Love Affairs in Melbourne-Chapter 90 - 87 Previously Discussed

Yan Yan told Qi Yi to keep calm and not be rash.

But really, were the words "keep calm and not be rash" suitable for a scene like this?

After leaving the hotel, Yan Yan started to feel a bit lost and didn’t know where to go.

"Excuse me, sir," Yan Yan smiled brightly at Qi Yi, "do you know how to get to the ’Wall Street Parade’ attraction?"

"What’s ’Wall Street’? I don’t recognize it, and I’ve never heard of a red-light district in New York." That "sir" didn’t seem very friendly.

"Wow, you’ve just arrived in New York and you’re already asking about a red-light district? Is that appropriate? Don’t play dumb, 42nd Street, have you never been there?" Yan Yan asked in great surprise. (note 1)

"What would I do on 42nd Street?" When Qi Yi mentioned the red-light district, he was just bantering with Yan Yan; he himself wasn’t clear if New York had a red-light district.

"The Chinese Consulate, obviously. Or are you actually heading to a red-light district?" Ever since Yan Yan learned Qi Yi was going to work in New York, she might have researched the city more frequently than Qi Yi.

"Why would I go to the consulate for no reason?" Qi Yi didn’t get Yan Yan’s point.

"Uh, I don’t know, I just got a message with the consulate’s address and phone number when I got off the plane." Yan Yan was also just speaking off the cuff; she didn’t know where her point lay either.

Yan Yan didn’t want to upset Qi Yi.

But Qi Yi was a bit dejected. He didn’t want to feel this way, but sometimes one’s mood is not something one can control.

Yi gathered his emotions and took Yan Yan to the Charging Bull at Wall Street.

"Do you know that this bronze bull on Wall Street is an illegal sculpture?" Qi Yi asked Yan Yan.

"Is it illegal?" Yan Yan didn’t think there could be an "infamous attraction" illegal in the heart of New York City.

"Yes, aside from coming to see the bull, Wall Street isn’t very crowded at night actually. And now, the bull is located outside of Bowling Green Park, which, although it’s close to Wall Street, is also closer to Broadway.

An Italian artist, whose name is rather long so I don’t quite remember it, really wanted to be famous.

In 1987, the American stock market was devastated, and the financial world was in mourning.

You know how the market has ’bull’ and ’bear’ markets, right? This artist spent two years crafting this bronze bull.

In 1989, right before Christmas, he took advantage of the dark night when Wall Street was empty, found a truck, and quietly transported the bull to the front of the New York Stock Exchange.

Come the next morning, a bunch of police turned up, and New York City Hall was quite displeased, ordering for the bull to be moved away immediately.

But the artist knew how to pick his materials; this bronze bull was extremely heavy and difficult to move.

City Hall didn’t want to lend such a big helping hand for free, so they told him to find a way to remove it himself.

As a result, it wasn’t moved right away.

Then, the media smelled a story and came over to join the commotion.

The artist claimed that his gift of the bull to the stock exchange represented the "Power of the American People."

Reporters loved to butt heads with City Hall, and the "New York Post" reported that the plaza in front of the New York Stock Exchange couldn’t even accommodate an artist’s Christmas gift to the American stock market, one that he had spent years sculpting.

After that, a series of coincidences came together, and magically, the bronze bull remained in front of the entrance of the New York Stock Exchange.

Because the bull became so popular, they had to station police officers there daily, which was quite a waste of manpower, so it was eventually moved to its current location.

Wall Street needed legends, and the origin of this bull, as well as the artist’s rise to fame, was a legend in its own right.

Although it had an illegal birth, it quickly transformed into New York City’s most legitimate "bull."

City property, not to be bought or sold by anyone, and the copyright still remained in the hands of that artist.

This bull seems to be particularly famous in China, said to be second only to the Statue of Liberty as the second most popular tourist attraction for Chinese visitors to New York. When they reached the vicinity of the bronze bull, Qi Yi started playing the role of a tour guide.

"Didn’t you just arrive a few days ago? How come you seem to know the history here so well already? If you weren’t studying math, you’d probably make an excellent tour guide," Yan Yan said to Qi Yi, trying to lift his spirits playfully, knowing he was likely still a bit down.

"Working on Wall Street, do I need to know the history of this bull and the history of New York?" Qi Yi was very aware of the deliberate nature of Yan Yan’s words.

"Are you not happy?" Yan Yan asked him directly.

"To tell the truth, I am a little, but I know I should actually be very happy, you came all the way to see me, don’t you think maybe I’m expecting too much?" Qi Yi said, holding Yan Yan’s hand as they continued to stroll.

"It’s normal to want more; that’s human nature and the most genuine emotional expression," Yan Yan pulled back her hand that Qi Yi was holding and instead linked arms with him.

"Do you also want more?" Qi Yi looked at his arm and asked, his mood already much improved.

"Of course, I do. Although it’s not my first time being in a relationship, who wouldn’t want to be with their significant other all the time when in love? Especially when the boyfriend standing next to me is such an unbelievably handsome ’extraterrestrial creature.’" Yan Yan candidly shared her inner thoughts.

Upon hearing Yan Yan’s words of praise, Qi Yi suddenly stopped walking, not wanting to move.

Yan Yan was walking arm in arm with Qi Yi, and when he stopped, she couldn’t continue walking forward on her own.

"What’s wrong?" Yan Yan asked, forced to stop.

"You’re not in your first relationship, so you’ve had others before?" Qi Yi’s mood, which had just improved, plummeted once again.

"Yes, I’ve had others. I’m nearly finished with my master’s degree; what’s so strange about that?" Yan Yan continued to be frank with Qi Yi about her past.

"And how is he doing now?" Qi Yi didn’t know why he asked such a silly question.

Four years without news, and Yan Yan of today was no longer the high school girl who lacked confidence and only he could understand.

How could he assume that after finishing "Tombstone Inscription" and going to Australia, Yan Yan would still be waiting for him?

...

note 1:

After the economic depression in 1929, Manhattan’s 42nd Street started to decline, and gradually began to operate adult industries. After adult industry became legal in the sixties of the last century, 42nd Street became known as New York’s famous red-light district.

However, 42nd Street of today has come a long way from its decline.

Now, 42nd Street is one of New York’s most iconic streets: the western end terminates at the Chinese Consulate, the central part houses Central Station, and the eastern end is home to the United Nations Headquarters Building.