SAG -Chapter 3 Zhang Sicheng

At that moment, Zhang Sicheng felt utterly exhausted.

If his coworker hadn’t reminded him earlier, he would have ridden the subway right past his stop.

He had worked overtime for an entire week without a single day of rest. Every waking hour had been consumed by work. He hadn’t even had time to browse the news.

Fortunately, the bulk of the project had finally been completed today.

Tomorrow would at least be a little easier.

The thought lifted his spirits slightly.

But the moment he returned to the apartment complex where he rented a small flat, his mood sank once more.

This year, Zhang Sicheng was twenty-seven.

After graduating from high school, he had entered the workforce immediately, spending every day working hard while teaching himself new skills. His knowledge now surpassed that of most university graduates, and his practical experience was even greater.

Yet none of that was enough to buy a home in Shanghai.

Even after all these years, he and his wife still hadn’t managed to save enough for a down payment.

Especially after the birth of their son, the dream of owning a home in Shanghai had become increasingly distant.

Many times, he had considered leaving the city altogether and moving to a smaller town.

Life there would, at the very least, be less exhausting.

But whenever the thought crossed his mind, he remembered his late mother…

And the father he had never met.

His mother had only ever wanted one thing:

To settle down in Shanghai.

Not for a Shanghai household registration.

Not for a better future for her children.

She had simply wanted to wait for that man.

Even though everyone already knew he had died in a shipwreck while returning home, she had always believed he was still alive.

This city held the happiest memories of her life.

It was where she and that man had met…

Come to know one another…

And fallen in love.

As for the father he had never met, Zhang Sicheng’s feelings were complicated.

Everything he knew about him came from his mother’s stories.

In her eyes, his father had been larger than life.

A man who could accomplish anything.

Over the years, Zhang Sicheng had gradually come to admire this unseen father from the bottom of his heart.

When he and his younger sister were children, their mother often repeated things their father had once said.

Back then, those words had sounded like complete fantasy.

Even as a child, Zhang Sicheng had thought his father was simply dreaming.

For example…

When people still shopped exclusively at supermarkets and department stores, his mother would say:

“In just a few years, people will buy almost everything online, and it’ll arrive at their doorstep the very next day.”

When mobile phones were still luxury items everyone envied, she would say:

“Within ten years, these phones will all become obsolete.”

When the family could only stare longingly at restaurant meals they couldn’t afford, she would smile and say:

“A little over ten years from now, you’ll simply order food on your phone, and someone will deliver it straight to your door.”

…

Back then, Zhang Sicheng had believed those were simply lies his father had told to amuse his mother.

But as society developed at breathtaking speed…

Every one of those predictions had come true.

Sometimes he couldn’t help imagining—

If his father hadn’t disappeared…

How extraordinary would his achievements have been today?

Of course…

That was nothing more than fantasy.

His “deadbeat father” had vanished in a shipwreck twenty-eight years ago, leaving not even a trace behind.

“Honey, I’m home.”

Before coming upstairs, Zhang Sicheng had taken a moment to compose himself, doing his best to hide the exhaustion on his face.

“Daddy, you’re back!”

The first to greet him was his six-year-old son, Zhang Xiaotao, who had just started first grade that year.

“Where’s your mom?” Zhang Sicheng asked as he changed into slippers and scooped the little boy into his arms. “Still at work?”

“Mm-hmm. Mommy’s working overtime tonight.”

“I see.” Zhang Sicheng smiled. “Looks like it’s just us boys tonight. So, what do you want for dinner? Daddy’s buying.”

“Yay!” Xiaotao cheered.

“I want fried chicken! Extra spicy! And cola!”

Just like children everywhere, Xiaotao knew the rules.

When Mom was home, there were strict limits on what he could and couldn’t eat.

Nobody dared argue.

But whenever Mom was away and Dad was in charge…

All those rules mysteriously disappeared.

“Haha, alright. I’ll place the order.”

After ordering takeout, Zhang Sicheng sent his wife a quick message.

His wife, Liu Lu, was a nurse, and night shifts were simply part of her job.

“Daddy…”

Xiaotao lay across his father’s lap.

“When are we going to visit Sister Susu again? I miss her.”

For just an instant, Zhang Sicheng’s expression darkened.

Then he quickly forced a smile.

“Susu isn’t home right now. We’ll visit her after a while, okay?”

“Okay!”

The little boy nodded happily.

“I’ve been saving lots of money so I can buy Sister Susu a toy.”

The “Sister Susu” he spoke of was the daughter of Zhang Sicheng’s younger sister, Zhang Siyan.

Just thinking about his sister caused bitterness to rise in Zhang Sicheng’s heart.

More than anything, he hated his own helplessness.

And he hated the fact that he had failed to stop her marriage.

The food arrived quickly.

Barely ten minutes later, father and son eagerly grabbed the takeout containers.

They exchanged mischievous grins before competing over the best pieces.

“Daddy, can we watch cartoons while we eat?”

Something that would have been absolutely forbidden if Mom had been home.

“Of course.”

Without hesitation, Zhang Sicheng agreed.

The two happily ate dinner while watching television.

By the time they finished, the cartoon had ended and commercials were playing.

“Daddy…”

Xiaotao pushed his luck.

“I already finished all my homework. Can I stay up a little later tonight?”

This time, Zhang Sicheng put on a serious face.

“No.”

“If you stay up late, you won’t be able to get up tomorrow. Then Mommy will scold you.”

“…Okay.”

The little boy trudged off toward the bathroom.

Watching his son leave, Zhang Sicheng lazily picked up the remote and began flipping through channels.

His plan was simple.

Once Xiaotao finished showering, he’d take his own shower and head straight to bed.

Then—

His relaxed posture vanished instantly.

His body stiffened.

His eyes widened in disbelief.

The television had switched to a news broadcast.

The lead story…

Was about the Goddess of Fate.

By now, the government had officially confirmed the authenticity of the incident.

At first, Zhang Sicheng didn’t immediately react.

But a moment later…

He froze completely.

The name Goddess of Fate had been engraved into his memory ever since childhood.

His mother had mentioned it countless times over the years.

His hands began to tremble.

Instinctively, he reached for his phone.

He wanted to call his younger sister.

He needed to confirm that his memories weren’t somehow mistaken.

Deep down, he already knew they weren’t.

Shipwrecks of that magnitude were incredibly rare.

And there had only ever been one cruise liner like the Goddess of Fate.

Still…

He needed reassurance.

Or perhaps it was simply the desperate reaction of someone who couldn’t believe what he was seeing.

But the call wouldn’t connect.

No one answered.

For the next thirty minutes, Zhang Sicheng remained motionless on the sofa.

The news continued changing from one story to another.

He didn’t absorb a single word.

His mind was completely blank.

He didn’t know what to think.

Or what he should do.

Only when Zhang Xiaotao emerged from the bathroom and saw his father’s pale expression did Zhang Sicheng finally snap back to reality.

“Daddy…”

“What’s wrong?”

The little boy looked genuinely worried.

He was a thoughtful child.

He could tell something terrible had happened.

“It’s nothing.”

Zhang Sicheng forced himself to calm down.

“Go to bed first. Daddy has some work to finish tonight, so I can’t stay with you.”

“Okay…”

Xiaotao nodded obediently.

“But don’t work too hard, Daddy.”

“I won’t.”

Zhang Sicheng managed a strained smile.

“You go to sleep.”

As soon as his son disappeared into his bedroom, Zhang Sicheng hurriedly unlocked his phone and began searching for information about the Goddess of Fate.

The internet was overflowing with news.

Passenger lists.

Photographs.

Videos.

Every detail imaginable.

Then—

His eyes landed on a name he had heard his entire life…

Yet had never seen in person.

Zhang Ran.