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

Three days after the provincial meeting, Lin Fan went to work as usual.

At seven o'clock in the morning, he arrived at the office half an hour early, first cleaning the office and brewing tea for Zhou Wenyuan's teacup—Zhou Wenyuan loves to drink Longjing tea, the water temperature must be eighty degrees, and not too much tea leaves, three grams is just right.

At 7:30, Zhou Wenyuan pushed open the door and came in right on time.

Good morning, Section Chief.

"Good morning." Zhou Wenyuan took off his coat and hung it up, picked up his teacup and smelled it. "Hmm, the water temperature is just right today."

Lin Fan smiled but didn't speak. These details were the result of his observations during his month-long secondment to the Treasury Department. Zhou Wenyuan didn't say anything, but he remembered them all.

"Xiao Lin, find the 'Notice on Strengthening Budget Execution Supervision' issued by the Provincial Department yesterday." Zhou Wenyuan sat down. "The Budget Section is having a meeting this morning, so we need to go through it beforehand."

"Yes."

Lin Fan took out the official document from the filing cabinet, placed it on Zhou Wenyuan's desk, and sat down opposite him, taking out his notebook to record the key points.

Zhou Wenyuan read the document quickly, but he would pause to think at each crucial point. After finishing a page, he looked up and asked, "Tell me, what is the core message of this document?"

Lin Fan thought for a moment: "On the surface, it's about strengthening supervision, but in reality, it's about consolidating power. The provincial department needs to take control of the budget execution monitoring.

"Why are you accepting it now?" Zhou Wenyuan pressed.

"Because several cities ran into trouble last year." Lin Fan recalled that in his previous life, at the end of 2003, several cities were indeed found to have misappropriated special funds, which caused a great uproar. His brother-in-law had worked overtime for a long time that year and mentioned it several times later. "The provincial department is plugging the loopholes in advance to prevent similar problems from happening again."

Zhou Wenyuan nodded: "You're very accurate. So, what are the implications for our city?"

Lin Fan pondered for a moment: "Our city's budget execution has been relatively standardized over the past two years, but it's not without its problems. Do you remember that survey conducted by the Transportation Bureau? They used maintenance funds to pay salaries..."

"Hmm." Zhou Wenyuan took a sip of tea. "I've suppressed this matter and told them to rectify it. But if the provincial department really investigates, this is a potential problem."

"Therefore, we must take the initiative," Lin Fan said. "Taking advantage of the fact that the provincial department's document has just been issued, we should proactively conduct a self-examination and rectification to resolve problems in advance. This will not only demonstrate our execution capabilities but also prevent us from being reactive."

Zhou Wenyuan looked at Lin Fan with admiration in his eyes: "This idea is correct. I'll report to the bureau leaders this afternoon and try to start it next week. Prepare a work plan; it needs to be specific and feasible."

"clear."

This is how Zhou Wenyuan mentored him—not by teaching him step by step, but by giving him direction and letting him think and act on his own. He praised him when he did well, pointed out his mistakes, but never criticized him to his face.

At nine o'clock in the morning, there was a meeting of the Budget Department. Zhou Wenyuan brought Lin Fan along and had him sit in a corner to take notes.

The meeting's main topic was discussing the provincial department's document. Section Chief Wu of the Budget Section spoke in a grand and dignified manner, but everyone below understood that he was consolidating power. Several deputy section chiefs spoke cautiously, none wanting to stand out during this sensitive period.

"Old Zhou, what does your Treasury Department think?" Section Chief Wu suddenly called on him.

All eyes turned to Zhou Wenyuan.

Zhou Wenyuan remained calm and composed, first offering a few standard remarks before shifting the focus: "I think that rather than passively waiting for the provincial department to investigate, we should proactively conduct a self-inspection. We can organize a special inspection, focusing on the use of special funds. Discovering problems and rectifying them promptly is always better than being caught by the provincial department."

The meeting room fell silent for a few seconds.

"That's a great suggestion." Section Chief Wu's eyes lit up. "It demonstrates our execution capabilities and also eliminates potential problems in advance. Old Zhou, how about your Treasury Department take the lead on this?"

"Okay," Zhou Wenyuan nodded. "But we're short-staffed and need the budget department and other departments to cooperate."

"No problem, we're all working together as a whole." Section Chief Wu immediately made the decision. "Here's the plan: we'll set up a special inspection team, with Lao Zhou as the team leader, and each department will send its own people. Starting next week, we'll conduct self-inspections first, followed by spot checks."

After the meeting, Zhou Wenyuan and Lin Fan walked at the back.

"Section Chief, what's wrong?" Lin Fan asked in a low voice.

"I've taken on a tough job," Zhou Wenyuan said with a wry smile. "But it's also an opportunity. Being the head of the inspection team is tiring, but it comes with real power. Who to investigate, who not to investigate, and how to investigate—it's all an art."

Lin Fan understood. Zhou Wenyuan was paving the way for himself—the head of the inspection team had a wide network of contacts, could build connections, and could also uncover problems. If he did well, it would be a political achievement; if he didn't do well, at least he wouldn't make any major mistakes.

Back in his office, Zhou Wenyuan said, "Get the work plan written as soon as possible. Show it to me when you're done, then submit it to the bureau."

"Yes."

"Also," Zhou Wenyuan paused, "what are your thoughts on the list of inspection team members?"

Lin Fan thought for a moment: "Each department needs to have staff, but we need to control the key positions. For example, for financial audits, we can draw people from the budget department; for on-site inspections, we can ask the office to coordinate vehicles and logistics; for material compilation and report writing... it's best if we have our own people."

"Our treasury department only has you and me; we can't spare any more staff," Zhou Wenyuan said.

"We can borrow her from other departments," Lin Fan suggested. "I heard there's a young woman in the Information Center named Zhao Xiaowen. She's a college graduate who joined last year. She has good writing skills and is very reliable."

Zhou Wenyuan glanced at Lin Fan: "You seem to know quite a lot about this."

Lin Fan smiled and said, "I heard about it while eating in the cafeteria. She's in charge of editing the bureau's work reports, and she writes them quite well every time."

"Okay, then it's her." Zhou Wenyuan nodded. "This afternoon, talk to the personnel department and arrange for her to be temporarily transferred for two months. Her salary will remain the same, and you will be in charge of her work."

"I'll arrange it?" Lin Fan was taken aback.

"You're the deputy head of the inspection team," Zhou Wenyuan said matter-of-factly. "I can't do everything myself; you'll have to shoulder the responsibility."

Lin Fan felt a surge of warmth in his heart. Although the deputy team leader position wasn't a formal post, it carried real power in this special project. Zhou Wenyuan was giving him more responsibility, but also cultivating his ability to work independently.

"Thank you for your trust, Section Chief."

"Trust isn't given, it's earned." Zhou Wenyuan waved his hand. "Go on with your work."

At lunchtime in the cafeteria, Lin Fan was looking for a seat with his tray when he saw Zhao Xiaowen.

She sat alone in a corner by the window, wearing glasses, eating and reading a book. Lin Fan walked over: "Xiaowen, is this room taken?"

Zhao Xiaowen looked up and recognized Lin Fan: "Lin Fan, no one's here, please sit down."

Lin Fan sat down and glanced at the book she was reading—"Government Budget Theory and Practice," a thick professional book.

"Work hard!" Lin Fan smiled.

Zhao Xiaowen was a little embarrassed: "I just started working, and there's a lot I don't understand. I need to catch up."

"That's normal." Lin Fan took a bite of his food. "By the way, are you free this afternoon? I'd like to talk to you about something related to work."

"Yes, I do." Zhao Xiaowen's eyes lit up. "What is it?"

"The bureau is setting up a special inspection team for budget execution, with Section Chief Zhou as the team leader. They need someone to write the reports," Lin Fan said bluntly. "I recommended you to Section Chief Zhou. He wants to temporarily transfer you for two months to be in charge of the reports."

Zhao Xiaowen was stunned: "Me? Can I do it?"

"Why not?" Lin Fan looked at her. "I've read the briefing you prepared. It's well-organized and concise. The inspection team's work is similar to writing a briefing; it's about compiling the inspection findings into a report."

"But... I have no experience with budget execution." Zhao Xiaowen hesitated.

"If you don't understand, you can learn," Lin Fan said. "Section Chief Zhou said he'll mentor you at work. Are you willing?"

Zhao Xiaowen bit her lip: "Lin Fan, why did you recommend me?"

Lin Fan spoke frankly: "Because I think you're reliable and hardworking. The inspection team's work is tough, but it's also an opportunity. If you do well, the leaders will notice."

Zhao Xiaowen was silent for a few seconds, then nodded emphatically: "I'm willing. Thank you, Brother Lin."

"No need to thank me, it's because you've always performed well," Lin Fan said. "Come to the Treasury Department office at three o'clock this afternoon, let's meet."

"good!"

After finishing his meal, Lin Fan called Wang Juan. It rang twice before being answered; it was very noisy on the other end.

"Lin Fan?"

"Busy?"

"Yes, a new batch of goods just arrived, and we're checking them." Wang Juan's voice was light and cheerful. "Have you eaten?"

"I've eaten. What about you?"

"Not yet, we'll switch shifts after Xiaofang and the others finish eating," Wang Juan said. "By the way, we hired a new employee yesterday, named Xiaoyan, she's quite clever. All the tags have been changed, and now all the goods in the store meet the regulations."

"That's good." Lin Fan was relieved. "Has the goods from Boss Zhao in the provincial capital been shipped?"

"It's been shipped, by shuttle bus, it should arrive the same day. He said the final payment will be made upon delivery." Wang Juan paused, "Lin Fan, this month's net profit is 32,000. I'm thinking... could we take over another shop?"

Lin Fan raised an eyebrow: "Expanding so quickly?"

"It's not about expansion, it's about prevention," Wang Juan said earnestly. "The competition in the Donghe Market is getting fiercer, and two more stores similar to ours have opened next door. I'm thinking of opening another one in the West District to differentiate ourselves—the customers there are mainly retail, so we can focus on boutiques and set higher prices."

Lin Fan hadn't expected Wang Juan to have thought this far ahead. She was like this in her past life—seemingly docile, but actually possessing a keen business sense.

Which spot have you chosen?

"The second stall at the west entrance is in a good location, but the rent is expensive, 40,000 yuan a year. The landlord is an old lady, and I've agreed with her to pay monthly, which is 3,500 yuan a month," Wang Juan said. "I calculated that if I sell high-end goods, the gross profit can reach 40%. Even if business is slow at the beginning, I can still break even."

"Okay." Lin Fan immediately made the decision. "Go and negotiate. Once you've reached an agreement, go for it without worry."

Lin Fan sighed inwardly. Wang Juan had truly grown; she had transformed from a timid waitress into a businesswoman capable of making independent decisions.

"Okay, I'll listen to you," he said. "But take care of yourself and don't overwork yourself."

"Okay, I know," Wang Juan smiled. "You too."

That year, he transformed from a bewildered newcomer into a 21-year-old who had established himself within the system and whose business was on track. The road ahead is still long, but the direction is clear.

At 3 p.m. sharp, Zhao Xiaowen arrived at the Treasury Department office.

She changed into formal clothes, a white shirt and black pants, her hair tied in a ponytail, and she was holding a notebook and a pen.

"Lin Fan, Section Chief Zhou."

"Sit down." Zhou Wenyuan was looking at documents. He looked up at her and said, "Xiao Lin told you about the inspection team, right?"

"I did," Zhao Xiaowen said, sitting up straight. "I will definitely work hard and live up to the trust placed in me by my superiors."

"Don't be nervous," Zhou Wenyuan said gently. "The inspection team's main job is to identify problems and urge rectification. Your task is to keep good records, organize materials, and write reports. Xiao Lin will arrange the specific tasks. Ask him if you don't understand anything, and ask me if you can't solve it."

"Yes."

Zhou Wenyuan gave a few more instructions and then got up and left—the bureau leaders were going to hear a report that afternoon, and he needed to prepare in advance.

Only Lin Fan and Zhao Xiaowen remained in the office.

"Xiaowen, this is a document from the provincial department. Take a look at it first." Lin Fan handed over the official document. "Pay special attention to Chapters 3 and 5; these are the basis for the investigation."

Zhao Xiaowen took it and began to read it carefully. She read slowly, occasionally jotting down notes in her notebook.

Lin Fan didn't urge him and started writing the work plan himself. The office was quiet, with only the sounds of turning pages and writing.

An hour later, Zhao Xiaowen looked up and said, "Brother Lin, I've finished reading."

"Explain your understanding."

"The core of the document is to strengthen in-process supervision of budget execution and change the previous model of emphasizing allocation while neglecting management," Zhao Xiaowen explained clearly. "Specifically, it means establishing three mechanisms: a dynamic monitoring mechanism, an early warning mechanism, and an accountability mechanism. Our inspection this time should be designed around these three mechanisms."

Lin Fan nodded: "Very good. So, what problems do you think our city might have in terms of budget execution?"

Zhao Xiaowen thought for a moment and said, "Based on the information I gathered while compiling the briefing, there are several main problems: First, the project funds are disbursed slowly, affecting the progress; second, some units are misappropriating funds; and third, there is a lack of performance management, so no one cares about the effectiveness of the money spent."

"Very comprehensive." Lin Fan praised, "Then the key points of the inspection are: first, the efficiency of fund allocation; second, the compliance of fund use; and third, the effectiveness of fund use."

"But..." Zhao Xiaowen hesitated, "How do we check the third point? The benefits are hard to quantify."

"Therefore, we need to design an indicator system," Lin Fan said. "For example, for livelihood projects, we look at the number of beneficiaries; for infrastructure projects, we look at the project progress; for industrial support projects, we look at the job creation and tax revenue they generate... The units being inspected must provide this data, and we will verify it."

Zhao Xiaowen's eyes lit up: "I understand. What about the examination method?"

"It's a three-step process: First, each unit conducts a self-inspection and fills out a report; second, we conduct spot checks and on-site inspections; third, we rectify the problems and conduct follow-up inspections," Lin Fan said. "The entire process must be documented, with records kept for each step. Finally, a report is compiled and submitted to the bureau leadership and the provincial department."

"The workload is huge," Zhao Xiaowen exclaimed.

"That's why we need a capable assistant like you." Lin Fan smiled. "Here's what we'll do: draft the inspection notice and self-inspection form first. Show them to me tomorrow morning, and if there are no problems, distribute them this afternoon."

"Tomorrow morning?" Zhao Xiaowen asked nervously. "I'm afraid I won't write it well..."

"You can revise it if you don't write it well," Lin Fan encouraged her. "Write boldly, I'll help you check it."

"Okay!" Zhao Xiaowen nodded emphatically.

For the next two hours, the two buried themselves in their work. Lin Fan wrote the overall plan, while Zhao Xiaowen drafted the notices and forms. Occasionally, when Zhao Xiaowen had something she didn't understand, she would ask, and Lin Fan would patiently answer her questions.

Zhou Wenyuan returned at five o'clock.

"How is it?" he asked.

"The first draft of the plan is almost finished." Lin Fan handed over the few pages he had written. "Take a look."

Zhou Wenyuan sat down and began to examine the documents carefully. After finishing, he looked at the notices and forms drafted by Zhao Xiaowen.

"Okay." He nodded. "Clear thinking, thorough consideration. The Party Committee will discuss it at the Bureau meeting tomorrow morning, and if it's approved, it will be implemented."

Zhao Xiaowen breathed a sigh of relief.

"Xiaowen," Zhou Wenyuan said, looking at her, "Add a clause to the notice: Each unit's self-inspection report must be signed and stamped by the principal responsible person. Whoever signs it is responsible, to avoid shirking responsibility."

"Yes!" Zhao Xiaowen quickly wrote it down.

"Also," Zhou Wenyuan thought for a moment, "the inspection team needs to set up a hotline and mailbox for reporting violations to accept public supervision. The office will be responsible for this; you can coordinate it."

"clear."

Zhou Wenyuan glanced at his watch: "Let's call it a day. Xiaowen, thank you for your hard work."

"It's no trouble at all, it's my duty." Zhao Xiaowen stood up. "Section Chief Zhou, Lin Fan, I'll head back now."

"Okay, see you tomorrow."

After Zhao Xiaowen left, Zhou Wenyuan said to Lin Fan, "This girl is good; she's down-to-earth and willing to learn. Take good care of her."

"Yes."

"Oh, right," Zhou Wenyuan said, taking an envelope out of his briefcase. "This is for you."

Lin Fan took it; inside was a shopping card with a face value of one thousand.

"Section Chief, this is..."

"It was given to me by Director Zhang from the Provincial Department," Zhou Wenyuan said casually. "The organizers of yesterday's meeting distributed them; everyone got one. I collected yours for you."

Lin Fan knew that not everyone had this. But he didn't ask any further questions, and carefully put it away, saying, "Thank you, Section Chief."

"You're welcome." Zhou Wenyuan waved his hand. "By the way, did you give me a copy of the receipt from the Industry and Commerce Bureau?"

Lin Fan took out a photocopy from the drawer: "Here it is."

Zhou Wenyuan took it, glanced at it, and put it in his bag: "Okay, I understand. Don't worry about this for now, just focus on doing your job as an inspection team."

"clear."

It was already dark when Lin Fan got off work. As he walked to the gate of the compound, his phone rang.

It's Wang Juan.

"Lin Fan, we've got the shop deal!" Wang Juan's voice was filled with excitement. "I spent the whole afternoon negotiating with the landlord for that stall in the West District, and we finally got it for 3,200 a month, with a one-year contract."

"Impressive," Lin Fan smiled. "When will you open?"

"Next Monday," Wang Juan said, "I plan to turn 'Juanzi Clothing' into a brand, with the old store focusing on wholesale and the western district store focusing on retail boutiques. I've already thought of the logo: a simple 'Juan' character paired with a small flower."

"Good. Is there anything you need me to do?"

Wang Juan said happily, "Then... you treat me to dinner."

"it is good."

After hanging up the phone, Lin Fan walked along, reminiscing about his past life with Wang Juan.

Back then, they often went to buy goods together, taking the old-fashioned green train and staying in cheap hotels that cost twenty yuan a night. They ate steamed buns and pickled vegetables. He said that when he had money, he would definitely take her to eat well and stay in nice places.

In this life, he wants to ensure she has a good life from the very beginning.

Around 10 p.m., Wang Juan called Lin Fan again.

"I plan to hire a professional sales associate and train them in service etiquette. The store's decor will also be redone, making it simple, bright, and tasteful."

Lin Fan listened to Wang Juan's eloquent speech and felt a surge of satisfaction. This was exactly what he wanted to see—Wang Juan had found her own stage.

"By the way, Lin Fan, I'm thinking of naming the West District store 'Juan Time'. What do you think?"

"Juan·Time..." Lin Fan read it aloud. "It sounds nice. What's the meaning behind it?"

"I hope that every customer who comes into the store can find their own wonderful moments here." Wang Juan's eyes shone with light. "Clothes are not just for covering the body and keeping warm, but also a way to express oneself and enjoy life."

Lin Fan felt a warm current surge in her heart as she listened to Wang Juan's thoughts. In her past life, she had also had such a dream, but she was overwhelmed by life and could only give up in the end.

In this life, he will help her achieve her goal.

"Great name," Lin Fan said. "I'll design the logo for you."

"Can you design?"

"I know a little." Lin Fan had learned a little when he started his business in his previous life.

"That's great!" Wang Juan said happily. "I trust your judgment."

The next day, Lin Fan arrived at the bureau early and sketched on a piece of paper with a pencil. First, he drew a cursive character for "Juan," which was elegant and lively. Then, he added a simple jasmine flower in the lower right corner—Wang Juan liked jasmine, saying that it had a delicate fragrance.

After completing the draft, he scanned it into the computer and processed it into a vector graphic using software. He chose a color scheme of dark gray and light pink, which was both sophisticated and gentle.

After finishing, I sent it to Wang Juan's QQ email address, and then called Wang Juan: "See if you like it, you can make changes."

Twenty minutes later, Wang Juan called back: "I love it so much! How did you know I like jasmine?"

Lin Fan laughed, but didn't answer. After hanging up the phone, he thought of Liu Jianguo from the Industrial and Commercial Bureau, the five thousand yuan receipt, and Zhou Wenyuan's words, "I'll deal with him when I get the chance."

Things in government offices can't be rushed. It's like playing chess; one quick move can lead to many more, but you still have to wait for your opponent to make their move.

What he needs to do now is to do a good job with the inspection team, stabilize his business, and take good care of the people around him.

As for the rest, leave it to time, and also to Zhou Wenyuan.