American Adventure: My Uncle is Don Quixote

Jin Heon couldn’t quite say why. Maybe it was because the strange woman before her seemed so kind, or maybe it was because she subconsciously felt this woman wasn’t a bad person.

By the time she came to her senses, she found she had already followed the woman through the gate of the French villa she had longed for.

This villa was truly beautiful. It was the kind of beauty she remembered from her imagination—no, it was even more beautiful than that.

The waxed, warm-toned hardwood floors were as spotless as a mirror. The classical, court-style sofa and exquisite floral arrangements blended together perfectly. Flowers, nobility, and warmth—these were Jin Heon’s first impressions of the villa’s interior.

"Make yourself comfortable, sit anywhere," the woman’s crisp footsteps echoed in the grand hall as she led Jin Heon to a seat in the living room. "I’ll go get you a cup of tea. Do you have any preferences?"

"I..."

Jin Heon opened her mouth, intending to name some fine tea she could think of, but when the words were on the tip of her tongue, she couldn’t recall a single one.

The woman looked at Jin Heon and suddenly said, "I recently got some tea from the Celestial Dynasty. I find it better than teas from any other region. Would you like to try some?"

Jin Heon nodded hastily, as flustered as a new recruit at a job interview.

She took in her surroundings—the oil paintings, the floor lamps, the bookshelf on the windowsill.

Nothing was particularly new, but every piece looked incredibly comfortable and relaxing. It was easy to see that the lady of the house had put a great deal of thought into the home’s decor.

The sound of a cabinet opening came from the kitchen, and soon after, Jin Heon smelled a refined, elegant aroma she had never encountered before.

The woman emerged with a tray. The tea set on it was simple and unadorned, a gentle, milky white.

"Lapsang souchong," the woman said, lifting the teapot to pour. "It’s from the Wuyi Mountains in the Celestial Dynasty. It’s best without sugar or milk. Go on, give it a try."

Jin Heon lifted her cup and took a small sip.

"It’s delicious," she said reflexively.

"The teas from the Celestial Dynasty are the best in the world," the woman smiled. "After all, it’s the birthplace of tea culture."

She lifted her own cup and took a sip.

Over tea, the two began to chat about everything under the sun. Jin Heon learned that the woman’s name was Caroline, and that she had moved in with her husband and son in 1998.

Ten years ago, Caroline began personally renovating the villa, a project that took a full three years to complete.

"We’ve been talking so late," Jin Heon suddenly asked. "Won’t we be disturbing your husband and son?"

"Oh, no," Caroline said nonchalantly, taking a sip of tea. "We divorced ten years ago."

"Oh," Jin Heon said, rubbing her cup. "Um... I’m sorry to hear that."

"I had a much fiercer temper when I was younger," Caroline said with a smile. "My ex-husband and I started a business together, and I was even better than him when it came to business matters. I was constantly pushing forward back then. This villa looked completely different from how it does now."

Jin Heon didn’t know what to say and just gave an awkward laugh.

"Then we got divorced. He said, ’You might as well marry the company, since you sleep at the office every day anyway,’" Caroline continued, as if talking to herself. "I tried desperately to save our marriage then, but it was too late. Can you believe it? My own son didn’t even want to be with me. It’s been three years since he’s come back."

Perhaps Caroline lacked people to talk to in her daily life. Having finally found someone in Jin Heon, she poured out all sorts of stories in one breath.

Listening to Caroline’s story, Jin Heon suddenly had a vision. It was as if she were looking at herself, thirty years in the future, sitting across the table.

"By the way," Caroline suddenly asked, "why do you always come to look at this house?"

"I..." Jin Heon hesitated. "I’ve wanted to buy it ever since I first passed by a few years ago. Buying this house has been my dream since I was eighteen."

"Dear, you’re in your early twenties and already driving a Porsche," Caroline laughed. "Buying a rickety old villa can’t possibly be your dream from when you were eighteen, can it?"

"...My family isn’t actually wealthy," Jin Heon said, shaking her head. "And this car... even though I’m the one using it, it doesn’t belong to me. I’m just driving it for now... But it’s not like I can’t afford it! I just don’t think it’s necessary right now."

She regretted adding that last part as soon as she said it. ’Why did I have to say that? It makes me sound so competitive.’

"Oh," Caroline said with an understanding nod. "You must work very hard, then."

Jin Heon paused. "It’s not that hard," she said.

"You’re twenty... what? In your twenties?"

"Twenty-one, almost twenty-two."

"So young, yet you’ve already saved up enough wealth to afford a Porsche," Caroline said, taking a sip of tea. "I believe you’ll be able to buy this villa on your own."

"Thank you," Jin Heon said with a forced smile. "I’ll do my best."

"Just don’t forget the lesson from this old woman, alright?" Caroline smiled. "You have to make a choice."

"Make a choice...?" Jin Heon repeated.

"When I was young, I always thought I could handle everything, that I could have it all," Caroline paused. "But look at me now. I live in this villa all alone, and the people I talk to most are the butler and the maids."

"Of course, I’m not saying this path is the wrong one," she said, looking at Jin Heon. "I just think you need to make your choice early on. Whether to push forward on your own, or to take a step back. Sometimes, you can’t have both."

Jin Heon felt that Caroline was being a bit too forward, sharing such deep thoughts with a near stranger. But she didn’t know what to say, so she just nodded and said thank you.

"Thank you," she said. "I’ll keep that in mind."

"If I were to sell the villa to you," Caroline said suddenly, "who would you plan to live here with?"

"I..." Jin Heon thought for a moment, but her mind was a blank. "I might have my best friend stay with me for a few days, and then my mom... but she might not want to come... I don’t know. I’m not sure. Maybe just me."

"Really?" Caroline glanced around the room. "All alone?"

"Yes... that’s the plan for now." Jin Heon nodded.

"Hmm..."

Caroline looked like she wanted to say something, but in the end, she said nothing and just clinked her cup against Jin Heon’s.

"Well, when you move in someday, remember to invite me over as a guest," she said with a smile. "If you’d still have me, that is."

"Of course," Jin Heon said, smiling as she clinked cups with her as well.

After finishing their tea, the sky began to darken, and Jin Heon didn’t want to disturb Caroline’s rest any longer.

After setting down her cup, she bid Caroline farewell and left the French villa she so dearly coveted.

Before crossing the street to get to her car, she looked back at the villa.

The light from the first-floor living room was still warm, but the rest of the house and the second floor were completely dark. The single lit room was like a lone flame in the night, flickering stubbornly, unwilling to be extinguished.

However, after her chat with Caroline, her mood had suddenly improved significantly.

Letting out a long breath, Jin Heon opened her car door, planning to call Park Su-yeon and ask her to come out for a late-night snack.

Just as she picked up her phone, another call came in.

It was her father.

The smile on Jin Heon’s face vanished instantly. She hung up.

He called again. She hung up again.

On the third try, the call came from her mother.

Jin Heon sat in silence, mulling over what Caroline had told her.

Suddenly, she slammed her fist on the steering wheel and answered the call.

"Hello?" she said. "Dad, you took Mom’s phone, didn’t you?"

On the other end of the line, just as she’d expected, came her father’s voice:

"Heon," his voice sounded drunk. "You think you’re hot stuff now, huh? Learned how to lie, have you? Lying to your own parents?"

"What did I lie about?" Jin Heon said. "Let Mom have the phone."

"You don’t trust your own father?!" her father suddenly roared. "Tell me, why didn’t you answer my calls!"

"I didn’t see them."

"Liar."

"What is it that you want?" Jin Heon started the car. "Just get to the point."

"Hmph... Heh heh," her father said. "What else could it be? Heon, Mom and Dad raised you, fed you, clothed you. We haven’t treated you too badly, have we?"

"No, you haven’t," Jin Heon said, her face devoid of expression. "And?"

"Your dad’s a little short on cash lately," her father’s tone softened, turning wheedling. "You know, Dad’s luck hasn’t been too good recently..."

"Alright," Jin Heon said, a sudden smile spreading across her face. "How much do you want?"

"Not much, not much... just 5,000, no, 10,000, no, 20,000 USD. I heard from a friend you’ve been earning quite a lot lately."

Jin Heon drove the car onto Northern Boulevard. Familiar Korean signs and low-rise shops flashed past the car window.

"That’s a lot of money," Jin Heon suddenly asked. "Where are you two?"

"We’re at home."

"Let’s talk when I get home," Jin Heon said. "Face to face."

"Okay, okay, great!" Her father’s voice suddenly turned solicitous. "I’ll have your mother make you—"

Jin Heon hung up the phone.

The 911 cruised steadily along Northern Boulevard. She took the car off the highway and turned onto the streets of Murray Hill.

As she passed the public parking lot, Jin Heon glanced at the spot where she had parked last time.

This time, she didn’t turn the wheel. She drove straight ahead, passed two intersections, and finally stopped on the street right in front of her apartment building.

When she killed the engine, the Porsche, parked between a row of Toyotas and Hondas, stood out conspicuously.

The last time she came home (Chapter 275), she had deliberately parked in the public lot two streets away, afraid the neighbors would see and start gossiping.

But this time, she wanted everyone to see.

Sure enough, as she opened the door and got out, Uncle Park from the grocery store was the first to stick his head out.

"Whoa!" His hand froze in mid-air, his mouth hanging wide open. "This... Heon?! Is this your car?"

"Hi, Uncle Park." Jin Heon nodded without breaking her stride.

Two men smoking in front of the barbershop also looked over, only snapping out of it when their cigarettes burned their fingers.

Aunt Li from the dry cleaner’s rushed out, still clutching an unwashed shirt, her eyes darting back and forth between Jin Heon and the 911.

"Heon!" she asked, astonished. "Is-is this your car? How much is a car like this worth?"

"I’m just borrowing it," Jin Heon replied curtly.

But who would believe that?

As Jin Heon walked toward the building’s entrance, a third-floor window was pushed open.

Her father’s head poked out, looking down.

The moment he saw the Porsche, his eyes lit up.

"Heon!" He had never shouted his daughter’s name so proudly in front of everyone before. Today, his voice was exceptionally loud. "Come on up, come on up! Dad’s coming down to get you!"

A cold smile touched the corners of Jin Heon’s lips.