowd had already gathered outside Jiang Feng’s fried chicken shop. When Sun Zhuangfei and the people from the poultry farm carried the chicken inside, even he was startled by the size of the crowd.

"Boss, it seems we’ve really hit the big time," Sun Zhuangfei said to Jiang Feng, looking at the people outside.

Jiang Feng was busy stir-frying sauce and mixing batter. He sighed upon hearing Sun Zhuangfei’s words. "Yeah, I didn’t expect us to get this popular so quickly. I thought I could keep a low profile for a while in Yangzhou. I didn’t expect to hit the trending searches just a few days after arriving. With this many people, it looks like we’re going to be swamped."

Sun Zhuangfei added, "I saw the news online yesterday. People were saying that if even a wanted criminal couldn’t resist coming here to eat, they also had to try the fried chicken. Many people are thinking the same thing."

Jiang Feng was aware of this. But it still sounded a bit outrageous. He wasn’t short of business; yesterday’s customer flow was just right. Now, suddenly, he was about to enter ’overload’ mode again, and he felt somewhat exasperated. Talk about an accidental success.

"Wash the chicken again and get ready to marinate it. I’ve prepared the seasonings. You’ll handle the knife work later. Cut the chicken as I instructed," Jiang Feng told Sun Zhuangfei.

"Yes, Boss," Sun Zhuangfei replied.

The chicken was brought in and soaked in a large iron basin. Deodorizing seasonings were added. Sun Zhuangfei busied himself washing the chicken, and a young woman with some culinary skills helped out. Washing chicken wasn’t complicated, so she could assist.

Jiang Feng handled the more technical tasks, like mixing the batter, preparing sauces, and creating the marinades. Although it was just a small fried chicken shop, Jiang Feng operated like the head chef of a private kitchen; he had the final say on everything in the kitchen.

The number of people outside continued to grow. The door to the fried chicken shop was shut and locked. Many people pressed themselves against the door, peering inside.

"Is this the place where the fugitive was caught yesterday?" someone asked.

"That’s right, this is it," someone nearby responded.

"Is that chef named Jiang Feng inside?" he asked again.

"Yes, he’s busy in there—the one in the white chef’s uniform," another person answered.

"Their fried chicken looks so clean, and it’s all fresh. No wonder it’s delicious," someone else added.

Everyone waited outside. The fried chicken shop was small, its storefront roughly the same size as a Mixue Ice City outlet. The difference was that it had an internal kitchen with specialized cooking equipment. At this moment, the shop was surrounded. Many had come just to taste the fried chicken.

These days, many people pursued the ’same experience.’ For example, if a celebrity wore a certain brand’s clothing, they’d wear it too, feeling like a celebrity themselves. And now, a major fugitive—highly skilled in counter-surveillance and on the run across multiple provinces—had been taken down by a serving of fried chicken. Even after being caught, he kept clamoring for a portion. Could there be a better advertisement than this?This was far more powerful than any celebrity endorsement!This was someone literally risking their life for an endorsement!

Some had even come up with a slogan: Jiang’s Fried Chicken: So good, you’d go to jail for it!

Jiang Feng had seen this slogan. He was utterly speechless.Netizens these days loved their memes; they could make a meme out of anything.He didn’t want to dwell on it.

Inside the fried chicken shop, chickens were cut open one by one, scored with a knife, and then placed in an iron basin to marinate. Sun Zhuangfei’s knife skills, though not fast, were steady and met Jiang Feng’s requirements.

Culinary skill is honed over the long term. Becoming a great chef requires at least five, or even ten, years of learning. It all begins with practicing these fundamental skills, step by step.

Jiang Feng busied himself with his tasks, getting everything ready. He glanced outside; the crowd was teeming, with some people even pressing their faces against the windows to look in. It really felt like a zombie siege.The pressure was palpable.

The sooner we finish, the sooner this is over, Jiang Feng remained calm; he was used to this by now.

After a while longer, the chicken was almost fully marinated. Soon, it would just need to be coated with batter and fried. Jiang Feng checked the time. There was still a little while before the shop opened. Everything in the kitchen was prepared. The cashier and servers were also ready.

"Almost time. Prepare to open," Jiang Feng instructed.

A staff member opened the doors. The next moment, the long-waiting customers swarmed in.