得知了阿雄的死訊後，阿梅整個人都精神崩潰了。她將自己鎖在房間裡一天一夜後，終於做出了決定。
「既然阿雄已經不在了，我更沒有理由待在這座悲情城市了。」阿梅擦乾眼淚後心想。「我得做好我做女兒的義務，就是聽從父母的安排。我必須做一個好姊姊，把弟弟的將來放在第一位。」
於是，阿梅同意她父母的安排，嫁給一個美國的工地工人～夏摩藤先生，如此一來，他們全家便能搬到美國，順利重新展開新的生活。
經過了兩次轉機（一次在台北，一次在洛杉磯），他們終於抵達了紐約市。走出機場航廈時，映入眼簾的場景是紐約絢麗的天際線。阿梅目瞪口呆地遠眺著摩天大樓林立的市中心，其中最為顯眼的高樓是帝國大廈，以及當時尚在興建中的世貿雙子星。這些場景對阿梅來說非常新鮮，讓她暫時不再那麼消沈，對未來也開始抱著些許希望。然而，阿梅對此心情感到愧疚，心裡想著：「要是阿雄跟我一起在這就好了。」
After learning about Hung's death, Mai was absolutely devastated. After locking herself in her room for a day, she finally came to a conclusion.
"Now that Hung is no longer here, I have no more reason to stay in this sad city," thought Mai to herself as her tears started to dry up. "Instead, I should perform the duties of a good daughter and obey my parents' words. I should be a good elder sister and put my little brother's future first before my own."
Therefore, Mai agreed to follow her parents' arrangements for her and marry Mr. Summerton, an American construction worker, so that their family can move to America and start a brand new life there.
After a long haul flight consisting of two transits in Taipei and Los Angeles, they finally arrived at the airport in New York city exactly two months after Vinh's visit. As they left the airport's terminal, Mai stared in awe at New York's glamorous skyline consisting of numerous modern and symbolic skyscrapers, including the Empire State Building, as well as the World Trade Center twin towers that were still under construction at the time. The unprecedented experience was so special to Mai such that she gradually began to feel less depressed and more hopeful towards her future. Nevertheless, Mai felt extremely guilty about her emotions and quietly thought to herself: "I wish Hung is here with me."
