“We are Chinese so we are used to it. I think it will be harder for you.”

This was my real estate agent, Maggie, explaining why we should get central heat in our apartment. Our landlord lived in this unit last year and he opted out of central heating. He was fine using only a reverse-cycle air-conditioner, yet Maggie was certain that we foreigners required more heat.

The problem with central heat in China is that the consumer has no control over it. The heat comes on at full blast November 15 and turns off on May 5. Heating is one of those remnants of a communist system that crop up now and again in this very free-market country.

If Maggie thought this would appeal to us then she had no idea who she was talking to. During our winters in DC Josh and I went to sleep in multiple layers of long underwear and knit caps. Our chilly rooms were a point of pride for us. We only turned on the heat when we were expecting company or when our pipes were in danger of freezing.

Sometimes we went overboard. A few times I caught guests blowing warm breath on their freezing hands. And more than once our pipes actually froze.

We can’t be that austere anymore. I don’t think little Artemis would like it. But even babies don’t require summer-like conditions year round.

Our building manager has tried to bully us by saying that we have to decide this week and we can’t change our minds later in the season. I don’t believe him. You can always change your mind, especially if you are willing to pay for a full season of heat when only three months remain.

We will try to insert some capitalist-style negotiations into the centrally-planned system of heat.