Itching to Sleep with His Wife

A-Zheng grabbed Ye Yaodong by the cheeks and turned his face this way and that. "We all live by the sea, so how come you never get a tan? If I were as fair-skinned as you, I wouldn't still be a bachelor!"

"Are you sure being fair-skinned would be enough? This is your real handicap!" With a wicked grin, Ye Yaodong put a hand over A-Zheng's head, then angled it down toward his own shoulder.

A-Zheng bristled. "Fuck off! I'm a hundred and seventy centimeters!"

"A hundred and sixty-nine rounded up to a hundred and seventy?"

"That's still a hundred and seventy!"

"Hahahaha!"

Everyone laughed and joked, each throwing in a wisecrack. The atmosphere couldn't have been livelier.

It had been a long time since Ye Yaodong had joked around so freely with his friends. He had spent most of the latter half of his life scrambling to make a living. A youth wasted in idleness left an old man with nothing but regret-that saying described him perfectly!

By the time they had eaten and drunk their fill, the sky had begun to darken, and the table was a mess of bowls, plates, and cups.

Ye Yaodong let out a satisfied burp. "You guys clean up. Fatty and I have been working all afternoon!"

"It's fine. Just leave it to me."

"Bullshit. You'll just make your little sisters do it. Nobody drank today, and it's not completely dark yet. Let's just clean it up ourselves." Ye Yaodong was far more mature now than he had been in his younger days. This wasn't a restaurant. They were civilized people-they ought to clean up after themselves.

"All right, all right. If everyone does a little, we'll be done in no time."

At his reminder, the others got moving too. It was only a few bowls and pairs of chopsticks. Easy!

"There's still some Dragon-and-Phoenix Soup in the pot. Want any more? It's gone a bit cold, though."

Ye Yaodong leaned over for a look. There wasn't much meat left, but there was plenty of broth. "Pack me a bowl to take home. Let my wife and boys have some too."

"Since there's actually some left for once, pack me a bowl of broth too," Xiao Xiao said.

None of the others asked for any. They either had no wife or children, or, like Fatty, were comfortably off and never had to worry about food.

They had all been friends since childhood. What did it matter if one of them ate a little more and another a little less?

Ye Yaodong filled a large bowl with broth and the few scattered pieces of meat, then headed home ahead of the others.

A-Guang's house stood at the foot of Back Hill, not far from his own-just over ten minutes on foot. But with a bowl of soup in his hands, he didn't dare walk too fast for fear of spilling it.

By the time he reached home, it was completely dark. With nothing to do after nightfall, the neighbors had gone to bed early to save on electricity. The lights in his house were out too.

He pushed at the front door. "Damn, it's locked? Who locked it?"

After muttering a couple of curses, he went around the side of the house to his bedroom window. It happened to be open, but there wasn't a sound inside.

He tapped twice and called softly, "Qing? Qing? Are you asleep? Open the door for me. It's locked, and I can't get in."

"Dad!"

"Dad!"

Both children had their eyes closed but hadn't fallen asleep yet. Hearing the noise at the window, they hurriedly scrambled up.

Lin Xiuqing was so furious she nearly exploded. She had almost gotten both children to sleep, only for him to disturb them again!

That damned troublemaker!

"You're still awake? Perfect. I brought you something good to eat. Tell your mother to open the door!"

At the mention of food, his older son perked right up. "Mom, hurry and open the door! Dad can't get in!"

"I know. Keep your voice down. Don't disturb everyone's sleep. I'll open it. You two wait here."

Lin Xiuqing slipped on her slippers and quietly went out, trying to make as little noise as possible. Father Ye and Ye Yaopeng had to go out to sea during the night, so they would certainly be asleep by now.

Ye Yaodong returned to the front door and watched his wife open it with a dark expression. He coaxed her patiently, "Don't be angry. I'll definitely come home earlier next time. I brought you some Dragon-and-Phoenix Soup. Heat it up and have some."

"What's Dragon-and-Phoenix Soup?"

"Cobra stewed with chicken, with some pork ribs added too. It clears internal heat, flushes out toxins, and nourishes you. I made sure to scoop out extra broth. It's cold now, so you'll need to heat it up. Who locked the door? They did it on purpose, didn't they?"

Lin Xiuqing took the bowl and gave him a look that said, Glad you know. She left him to work out the rest.

"My mom locked it?"

"Yes. She told me not to let you in. Said you should sleep on the doorstep tonight and knock some sense into yourself!"

My own mother! Ye Yaodong thought.

"Heat the soup up. I'll go out back and rinse off."

In this heat, he didn't need hot water. Drawing a bucket of well water out back and pouring it over himself was much more refreshing.

When he came back inside, only a faint glow remained in the stove, casting a little light into the main room. Light also spilled through the crack around his bedroom door, especially noticeable in the darkness.

He pushed open the bedroom door. Lin Xiuqing was sitting beside the bed, feeding their two sons. The boys opened their mouths and took turns getting a spoonful.

"You heated it up that fast?"

"Yes. In this heat, there's no need to eat it piping hot. It just needs warming until the fat melts."

"Dad, what kind of meat is this? It's all bones. It doesn't taste good!" his older son complained between bites.

"If it doesn't taste good, why do you keep eating it? Go pee when you're done, then get to sleep. If you wet the bed tonight, you're getting a spanking!"

"I won't wet the bed!"

Ye Yaodong took a pair of shorts and went around to the side of the canopy bed to change. He tossed his old clothes onto the stool in the corner, then climbed onto the bed and lay down.

"How much did those two mud crabs sell for today?"

"One yuan fifty. Mom gave me the money, and I put it away."

He pursed his lips. So fucking cheap!

"Leave some for your mother. Don't eat it all."

"It's all right," Lin Xiuqing said gently. "If they want it, let them finish it."

It hadn't been long since dinner, and neither child was particularly hungry. After a few mouthfuls of broth and a couple of pieces of meat, they stopped eating.

"They're done. You finish it. I've already eaten."

"Okay!"

After eating, the two boys started bouncing on the bed, laughing and fooling around. They accidentally stepped on Ye Yaodong's foot and both tumbled onto him.

Ye Yaodong grunted. Luckily, he had kept a hand over his sensitive bits, so they hadn't landed on them!

He gave each of their bare little bottoms a slap. "Enough noise. Get over there and go to sleep."

"No! I'm not sleepy!"

"You've been running wild all day, and you're still not sleepy? Even if you aren't, lie down properly. Everyone in their place."

Cowled by his authority, the two children obediently lay down side by side on the inner part of the bed.

Lin Xiuqing finished the remaining broth and meat, switched off the light, and lowered the mosquito net. Then she lay down beside Ye Yaodong and gently patted the children's chests to soothe them to sleep.

The two had just been insisting they weren't sleepy, yet they fell asleep after barely a couple of pats.

By the moonlight, Ye Yaodong looked at his wife lying beside him with her back turned, wearing only a tank top and shorts. He felt an urge stirring...

But he was a little timid too, and didn't dare reach out...

Just as he rolled over and was about to stretch out a hand, she sat up again. He quickly asked, "What are you doing?"

Lin Xiuqing gave him a puzzled look. "Going to sleep!"

She turned around and lay down by his feet.

Then Ye Yaodong remembered. Four people couldn't comfortably lie side by side in this canopy bed. Ever since their second son was born, his wife would move to the opposite end after settling the children, so they could sleep staggered.

Damn it. All I had to do was reach out, and the rest would have followed naturally!

Now he had no choice but to get up and move to the other end too.