Birthday

This very short husband and wife joke is courtesy of the March 2006 print issue of Youth Digest.
The vocabulary here is intermediate, but the story contains quite a few beginner words and short sentences that you may enjoy puzzling out.
Interesting Vocabulary
性感 – xìng gǎn – Sexy
期盼 – qī pàn – Look forward to, hope to expect
袍 – pào – Gown
镂空 – lòu kòng – Lacy or mostly see-through. Lit: Pierced with holes
睡褂 – shuì guà – Sleep robe
吓了一条 – xià le yī tiáo – Be startled

丈夫问我，40岁生日礼物想要什么东西，我告诉他想要一种能使我看上去更加性感和美丽的东西，也就是说，我心中期盼的是装有黑色丝袍和镂空睡褂的女内衣盒。 但是礼物送到时，我着实吓了一跳。 丈夫拖回家一直巨大笨重的包装箱，里面是一辆健身自行车。

My husband asked me what I wanted for my 40th birthday. I told him that I wanted something that would make me look more sexy and beautiful. In other words, I was looking forward to getting some clothes, like a black silk gown and a lacy sleeping robe in a women’s lingerie box. But when the gift arrived, I was startled. My husband dragged home a huge, heavy package, and inside was an exercise bike.