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

In mid-November, the steel city experienced its first snowfall.

Lin Fan drove Wang Juan's parents back to Bai County. The car was packed full—in addition to the luggage they brought, there were many more things added. Lin Fan bought them new cotton-padded coats and shoes, and also gave them two thousand yuan.

Wang Juan's mother kept wiping away tears the whole way: "Xiao Fan, I'm relieved to have Juan'er in your care. You two live your lives well and come home to visit often."

"Don't worry, Auntie, we'll come back whenever we have time," Lin Fan said. "Please take care of yourselves at home, and call us anytime if you need anything."

Upon arriving in the village, Wang Juan's father grasped Lin Fan's hand: "Xiao Fan, this is my only daughter, and I'm entrusting her to you. She's stubborn, so please be understanding if she does anything wrong."

"Uncle, Juan'er is fine, I will treat her well."

After seeing her parents off, Wang Juan's eyes were red. Lin Fan put his arm around her shoulder: "Don't be sad, we'll come back if you miss home."

"Mmm." Wang Juan leaned on his shoulder. "Lin Fan, let's move today."

"Today? Everything's packed?"

"It's all packed. Just a few clothes and some daily necessities," Wang Juan said. "Your apartment has all the furniture and appliances, so you can move in right away."

"Okay, let's go back and move it."

It was already 3 p.m. when they got back to the steel city. The two of them went to the warehouse where Wang Juan lived first to pack her things. Actually, there wasn't much—a few clothes, some cosmetics, and the scarf that Lin Fan had given her. The elderly couple had been staying with Wang Juan there for the past few days and couldn't bear to move to their new house.

"Is that all?" Lin Fan asked, looking at a small suitcase.

"Yeah, I don't have much stuff," Wang Juan said. "I used to live in the hotel dormitory with just a backpack. Later, when I opened the shop, I lived there too, and I didn't have much personal belongings."

Lin Fan felt a pang of sadness. Wang Juan hadn't had a good life all these years.

"It'll be better from now on." He picked up his suitcase. "Let's go home."

The word "home" warmed Wang Juan's heart.

The new house is in Riverside Garden, a duplex with two floors. After the renovation was completed, it was left to air out for a few months, and the smell has almost disappeared.

Opening the door, the house was spotless, with all the furniture and appliances new. The living room had a double-height ceiling, an oddly shaped chandelier, and a beige sofa. The kitchen was open-plan and fully equipped. The garden had a lawn, which, although yellowed in winter, still looked bright and airy.

"It's so beautiful." Wang Juan stood at the door, a little hesitant to go in.

"Come in, this is our home from now on." Lin Fan pulled her into the house.

The two strolled from the first floor to the second. The master bedroom was spacious, with a walk-in closet and bathroom. The second bedroom was reserved for their future child, and the study had a full wall of bookshelves. Sunlight streamed in through the floor-to-ceiling windows, making the entire room bright and airy.

"Do you like it?" Lin Fan asked.

"I love it." Wang Juan's eyes welled up with tears. "Lin Fan, is this really our home?"

"Really." Lin Fan hugged her. "Juan'er, from today onwards, we'll live here. You'll stay in the master bedroom on the second floor, and I'll stay in the second bedroom. We'll wait until we get our marriage certificate..."

"No need," Wang Juan interrupted him, blushing. "Let's all stay in the master bedroom... we're engaged anyway."

Lin Fan felt a surge of warmth in his heart: "Okay, I'll do as you say."

The two began packing. Wang Juan hung her clothes in the walk-in closet and put her cosmetics in the bathroom. Lin Fan didn't have many things: a few clothes and some books.

It was already six o'clock in the evening when they finished cleaning up. Wang Juan said, "I'll go cook and see if the kitchen is missing anything."

"I'll go with you."

The kitchen was fully stocked—pots, pans, oil, salt, soy sauce, and vinegar, all prepared by Lin Fan beforehand. His mother had also packed vegetables and meat in the refrigerator.

Wang Juan put on her apron and started washing and chopping vegetables. Lin Fan assisted her, peeling garlic and washing scallions.

"Can you cook?" Wang Juan asked.

"I know a little, but not as well as you," Lin Fan said. "My parents used to do it at home, and I would occasionally help out."

"Then I'll teach you," Wang Juan smiled. "From now on, we can take turns doing it; I can't always do it alone."

"Okay, no problem."

Dinner was simple: two dishes and a soup. It consisted of shredded pork with green peppers, scrambled eggs with tomatoes, and seaweed and egg drop soup. All home-style dishes, but the two of them ate with great relish.

"Delicious." Lin Fan ate two large bowls of rice. "Juan'er, your cooking is really good."

"Eat more if you like it." Wang Juan put some food on his plate. "Lin Fan, if you get off work early in the future, let's go home and cook. Eating out is expensive and unhealthy."

"Whatever you say," Lin Fan said. "But sometimes I have to accompany Brother Zhou to social events, and I'll be back late. You don't need to wait for me, just eat first."

"I'll wait for you," Wang Juan said softly. "No matter how late it is."

After dinner, the two washed the dishes together. One washed, the other wiped, their teamwork was excellent.

After cleaning up the kitchen, they sat on the sofa in the living room. The TV was on, but no one was watching it. Wang Juan leaned against Lin Fan, and the two chatted idly.

"Lin Fan, do you think we'll always be this close?"

Yes, it will get better and better.

"I want to open a third store," Wang Juan said. "There's a newly built shopping mall in the south of the city with a lot of foot traffic."

"Sure, go ahead and drive. Do you have enough money?"

"That's enough. This month, the old store earned 40,000, the West District store earned 15,000, and there's also a commission from the provincial capital agent." Wang Juan calculated the accounts. "Adding our previous savings, it's more than enough to open a store."

"Then go for it, I support you."

"Mmm." Wang Juan leaned closer. "Lin Fan, with you here, I'm not afraid of anything."

"Me too."

Snowflakes drifted outside the window, while inside the house it was warm and cozy. This is what home feels like—warm, reassuring, and full of hope.

And so their cohabitation began.

Every morning, Lin Fan gets up at 6:30, washes up, and goes to the kitchen to make breakfast—it's actually very simple: cook porridge or heat milk, and fry two eggs. Wang Juan gets up at 6:50, eats breakfast, and the two go out together.

Lin Fan drove Wang Juan to the Donghe Wholesale Market, then went to the Finance Bureau himself. If he wasn't working overtime that evening, he would pick up Wang Juan first, and then they would go home together to cook dinner.

My days are regular and fulfilling.

But work always has its busy moments. At the end of November, the city was going to hold a financial work conference, and Zhou Wenyuan was in charge of the preparations, which kept Lin Fan extremely busy.

That evening at eight o'clock, Lin Fan was still organizing materials in his office. Zhou Wenyuan came out of the conference room, saw him still there, and said, "Xiao Lin, you haven't left yet?"

"Brother Zhou, the meeting materials aren't finished yet," Lin Fan said. "We have a meeting tomorrow, so we have to get them done tonight."

"You've worked hard." Zhou Wenyuan patted him on the shoulder. "Here's what we'll do, you go back first, I'll have Chen Ming handle the rest."

"No need, I'll be done in a minute," Lin Fan said. "Brother Zhou, you can go back first. I'll leave as soon as I'm done."

"Okay, then don't stay up too late." Zhou Wenyuan glanced at his watch. "Oh, by the way, give me the garage key; I need to grab something."

Lin Fan handed over the keys. Zhou Wenyuan went to the garage and came back carrying two packs of imported cigarettes.

"Take this." Zhou Wenyuan placed the cigarettes on the table. "They were sent by the county. I don't smoke. Use them for your business."

"Thank you, Brother Zhou."

After Zhou Wenyuan left, Lin Fan continued working. The meeting materials were tedious: budget reports, project lists, funding arrangements… everything had to be checked one by one to avoid mistakes.

Lin Fan was busy until 10 o'clock, and finally finished. He stretched, took out his phone, and saw three missed calls, all from Wang Juan.

He quickly replied.

"Hey, Juan'er."

"Lin Fan, why haven't you come back yet?" Wang Juan asked worriedly. "You're not answering your phone."

"I was busy and forgot, my phone is on silent," Lin Fan said. "I just finished preparing the materials, I'll be back now."

"Have you got a meal yet?"

"not yet……"

"I knew it," Wang Juan sighed. "The food's still warm in the pot, come back quickly."

"Okay, right away."

After hanging up the phone, Lin Fan felt a warm feeling in his heart. It felt so good to have someone waiting for you and to have someone care about you.

It was already 10:30 when I drove home. The lights were still on inside, and Wang Juan was asleep on the sofa, covered with a blanket.

Lin Fan tiptoed over, intending to carry her upstairs. The moment he moved, Wang Juan woke up.

"You're back?" She rubbed her eyes. "The food's in the kitchen, I'll go heat it up."

"I can do it myself, you go to sleep."

"It's okay, I'm not sleepy."

The two went to the kitchen. The food was still warm—braised pork ribs, stir-fried vegetables, and rice. Lin Fan was really hungry and wolfed down his food.

"Eat slowly, no one's going to take it from you." Wang Juan sat across from him watching him eat. "Next time you have to work overtime, just let me know in advance so I know whether I'll wait for you or not."

"Okay," Lin Fan said vaguely. "Juan'er, don't wait for me anymore. Go to sleep when you're tired."

"I can't sleep without you," Wang Juan said. "The house feels so empty without you here."

Lin Fan felt a warmth in his heart and took her hand: "I'll try not to work overtime in the future and come home earlier."

"Work is important, don't let it interfere with your business," Wang Juan said. "I'm just... I'm just worried about you."

"I'm a grown adult, what's there to worry about?"

"I'm just worried."

After dinner, the two went upstairs to sleep. The master bedroom was large, and the bed was big too. Wang Juan was still a little shy, lying with her back to Lin Fan. Lin Fan hugged her from behind…

"Um……"

Soon, Wang Juan's breathing became even. Lin Fan, however, couldn't sleep, his heart filled with longing as he watched her smooth back.

This is the life he wants: a home, a lover, and a future.

Although work is busy and stressful, seeing Wang Juan when I get home makes it all worthwhile.

The next morning, Lin Fan got up at 6:30 as usual. Wang Juan got up as well.

"You should get some more sleep; you went to bed late last night," Lin Fan said.

"I'm not sleeping anymore, I'll make you breakfast." Wang Juan started getting dressed. "What do you want to eat today?"

"Keep it simple, just cook some noodles."

The two busied themselves in the kitchen. Wang Juan cooked noodles, and Lin Fan fried eggs. Morning light streamed in through the window, filling the kitchen with warmth.

"Lin Fan, are you busy today?" Wang Juan asked.

"It's alright. I have a meeting this morning, and I might have to go to the development zone with Brother Zhou this afternoon," Lin Fan said. "What about you?"

"I went to the new store this morning to check on the renovation progress, and then went back to the old store this afternoon to organize the stock," Wang Juan said. "I'll cook dinner tonight. What would you like to eat?"

I'll eat whatever you cook.

"Let's cook fish then. The crucian carp I bought at the market yesterday is fresh."

"OK."

After breakfast, the two went out together. Lin Fan drove Wang Juan to the wholesale market, watched her go into the shop, and then drove to his workplace.

The morning meeting went on for a long time. Zhou Wenyuan lost his temper at the meeting—several units had submitted outrageous budget proposals, clearly asking for an exorbitant amount.

"Director Zhang, your Education Bureau's teacher training center submitted a budget of eight million? Do you know that eight million can only build one building?!" Zhou Wenyuan slammed his fist on the table. "Resubmit it, cut it in half!"

The education bureau chief wiped his sweat: "Director Zhou, this... the materials are expensive, and the labor is expensive too..."

"There's a limit to how expensive things can be!" Zhou Wenyuan said bluntly. "The city's budget is limited. If you spend like this, how will other departments cope? Resubmit your application by Friday."

After the meeting, Zhou Wenyuan still had a dark expression on his face. Lin Fan poured him a cup of tea: "Brother Zhou, calm down."

"These people, they really think money grows on trees." Zhou Wenyuan took a sip of tea. "Xiao Lin, this afternoon you're coming with me to the development zone to check out their new project. If they dare to overstate their budget again, I'll cut it all off."

"clear."

In the afternoon, Zhou Wenyuan went to the development zone, where Director Wang was exceptionally friendly. The budget was realistic, and the project plan was reasonable. Zhou Wenyuan's expression improved after that.

"Old Wang, this report is good," Zhou Wenyuan said. "The city will definitely provide the support it deserves, but the money must be spent wisely."

"Yes, yes, Director Zhou, rest assured, we will definitely do a good job on the project."

On the way back, Zhou Wenyuan said, "See? This is the right attitude to get things done. Unlike some people who only think about getting more money and don't think about how to spend it wisely."

"Brother Zhou, what about the Education Bureau..."

"Put some pressure on them, or they won't know when to stop," Zhou Wenyuan said. "Xiao Lin, remember, in this organization, you can't be too easy to talk to. You have to be firm when necessary, or anyone will dare to bully you."

"I've got it."

It was already five o'clock when Lin Fan got back to the station. He tidied up and prepared to leave work. Zhou Wenyuan said, "You're free tonight, go home early. Spend some time with Xiao Wang, she just moved in with you, don't neglect her."

"Okay, thanks, Brother Zhou."

Lin Fan drove to pick up Wang Juan. When they arrived at the wholesale market, Wang Juan was still busy in her shop, where several customers were picking out clothes.

"Juan'er, I'm here."

"Wait a moment, it'll be ready soon," Wang Juan greeted the customer. "This sweater suits you really well, it makes your skin look so fair."

After the customers left, Wang Juan packed up her things and closed the door.

"How's business today?" Lin Fan asked.

"It's going well. The old store sold over five thousand, and the new store's renovation is progressing quickly; it should open next month." Wang Juan got into the car. "How about you? Will things go smoothly for you?"

"Not bad, Brother Zhou got really angry and cut the Education Bureau's budget in half."

"That ruthless?"

"We have to be ruthless; their quote is outrageous." Lin Fan started the car. "Fish for dinner?"

"Yes, the fish are all cleaned. I'll cook them when we get back."

Back home, the two cooked together. Wang Juan was the head chef, and Lin Fan assisted.

Braised crucian carp with tofu, stir-fried greens, and a soup. Simple yet comforting.

During the meal, Wang Juan said, "Lin Fan, I want to discuss something with you."

"What is it?"

"For the new store opening, I'm thinking of implementing a membership system," Wang Juan said. "Recharge 500 and get 50 free, recharge 1000 and get 120 free. This will help retain customers and increase repeat business."

"That's a good idea," Lin Fan nodded, "but we need to do the math carefully, so we don't lose out."

"I've calculated it. Our clothing gross profit margin is 40%, and the discounts we give away are still within that margin," Wang Juan said. "The main purpose is to attract customers and cultivate loyalty."

"Okay, you handle it," Lin Fan said. "You know more about business than I do."

"Not really," Wang Juan laughed. "I was just thinking about it. Lin Fan, do you think opening a third store would be too risky?"

"No," Lin Fan said. "You now have two stores, experience, a source of goods, and customers. Strike while the iron is hot. However..."

"But what?"

"But don't overwork yourself," Lin Fan said earnestly. "You can't earn all the money in the world, but your health is the most important thing. I don't want you to ruin your health just to make money."

"I know." Wang Juan felt a warmth in her heart. "Don't worry, I know what I'm doing. Now that there are people helping out at the shop, I'm not so tired."

After dinner, they washed the dishes together. Then they sat on the sofa to watch TV, though they didn't really watch much; they just chatted.

"Lin Fan, what do you want to do in the future?" Wang Juan asked. "Just keep driving for Director Zhou?"

"That's how it is now," Lin Fan said. "But Brother Zhou said he'd let me help out in the budget department if there's a chance. I'll start there and take it slow. Actually, I want to keep driving for Brother Zhou."

"Then you should do your job well," Wang Juan said. "Director Zhou has been good to us, and we should repay his kindness."

"Mmm." Lin Fan hugged her. "Juan'er, once we've saved enough money, let's pay off the mortgage early. Then we'll buy another house for your parents to live in."

"No need..." Wang Juan's eyes reddened. "My parents are used to living in the countryside, and they feel uncomfortable in the city."

"We need to be prepared," Lin Fan said. "What if they want to stay for a few days? Having a place to stay is convenient."

"You really think far ahead."

"We can't not think about the future," Lin Fan laughed. "We're still young; we need to plan for the future."

They chatted until after nine o'clock, then went upstairs to sleep. Wang Juan went to take a shower first, while Lin Fan read a book in the study for a while.

When Lin Fan came out of the shower, Wang Juan was already in bed. The bedside lamp was on, and she was lying on her side, her eyes sparkling as she looked at him.

"What are you looking at?" Lin Fan lay down.

"Look at you," Wang Juan said softly, "Lin Fan, why do I like you so much?"

"Because I'm good," Lin Fan smiled.

"You're so vain." Wang Juan snuggled closer to him. "Lin Fan, will we always be this close?"

"Yes," Lin Fan hugged her tighter, "it will only get better."

"Um."

Soon, Wang Juan fell asleep. Lin Fan looked at her peaceful sleeping face, his heart filled with emotion.

This is the life he wants: ordinary, warm, and full of hope.

Although this is just the beginning, and although there is still much to do—to advance at work, to expand the business, to pay off the mortgage, to keep an eye on the stocks…

But as long as Wang Juan is by his side, Zhou Wenyuan is there to help him, and his parents are there to support him, nothing is difficult.

Take it one step at a time, and walk steadily.

The best is yet to come.

Lost in thought, Lin Fan fell asleep. Outside, the cold wind howled, but inside, it was warm and cozy.

This is home.