Reborn in 2000: I'm the Boss's Driver

The sound of cicadas poured in from outside the window, as if painting a thick layer of hot tung oil onto this May of 2003.

Lin Fan sat in the last row of the open university classroom, his fingertips repeatedly tracing the line of numbers he had written with a ballpoint pen. The ink had smudged slightly, leaving a small blue streak at the end of the "3" in "03". The blue rubber band at the end of the braid of the girl in the row in front of him swayed in the sunlight.

A sense of realism was slowly but surely seeping into his very bones.

Chalk dust floated in the beam of light as Old Chen explained, "When meeting oncoming traffic at night, both vehicles must turn off their high beams at least 150 meters away," his voice carrying the distinctive pauses of his dialect. Lin Fan lowered his eyes, looking at his young palms—the lines were clear, and the pale blue veins beneath the skin were slightly raised, full of elasticity.

This is not a dream.

It's the second breath.

The bell rang abruptly, sharp and piercing. The classroom instantly came alive; desks and chairs shifted, and voices clamored. His deskmate nudged his arm: "Come on, Lin Fan, if we're late, there won't be any meat left in the cafeteria."

"You guys go ahead," Lin Fan said calmly. "I'll take a moment."

He watched his classmates file out, some of their young faces he could still recall by name, others only vaguely remembered. They talked about their upcoming driving tests, complained about the difficulty of reversing into a parking space, and discussed which arcade to go to that afternoon. Vibrant, restless, and full of raw anticipation for the future.

That's what a twenty-year-old should look like.

Lin Fan packed up his pen and the "Motor Vehicle Driver Theory Tutorial" with a line of numbers written on it, and walked out of the classroom alone. The corridor was empty, the incandescent light bulbs were off, and only the daylight from outside the window shone in, casting long, alternating lines of light and shadow on the floor.

He needs money.

It wasn't the kind of money that could overwhelm someone like 6.7 million; it was start-up capital. It was the stepping stone that would allow him to live a stable life from now on and give him a chance to get closer to that "temporary worker" position.

The lottery numbers burned in my mind.

May 15, 2003. Seven days to go.

He walked down the stairs and through the somewhat dilapidated lobby of the Open University's main building. Colorful notices were posted on the bulletin board: tutoring services, used bicycles for sale. The air smelled of dust and old paper.

Stepping out of the school gate, the midday sun beat down on me, blinding me. Across the street was a row of small shops: a video arcade, a billiards room, and stalls selling fried rice and skewers, the smell of cooking oil mixed with cumin wafting over. A few shirtless teenagers squatted by the roadside, playing chess and swearing.

This is the steel city in 2003. It was gray and vibrant, everything seemed to be covered with a thin layer of gray, yet something seemed to be stirring beneath the gray, about to break through the soil.

Lin Fan felt his pocket. Inside was a ten-yuan bill, a five-yuan bill, and a few coins. This was all his possessions. In his previous life, at this time, he would have been figuring out how to save some money from his allowance to go to an internet cafe and play Red Alert.

Now, he's planning his lottery ticket for seven days from now, and how to use it to pry open the first brick.

This is a lottery ticket that would net me 550,000 yuan after tax. In my previous life, I used this money to buy a house, renovate my parents' old house in the village, and build a 1000-square-meter warehouse on a 3-acre plot of land near the train station, spending 150,000 yuan. Then I rented it out for 20,000 yuan a year. With the remaining money, I started a small business, stumbling along the way, but it seemed I had no luck with money.

My feet unconsciously turned into a familiar alley. At the end of the alley was my sister Lin Ping's house. It was an old-fashioned six-story red brick building with mottled walls and a few withered ivy vines climbing up it.

Standing downstairs, Lin Fan looked up at the familiar window on the fifth floor. Clothes were hanging on the balcony, and a small children's T-shirt with a cartoon print was swaying gently in the breeze. It was his niece Niu Niu's clothes. His sister and brother-in-law should have just finished lunch; his brother-in-law might be taking a nap, and his sister might be cleaning up the dishes.

My brother-in-law, Sun Lin, was the driver for the deputy director of the municipal finance bureau. He was cautious, thoughtful, and kind to my sister. After she married him, he used his connections to find her a job at a gas company. He followed her all the way to the mayor's office before retiring.

A warm, sour feeling stuck in my throat.

He took a deep breath and started climbing the stairs. His footsteps echoed in the empty stairwell. When he reached the fifth floor, the door to apartment 502 was closed, and the Spring Festival couplets on the door had faded and curled up at the edges.

He raised his hand and knocked on the door.

The sound of slippers slid in came from inside, followed by my sister's familiar voice, now much younger: "Who is it?"

"Sister, it's me."

The door opened. Lin Ping stood in the doorway, wearing an apron, her hands still damp. She was thinner than Lin Fan remembered, with jet-black hair tied back with a simple rubber band. At 25, she was at the peak of her beauty.

"Xiao Fan?" Lin Ping was a little surprised. "Why are you here at this time? Aren't you in class?" She stepped aside. "Come in quickly, it's hot outside."

There was a familiar smell in the house: the lingering aroma of food, soap, and the faint musty smell unique to old houses. This was an apartment allocated by my brother-in-law's workplace. It was 50 square meters. The living room wasn't large, but it was tidy. An old sofa was covered with crocheted cushions, and the television was covered with an embroidered cloth. Niu Niu's toys were scattered on a small blanket in the corner.

Brother-in-law Sun Lin was sitting on the sofa watching the midday news. When he saw him come in, he nodded and said, "Xiao Fan is here." His voice was not loud, and it carried the usual lukewarm politeness of people in government offices.

Lin Fan hummed in agreement and put on the plastic slippers his sister handed him. As he did so, his gaze swept across the living room. Several photos were pressed under the glass of the coffee table, one of which was a picture of his sister and brother-in-law when they were newly married; both of them were smiling somewhat awkwardly. Next to the TV cabinet was a thermos with a festive red peony pattern on its exterior, a piece of paint chipped off one corner.

Every detail is pulling him deeper back into this time and space.

"Have you eaten?" Lin Ping wiped her hands. "There's still some rice and vegetables in the pot. Shall I heat it up for you?"

"No need, sis, I've already eaten." Lin Fan sat down at the other end of the sofa. Niu Niu ran out from the inner room. The little girl, who was a little over two years old, had two pigtails. When she saw him, she shyly hid behind her mother's legs.

"Niu Niu, call him Uncle." Lin Ping smiled and gently pushed the child forward.

Niu Niu blinked her big eyes, looked at him for a while, and then whispered a muffled "Chirp chirp."

Lin Fan's heart felt as if it had been gently squeezed by a soft hand. In his previous life, Niu Niu had grown up, gone to work in the south, married, and had children. She wasn't close to him, her uncle, who wasn't very capable. Now, looking at this young, vibrant life, a mix of guilt and protectiveness welled up inside him.

He tried to smile at Niu Niu.

Lin Ping poured him a glass of cool water and sat down next to him. "Are you short of money?" she asked in a low voice. "Have you spent too much of the allowance your parents gave you? Your brother-in-law just got his salary, I'll give you some."

"No, sister." Lin Fan shook his head and held the warm glass.

He took a sip of water, trying to gather his thoughts. His gaze fell on his brother-in-law, Sun Lin. His brother-in-law appeared to be watching the news, but his brow was slightly furrowed, and his fingers were unconsciously tapping his knee. The news was broadcasting a local report about an upcoming financial audit in the city.

"...This inspection aims to further regulate the issuance of allowances and subsidies for administrative and public institutions and to enforce financial discipline..." the announcer said clearly and precisely.

"Brother-in-law," Lin Fan put down his water glass, his voice not loud but clear enough, "Could you help me find a temporary job? Even just watching bicycles at the entrance of your office compound would be fine?" The Finance Bureau has a bicycle shed at its entrance, and quite a few people come to the Finance Bureau every day. The shed can earn about twenty or thirty yuan a day. The temporary worker keeps the money, but enjoys all the benefits of the unit.

My brother-in-law was taken aback for a moment, then turned to look at him with a puzzled look in his eyes: "What kind of young man does this?"

Brother-in-law, I went to the entrance of your workplace and counted the people who came to do business. On average, they earn about ten yuan a day. Add to that the 500 yuan monthly wage for temporary workers, and that's over eight hundred yuan a month. These days, you can only find a job for six or seven hundred yuan.

The brother-in-law's expression changed slightly, and his fingers stopped on his knee.

He sat up straight, placed his hands on his knees, and adopted a serious and earnest posture. "Brother-in-law, sister, I've suddenly had a breakthrough this time. I realize I can't keep wasting my life like before."

I want to see how a real government agency operates, and I want to follow someone like you to learn how to conduct myself and how to do things in an organized manner.

I just wanted... a proper place to stay and learn something.

The words were spoken beautifully. The attitude was humble to the point of being unapproachable, yet the goal was clear and pragmatic—to learn. By packaging "wanting to climb the social ladder" as "seeking advancement and being willing to learn," this was an easily acceptable entry point for those within the system who valued "performance" and "attitude."

My brother-in-law fell silent again. This time, the silence lasted even longer. He tapped his fingers on the sofa armrest, his eyes shifting uncertainly.

Lin Ping was about to say something, but Lin Fan gently stopped her with a look.

Finally, Sun Lin raised his head and looked at Lin Fan: "Temporary workers... we do hire them sometimes. But they're usually recommended internally, and the requirements aren't low. At the very least, they have to be quick-witted, hardworking, and discreet."

"I can do it," Lin Fan replied immediately, his eyes open and honest. "Brother-in-law, I know I was immature before and caused you and my sister worry. But this time, I'm serious. Give me a chance, and I will never let you down. I know what to say and what not to say. I can do any dirty or hard work."

His tone carried a composure and sincerity beyond his years, something forged from forty-five years of life and a brush with death—something that cannot be faked.

My brother-in-law seemed moved by his sincerity. He hesitated for a moment, then said, "Forget about the bicycles. Recently... the office needs a temporary clerk to help organize files and run errands. The old one is going home to have a baby. However," he changed the subject, "this isn't something I can decide, and I'm sure there are quite a few people watching."

A glimmer of hope.

Sun Lin looked at him for a long while, then finally sighed, "You...you seem like a different person today." He shook his head, "Alright, I'll go to my workplace tomorrow and find out the details. If I have the chance...I'll ask the director for you. But don't get your hopes up too high; these things are unpredictable."

"Thank you, brother-in-law!" Lin Fan immediately thanked him, a slightly shy and grateful smile befitting a twenty-year-old. He knew that given his brother-in-law's cautious nature, his willingness to "ask" meant that things were practically settled.

Lin Ping breathed a sigh of relief and smiled, "It's good that Xiao Fan is sensible. Old Sun, please do me the favor."

The matter was temporarily resolved. Lin Fan sat for a while longer, playing with building blocks with Niu Niu and chatting with her sister about trivial matters at the driving school. His attitude was natural, as if the profound conversation from earlier had never happened.

Until he got up to say goodbye.

"Sis, brother-in-law, I'm going back to school now."

"Take care on the road." Lin Ping saw him to the door and quietly slipped fifty yuan into his hand. "Take this, just in case you need it."

Lin Fan looked at the green banknote and felt a warmth in his heart. This time, he didn't refuse: "Thank you, sister."

As he descended the stairs and returned to the scorching sunlight, Lin Fan slowly exhaled the breath he had been holding in.

The first step has been taken.

Although the future was uncertain, the direction was right. He successfully planted a seed in his brother-in-law's heart that "this kid has grown up," and secured a potential opportunity for himself.

He touched the one-yuan coin in his pocket, then touched the cover page with the lottery numbers written on it.

Seven days. Enough time for a lot to happen.

He looked up at the bright blue sky of May. The city's silhouette was slightly distorted by the heat, and in the distance came the dull but powerful sound of pile driving from a construction site, like the heartbeat of this era.

Lin Fan took a step and merged into the crowd on the street. His figure was still young and thin, but there was a calm, rooted strength in his steps.

The cicadas' chirping remained noisy, as if tirelessly singing the prelude to the arrival of a new era.