American Adventure: My Uncle is Don Quixote

It was noon on Sunday, four hours before the championship game was set to begin.

Jin Heon and her roommate, Jessica, had been sitting back to back at their desks, doing their makeup for two hours already.

Jin Heon’s skin was a cut above Jessica’s, so she finished first and checked her makeup in the mirror.

She had opted for a "no-makeup" makeup look—one that looked effortless but actually required incredible skill. Her eyebrows were shaped to be both sharp and gentle, complementing her already flawless features. The overall effect made her look like a celebrity or an entertainer.

She wore a dark blue turtleneck sweater, representing the Giants’ home colors.

"I’m ready," she said, nodding in satisfaction. She turned to her roommate. "Jessica, are you done?"

"I... I’m done too," Jessica said, hurriedly packing her things and standing up. "Heon, I have to say, thank you so much for inviting me—"

"Oh, stop," Jin Heon said with a smile. "We’re roommates, after all."

’Although Jessica felt jealous and resentful of her good fortune and achievements, Jin Heon didn’t really blame her. It was only human nature, after all. If their roles were reversed, she might have congratulated Jessica to her face while secretly envying her too.’

’Jin Heon was beginning to realize that the number of people who envied and resented her would only grow. Getting worked up over every single one of them would be a true waste of time.’

The two of them went downstairs and walked to the parking lot behind their dorm building.

Jin Heon pressed her key fob, and the white Porsche 911 let out two crisp chirps as it unlocked.

This wasn’t the first time Jessica had seen Jin Heon’s car. In fact, she had seen her get out of it from her window just last week. But knowing that Jin Heon was now a COO, her resentment and indignation had subtly transformed into an acceptance of her status. ’She’s a COO. Of course she deserves to drive a 911. She’s earned it.’

"Can I take a picture?" she asked as she opened the car door.

"Go ahead."

Jessica slid into the passenger seat, immediately taking out her phone to snap selfies from various angles.

Jin Heon said nothing, simply starting the car. The low rumble of the engine echoed through the parking lot.

The 911 slowly pulled out of the parking lot and turned onto University Place, right by Washington Square.

"By the way," Jessica said, finally done with her pictures, "is your company hiring?"

"For what kind of position?" Jin Heon asked casually, keeping her eyes on the road.

"Um... anything, really. I can do anything," Jessica said, her tone becoming more deferential. "You know how my interviews have been going... I’ve sent out a bunch of applications, but I haven’t gotten a single offer. Don’t you think there’s something wrong with the job market these days?"

"Sorry, honey, but there aren’t any suitable positions at the moment," Jin Heon said after a moment’s thought. "We’re still small, so we’re only hiring people with at least five years of experience who can take charge of their own work."

"But once the brand expands," she added, glancing at Jessica, "we might need new people in public relations."

"Then you have to think of me first!" Jessica exclaimed, clasping her hands in a prayer-like gesture. "You’ll be my benefactor!"

The corners of Jin Heon’s mouth curved up slightly, but she didn’t reply.

’Anyone with a brain knew that LW was on the verge of explosive growth, its valuation about to skyrocket. The candidates who made it past the initial screening and had their resumes sent to her by recruitment agencies were all top-tier professionals.’

’A recent graduate like Jessica might have a shot in a couple of years, but not now... Jin Heon knew that Li Wei had given her everything. She wouldn’t betray the trust he had in her by pulling strings for Jessica.’

As she drove, lost in thought, the 911 soon arrived in Flushing.

With one hand on the steering wheel, Jin Heon made a call with the other.

"Xiuyan, are you there yet? I’m almost at the parking lot."

"I’m here, I’m here! I’m already waiting!" Park Su-yeon’s excited voice came through the phone. "I’m wearing that blue scarf you gave me. You said today’s team is the one in blue, right? I hope I dressed appropriately."

"You did," Jin Heon said with a small laugh. "Wait for me at the entrance to the parking lot."

Jessica asked curiously, "Who was that?"

"A childhood friend, we grew up together," Jin Heon answered briefly. "She works in Flushing."

Jessica said, "Oh," and didn’t press further.

The back seat of a 911 is practically nonexistent, but a petite woman could just about squeeze in.

When Park Su-yeon climbed in, she was wearing a plain padded jacket, with the scarf Jin Heon had previously given her wrapped around her neck.

"Oh my god, Heon, you’re amazing! This is a sports car, isn’t it? A luxury car!" Xiuyan’s eyes were filled with wonder and genuine happiness for her friend. "Wow. Heon, you’re so incredibly successful. You’ve really become an impressive adult."

Jin Heon laughed. "Buckle up," she said. "We’re getting on the highway soon."

After picking her up, the 911 merged into the stream of traffic heading toward New Jersey.

However, as the car entered Midtown Manhattan, Jessica noticed something strange.

"Wait a minute," she said, looking out the window. "It’s a Sunday afternoon, so why is there so little traffic in Manhattan?"

Jin Heon had noticed it too.

The luxury shops along Fifth Avenue, usually packed on weekends, had only a sparse trickle of customers. The number of taxis that normally flooded the streets seemed to have been cut by at least a third.

Passing through Times Square was even more surreal.

In the so-called "Crossroads of the World," nearly every single one of the giant surrounding LED screens was displaying the same broadcast: the Fox Sports pre-game special, with Joe Buck and Troy Aikman doing their analysis in the studio.

Jin Heon stopped at a red light, watching the passing tourists and the street vendors selling blue balloons and accessories.

It seemed even the street vendors had consciously decided to sell blue-themed memorabilia today.

A taxi stopped in front of them, and through its rolled-down window, Jessica and Xiuyan could faintly hear a live radio broadcast.

It was more pre-game commentary.

"I guess everyone’s gone to watch the game," Jin Heon mused. "They said over 60 million people were slated to tune in today."

"60 million?!" Xiuyan exclaimed, leaning forward from the back seat. "Doesn’t that mean one out of every six people in the entire United States of America is watching on TV or a livestream?"

"More or less," Jin Heon replied. "It’ll probably liven up again tonight after the game is over."

Jessica looked back at one of the screens in Times Square and suddenly realized something.

’She didn’t watch football, but even she knew Li Wei was a superstar at the height of his career.’

’But Li Wei had always felt so far removed from her world, too distant for her to have any real sense of his existence.’

’But today, witnessing the whole of Manhattan grind to a halt for one man’s game, she felt the true weight of his fame for the first time.’

’And what was even more suffocating was the realization that the woman driving right next to her was his subordinate.’

’Has the world gone mad, or have I?’ She rolled down her window, letting the cold air rush in to clear her head.

In stark contrast to Manhattan’s relative quiet, once they passed through the Lincoln Tunnel and headed west, the traffic grew more and more congested the closer they got to MetLife Stadium.

From three miles out, the traffic had already slowed to a crawl, a long, slithering serpent of steel.

Jin Heon glanced at Google Maps; the entire route ahead was a solid, bright red.

Jessica was gulping down the cold outside air like a fish out of water. Along with the wind, a distant hum drifted in—the sound of tens of thousands of people gathered in one place, like a monster stirring from its slumber.

"Why is it so congested?" Xiuyan asked, nervously clutching her scarf. "We’re not going to be late, are we? How much time is left before the game?"

"We won’t be," Jin Heon said calmly, turning onto a side road. "We’re not using the main entrance."

The 911 skirted the dense cluster of tents and grills in the fan parking lot, turning down a narrow road marked "AUTHORIZED VEHICLES ONLY" that led to the west side of the stadium.

A steel gate blocked their path, flanked by two massive security guards in black jackets.

Jin Heon lowered the window and presented her family pass, which she took from her purse.

"Go ahead, ma’am," the security guard said after scanning the pass. The gate slowly rose. "VIP parking is in Zone B. It’s the second lane on your left."

"Thank you."

Jessica and Park Su-yeon swallowed hard in unison. They watched as the regular fans outside the gate—shivering in long lines and waiting for security checks in the cold wind—stared after them, watching the car disappear down the VIP lane.

It was the first time either of them had felt the thrill of privilege, and it was all courtesy of the woman driving the car.

"Let me live your life for just one day," Xiuyan said with a sigh, "and I’d die a happy woman."

"How are you going to live my life if you’re dead?" Jin Heon laughed, full of confidence and cheer. "You’d better just stay alive."

"True," Xiuyan nodded. "Okay, then I’d be willing to gain twenty... no, ten pounds."

The 911 pulled into a designated VIP spot. A dark green Rolls-Royce Cullinan was parked nearby.

The three of them got out of the car and walked along an exclusive, dark-carpeted corridor leading into the stadium.

Jessica and Park Su-yeon were a bit nervous, staying close to Jin Heon’s side.

Jin Heon, however, was already used to it.

Security guards nodded in greeting every few yards. The corridor was lit by soft, expensive-looking lights, and the walls were lined with photos of the Giants’ greatest moments—their 1987 Super Bowl championship, their legendary 2008 victory over the undefeated New England Patriots. But after that, the pictures stopped. Nothing new had been added in over a decade.

Jessica kept her phone out, constantly recording everything.

As they rounded another corner, a tremendous wave of sound suddenly crashed against them, muffled only by a single door.

This was Jessica and Park Su-yeon’s first time attending an NFL game in person. Even through the heavy fire door, the roar of the crowd, the chaotic blare of instruments, and the thumping bass from the stadium speakers hammered against their chests.

"Let’s go," Jin Heon said, pulling open the door. Light and sound flooded the corridor, making their hearts pound. "We’re just in time."