Xie Zhuang quickly stopped Zhong Ling's hand and pushed her aside, "Hurry up, the one behind."

Then he said to Zhong Ling, "We don't care how much Zhou wants to sell it for. It's her ability to make money. It's useless for you to refuse. Even if you charge 80 cents per ounce, I won't sell you any duck feathers."

"Why?" Zhong Ling didn't believe that there was anyone who didn't love money.

"Because you have no credit, you borrow things from people in class all day long, never return them, and then shamelessly borrow from them again next time. I almost wish you weren't my classmate, it's so embarrassing."

"Yes, yes, if you accept it, I wouldn't dare sell it to you!"

"That's right, you have no credibility. No one in the class is afraid of you borrowing things from them."

"That's right. I borrowed it and didn't return it. I asked my mom for money to buy it again, and I got beaten up again."

"Yeah! He lent me an eraser, but he said he couldn't find it and he wouldn't pay me back. I asked my mom for money to buy it back, but she asked if I ate it. I told her someone borrowed it and lost it, and she beat me up. Who doesn't plan to spend their money on something?"

"Come, let me see what's wrapped in your newspaper. It's just a little bit, I dare say it's half a pound."

"Yes, open it and take a look!"

Several male classmates grabbed it and opened it, and saw that it was full of large duck wing feathers and chicken feathers.

"How shameless! These are all things Zhou wanted to take away, but not only did you take them, you also falsely reported them. How shameless!"

"Push her out of the way, she's blocking the ones behind."

Zhou Xiang listened to his classmates' words, watched their actions, and kept calculating with his hands. Xie Zhuang also kept taking notes.

When the bell rang, they had just finished collecting the feathers and everyone returned to their desks. Zhou wanted to take out a snakeskin bag and pack it in duck feathers.

"I told you to collect it, but I tore it off yours and it flew away, leaving you with nothing to lose."

Zhong Ling stepped forward and grabbed the newspaper package on Zhou Xiang's desk. Suddenly, duck feathers flew all over the classroom and everyone exclaimed in surprise.

The students in the first two rows who reacted quickly pulled Zhong Ling away quickly, while Zhou Xiang took his time and put the untorn paper package into a snakeskin bag.

When Teacher Guo walked to the classroom door, he saw the classroom full of duck feathers.

"What's going on?"

Xie Zhuang, full of justice, stood up and explained the situation.

Teacher Guo looked at Zhong Ling disappointedly, "Zhong Ling, originally, you could have been expelled for spreading rumors, considering the reputation of the school. It was Zhou Xiang who disagreed with expelling you and allowed you to continue your studies. You are repaying kindness with enmity!

Your behavior makes me feel powerless. I can't teach you, and I can't teach you well. Xie Zhuang, take someone to deal with the duck feathers in the classroom. This class is off. Zhong Ling, come with me to the principal's office."

After Zhong Ling left, everyone wanted to grab the duck feathers, but Zhou wanted to stop them. "Don't move. If too many people move around, it will fly up again after it finally comes down. A few people on the periphery should go out and find buckets to wet the ground. Then everyone can move. Wet the rags and use them to hit the flying ones."

After hearing this, everyone agreed that this was a good idea. However, wouldn't that mean Zhou would be at a disadvantage this week? Zhong Ling tore off a small half of it.

Zhou Xiang saw everyone's hesitation and said, "It's okay. We don't need these duck feathers anymore. Besides, Chen Shi's family has a lot, enough for me."

The students at the front and back doors hurried to other classes to borrow buckets of water.

Li Li asked curiously, "What on earth do you use the duck feathers for?"

"Making clothes! Look, aren't my cotton jacket and trousers super thin? They're filled with duck feathers!"

"Ah? Doesn't it stink?"

Everyone also pricked up their ears to listen to the conversation between the two people.

Zhou Xiang simply turned around slowly, facing everyone, and said, "Don't get the duck feathers dirty when you pluck them. I collect the duck feathers and wash them with hot water, soap, and a little alkali to remove the grease. Then I dry them in the sun, put them in a small cloth bag, steam them on a steamer to disinfect them, and then dry them in the sun. If there is no fishy smell, they can be made into down jackets. This set of mine is a down jacket."

"Ah? So troublesome? So many procedures?" Li Li felt that just washing herself was unbearable, and she also had to dry it. Will it dry it for you? It's flying everywhere!

The students who were fetching water slowly sprinkled water from the door. When the entire classroom was sprinkled, all the students took action.

Those who were looking for rags were looking for rags, those who were sweeping the floor were sweeping the floor, and the female students even took out their handkerchiefs, soaked them in water, and waved them around the classroom.

Strength lies in numbers, and the classroom was quickly cleaned up. Zhou Xiang looked at Chen Shi, who was hesitant to speak, and said, "If you have something to say, just say it."

"Well, can I go to your house and see how you wash duck feathers?"

Zhou Xiang tilted his head and looked at him, "You want to make down jackets?"

"I want to make this for my mom and dad. Their hands are soaked in water every day. In winter, their hands are covered with frostbite. Maybe having a down jacket will help."

"Will your mother do it?"

"I think so, but I don't have a sewing machine at home."

"You can't just sew by hand. It has to be tight. Go back and ask your mom if she wants to do it. I have a sewing machine at home, and my mom can teach her."

If she is willing, you can wait until Sunday to come to my house and watch me wash duck feathers. If you learn it and your mother learns it too, you can let your whole family wear down jackets.

However, you still have to sell me some duck feathers. I promised Principal Li's wife that I would give her three pounds of washed and dried down!"

Chen Shi nodded happily, "Okay, I'll bring it to you on Sunday. I've saved about three or four pounds so far."

Zhou Xiang returned home and told his mother about Zhong Ling. His mother sighed, "Zhong Ling is probably a tough kid to teach. She's too aggressive."

"Let's go, let's go catch the bus. Have you taken your leave?"

"Yeah! I took two days off. No one bought fertilizer during those two days, and my boss didn't find anyone to take my place. So I'll consider it personal leave and won't deduct my salary."

"Let's go!" Zhou Xiang went into the house to put away the duck feathers and put down his schoolbag.

"Second sister, Mom and I are going to the county town. I will definitely buy you a watch this time. If you get scolded by Dad again, no one will help you!"

Zhou Yu was happy to hear this, "Okay, I will definitely go to the main hall to check the time."

On the way, Zhou's mother asked, "Why did you agree to buy a watch for your second sister? Do you have too much money?"

"Didn't she say she didn't know what time to cook? She gets scolded by her dad every day. I still have a watch ticket, and it will expire if I don't buy it now."

"You! You're just hard on the outside but soft on the inside. You saw her being scolded by your dad, so you felt sorry for her, right?"

"Hehe, mom still understands me!"

Zhou's mother shook her head helplessly. Her little girl could never bear to be cruel to her relatives.

When the mother and daughter arrived at the county town, it was almost eleven o'clock. They pushed open the gate and went into the inner room. Old Mrs. Liu was lying on the bed and sleeping!

"Grandma! Grandma!" Zhou Xiang called softly.

Old Lady Liu opened her eyes and asked, "You're here?"

"Yeah! My mom is here too."

"Why are you here? Doesn't she have to go to work?"

"Going to work isn't as important as coming to see you. As your daughter, she has to come and see you."