Katrina

“The truth is that he beat my sister Wu Ruyi to death in a fit of rage...A lifetime of caring for others, doing everything asked of her, and this is what she received in return. It made no sense to me. Isn't following the rules supposed to keep us safe? The only conclusion I could reach was that we, as women and girls, are given the wrong manual at birth. The rules taught to us were never meant to guide us to a good life. We follow them out of some blind hope of being rewarded with the same love and effort we give out, but how has that worked out for our mothers and their mothers before them? How many of them got the devotion they deserved for their sacrifices? Have any of them ever served their way into true respect?”
― Xiran Jay Zhao, Heavenly Tyrant

“Dwell not on a past that cannot be changed, empress. You'll miss the blessings of the present. The warmth of the sun, the scent of the trees. Things you would not think to cherish until you can no longer have them.”
― Xiran Jay Zhao, Heavenly Tyrant

“There will always be cruel people, no matter what kind of system we're living under. I'm not letting them stop me from wanting better for the rest of us.”
― Xiran Jay Zhao, Heavenly Tyrant

“Some of the fruit's still green but give them time and they'll ripen soon. They might be tiny but when it's their time to shine they'll be at their most delicious. The same goes for humans. There will come a time when the bitterness fades away and life will be at its best. Keep faith. That day will come.”
― Kim Jiyun, Yeonnam-dong's Smiley Laundromat