Parents always teach their children to be kind, to be patient and to forgive. Vix's mother was no different. Even in the face of betrayal, Lili would only seek forgiveness and never vengeance. Her benevolence was a bright light that shone vividly in Vix's life - illuminating away the lurking darkness she had inherited from her father. Vix knew since birth she was an unwanted child by him and merely a tool to lord over her mother. Lili left the man without hesitation and raised Vix herself but never spoke poorly of him in front of her daughter. She believed no one is evil but merely a result of negative experiences and choices. Everything changed when Vix was nine and sent abroad for safety. Vix and Lili's peaceful life together was uprooted once Lili's powerful employer and childhood friend's family used her as a scapegoat for their illegal arms deals. The Yang family grew to political prominence during the 1940's after the Yan'an Rectification Movement while Lily's mother's Tang family fell after generations of nobility since the Song dynasty. Her father, Min Ke had risen to prominence from humble beginnings to Guangzhou's Port Harbor Master after fighting in the Battle of Nanking. Due to his Western ties through work and a secret communications radio found in his estate, he was labeled a traitor during the Cultural Revolution. As a mere daughter of a fallen noble family and with her father's stained record, Lily had no power to fight the charges in a country lacking objective justice at the time and corruption running rampant.  Lily plead for her cousin in the U.S. to take Vix away and never let her mingle around the center of power once again. Her only wishes were for her daughter to live a long and happy life - even if she could not witness it herself. Imprisoned for selling state secrets and labeled a traitor, Lily was imprisoned for life while denying all charges.  Vix safely grew up in Rockville, MD with her uncle and cousins but never gave up on getting her mother released. She embarked on a slow path with aims of becoming a diplomat and seeking political refuge for her mother. All was on track but fate is a funny thing. Once again, she and the Yang family crossed paths that would lead to her demise at the age of 20. Given another chance by God, will Vix maintain her mother's ways of benevolence or carve a road of destruction for those responsible for her family's grievances? Perhaps both, perhaps neither. Regardless, this time around she'd decide according to her own terms. Dedicated to my mother who has shown me to always find the light in the dark while letting me walk my own way.