Just then, a new server approached their table with a polite smile.
“We’re celebrating the restaurant’s first anniversary today. Would you two be interested in participating in a small event? Complete one simple task and you’ll receive a 90% discount coupon for your meal~”
Ninety percent off. Ninety percent off. Ninety percent off…
Chi Zhan didn’t hear a word of the setup. All that registered was the end of that sentence.
There were three phrases that could light up any overworked corporate drone:
“You’ve won a prize.”
“You hit the jackpot.”
“Ninety percent off! Everything ninety percent off!”
He’d heard a bit of commotion earlier as the server passed other tables on this route, but Chi Zhan had barely glanced over. He hadn’t realized the restaurant was running a promo.
“What’s the task?” Cen Chi asked proactively.
The server held up a small box.
“Inside are task cards. Whichever one you draw is the one you complete. Who would like to draw?”
“Let Ah-Zhan draw,” Cen Chi suggested. “After all, he’s the one treating.”
“Well then, I won’t be shy,” Chi Zhan replied, thinking that as long as the task wasn’t anything ridiculous, he could probably handle it.
Because, honestly… ninety percent off? That was an unbeatable deal.
Utterly irresistible.
He never had much luck with raffles. Nine times out of ten, he drew a “Thank you for participating.” If he ever got a one-yuan prize, it was a miracle.
The box was indeed filled with cards. With no particular direction, Chi Zhan randomly pulled one out.
The server read aloud.
“Please share a cross-cupped toast. Our restaurant will take a commemorative photo and wish you both happiness in love and in life.”
The server and Cen Chi both turned to look at him.
Secretary Chi stood there, stunned.
“This, uh, this might not be appropriate,” Chi Zhan stammered. “Can I draw again?”
The server offered a regretful shake of the head.
Chi Zhan absolutely couldn’t go through with something like this. Not only would it be unfair to Cen Chi, but also to the person Cen Chi actually had feelings for. After a beat of hesitation, he made his decision, even if it meant giving up the discount.
“I’ll pass.”
“Are you sure?” the server pressed. “It’s a very simple task, and all the other guests have participated. This discount is the best we’ve ever offered—it might not come around again.”
You should really consider a job in sales.
Chi Zhan wavered. But the task… it was just too awkward. If they followed through, it’d end with both of them embarrassed and no one happy. As he opened his mouth to politely decline again, Cen Chi suddenly spoke.
“If you don’t want to, don’t force yourself.”
“I’m just worried you might…” Chi Zhan began.
“It’s fine,” Cen Chi interrupted gently. He smiled. “It’s just a harmless little task. You and I both have clear consciences—what’s there to worry about?”
The server chimed in enthusiastically, “Exactly! It’s just an activity. People die, but money lives!”
“…???”
Wait a minute. That saying doesn’t sound quite right…
“But…” he hesitated again, torn. The server, clearly well-practiced with shy couples like them, didn’t wait. He handed them two glasses of wine and waved over the photographer to prep the shot.
Chi Zhan was being dragged onto the stage, figuratively speaking. He still felt like this was inappropriate. Why was everyone else—including Cen Chi—so on board with it?
Was it just him overthinking things?
Had this kind of thing become so common that even friends did it?
The awkward unease clung to him, but Cen Chi only smiled and brought the wineglass gently to his lips.
“No pressure,” he murmured near Chi Zhan’s ear. “It’s my honor to help you save money. Now, look at me. If you’re nervous, just imagine… it’s an artistic photo between two close friends. Nothing more.”
Chi Zhan looked into his eyes. Calm and warm, Cen Chi’s gaze was entirely unthreatening, completely devoid of anything that might unsettle him. It was soft, like a drifting cloud, quietly slipping into Chi Zhan’s world.
Around them, the other couples remained wrapped up in their own bubbles of affection. No one paid them any mind. In love, people rarely noticed anything beyond their partner.
In the restaurant’s couples-only area, gestures of intimacy were completely normal. If anything, it was Chi Zhan and Cen Chi—so polite, so restrained—who stood out.
Chi Zhan suddenly relaxed.
…It really was just a pose. Nothing to get worked up over.
His conscience was clear.
If Cen Chi wasn’t bothered, then what was there for him to worry about?
Through the soft fabric of his shirt, Cen Chi’s fingers gently clasped his wrist, drawing him closer. He gestured for Chi Zhan to raise his glass a little higher.
Their arms nestled together, the faint warmth of skin against skin. Surrounded by the scent of food and the faint clinking of glasses, Cen Chi’s eyes caught the afternoon light—bathed in a golden hue.
It was the kind of gaze that made you smile just looking at it—so gentle, so sincere.
The photographer took a step back, adjusting the lens and angle.
The cross-cupped toast required them to lean into each other, their bodies naturally closing the distance. Chi Zhan wore a thin dress shirt; Cen Chi, a soft cashmere sweater. Their heads brushed ever so slightly—a fleeting moment of contact.
And in that instant, Chi Zhan was suddenly reminded of when they accidentally bumped heads during dinner earlier. The memory brought a smile to his lips.
He could feel that Cen Chi wasn’t using any force—as if afraid he might accidentally pull him in too hard.
Dr. Cen was always so careful. So considerate.
“Cheers,” Cen Chi said.
Chi Zhan replied, “Cheers.”
Click.
The camera shutter captured the moment—preserved forever. That photo would later be voted Best Couple Shot, though that was a story for another time.
***
The server handed them a coupon. “Here’s your 90% off voucher. Just present it when you pay.”
Chi Zhan took it, while Cen Chi walked over to the photographer. “Can I see the pictures?”
The photographer brought them up—three shots in total.
“Could you send them to me?” Cen Chi asked.
Note: cross-cupped toast is usually done by newlyweds at their wedding.
