Chapter 27: A Slip Through the Net of a Planned Economy!

To save her husband’s pride, Zhou Yuqin bit back her laughter and tucked the contraceptive back into its place.

She rose from the kang, retrieved a pair of oversized boxers from the wardrobe, and tossed them to Li Xiangdong. "Put these on, quickly."

"Are you laughing at me?" Li Xiangdong, now pulling on the boxers, kept his eyes locked on his wife.

Zhou Yuqin finally lost her composure. "I’m not—pfft—that’s not what I meant."

"If that’s not what you meant, then why are you laughing? You are definitely making fun of me!"

It was just too embarrassing! Once Zhou Yuqin was settled back in bed, Li Xiangdong immediately turned off the lights, desperate to hide his defeated expression.

"Alright, alright, don't be angry," Zhou Yuqin comforted him. "Let’s get some sleep. You have important things to take care of tomorrow."

Li Xiangdong lay in bed, tossing and turning, unable to fall asleep. The earlier incident had dealt a severe blow to his pride.

"Are you trying to flip pancakes or something?" Zhou Yuqin asked, exasperated.

"What pancakes? I feel like I'm the one being turned into a pancake!"

Li Xiangdong turned on his side to look at his wife. The urge stirred within him once more. The last attempt had been a complete fluke. If he didn't prove his prowess tonight, he would never be able to hold his head up in front of her again.

"Shall we go again?"

***

Zhou Yuqin pushed him away and sat up. "You’re so annoying. Didn't we just do it?"

"Do what? I didn't even take my pants off! That didn't count. We’re doing it again." Li Xiangdong grinned. "If we don't use these contraceptives, they’ll expire."

"You’re talking nonsense!" Zhou Yuqin nearly burst out laughing. She couldn't believe the excuses her husband would dream up just to get his way. She realized only now that Li Xiangdong had this side to him, and she found it unexpectedly charming. For the first time since they married, she felt like life was actually becoming interesting, rather than the mundane routine it had always been.

She lay back down, teasing, "It’s fine if they expire. They’re free anyway—the neighborhood committee hands them out whenever the director visits."

"Oh, really?" Li Xiangdong, a man through and through, had no idea. In an era where even manure required a ration coupon, the fact that these were a loophole in the system felt like an affront to his mission.

"Even if they’re free, we shouldn't be wasteful, right?" he insisted, unwilling to give up. "We have to use them. Comrade Zhou Yuqin, you cannot let your noble working-class spirit falter on a matter like this."

"Stop putting labels on me!" Zhou Yuqin groaned, her head spinning as he dragged out the old-fashioned rhetoric from years ago.

Li Xiangdong pulled her into his arms, still stubborn. "I'm not labeling you; I’m educating you. Even now that we’ve returned to the city, you shouldn't discard those simple, honest virtues."

Held in his arms, Zhou Yuqin didn't know what to say. "Fine, stop being so long-winded. I’ll agree to it, okay?"

***

There was a flurry of rustling.

When Zhou Yuqin noticed him lying still atop her once more, she asked in confusion and disbelief, "Don't tell me you’re… again?"

"What do you mean 'again'? I’m just trying to find that loophole in the planned economy!"

"What fish?"

"Never mind. It’s the thing the neighborhood committee gave us for free—I need to put it to use!"

Although annoyed, Li Xiangdong hadn't had this pleasure in a long time. To be safe, he decided to use the contraceptive. He certainly wasn't going to stumble over the same stone twice. He truly appreciated the earthen kang—it was sturdy, durable, provided warmth in the winter, and was perfectly silent during intimate moments.

Once they were finished, Zhou Yuqin got up to freshen up. When she returned and settled back into bed, she asked, "Satisfied now?"

Li Xiangdong wasn't the type to discard his wife once the deed was done. He pulled her close and smoothed the sweat-dampened hair from her forehead. "I was only serving you."

"Stop being so inappropriate." She reached out and gave his side a playful pinch. "Let’s sleep. I’m truly exhausted."

Li Xiangdong watched his wife drift off to sleep in his arms. Listening to her soft, rhythmic breathing, he finally closed his eyes and drifted off as well.