Precious Chen was a mistake, a consequence of a one-night fire between her parents. So it's okay that her mother hated her father's gut. It's okay she told people that her father died in Afghanistan (even though, last she checked, he was still breathing and drinking the loss of his beloved wife away). It's okay as long as her parents loved her (Did they?). Then her mother died. And everything went south all of a sudden. She did something she shouldn't have done and was forced to uncover a series of deceptions and conspiracies.  When she realized she was knee-deep in trouble (as in some shit a 17-year-old shouldn't get herself tangled with), she was already stuck in the crossfire.  At least she had her father (allegedly with a new lover) and his mysterious colleague (impossible to read). She also got herself a boyfriend (so eager to have her, too eager). She could survive the hell or, heaven forbidden, became the collateral damage.