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

On the second day of the Lunar New Year, the festive atmosphere in the steel city was still strong.

Lin Fan was woken up early by the sound of firecrackers. He grabbed his phone and saw it was only 6:30. Wang Juan was still asleep, curled up in his arms, breathing evenly. He gently moved away, got up, and went downstairs.

In the kitchen, his mother was already busy. Seeing him come down, she said, "Up so early? Sleep a little longer."

"I can't sleep." Lin Fan washed his face. "Mom, why are you up so early too?"

"I'm used to it, I wake up at the same time every day," the mother said. "I'll cook some porridge and heat up some steamed buns. Your father will wake up soon too."

Just then, the father came out of the bedroom, wearing a cotton-padded coat: "Xiao Fan, what are the plans for today?"

"I went to Zhou Ge's house to wish him a Happy New Year this morning, and I might go to my workplace this afternoon," Lin Fan said. "Wang Juan went to her shop at noon to check on things, saying that a few regular customers had ordered clothes and were coming to pick them up today."

"You two aren't even taking a break during the New Year holiday." Mother shook her head. "You two are busier than we were back then."

"Making money is nothing to be ashamed of." The father was quite open-minded. "Work hard when you're young, and you can enjoy life when you're old."

After breakfast, Wang Juan woke up. The family ate a simple meal, and then Lin Fan prepared to go out.

"Take something to Director Zhou's house." The mother brought out two gift boxes from the kitchen. "These are sea cucumbers that someone gave us. We can't finish them all, so please take them to Director Zhou."

"Mom, Zhou's family doesn't lack these things."

"Whether we need it or not is one thing, whether we send it or not is another," the father said. "We must observe proper etiquette."

"Okay, I'll take it."

Lin Fan drove out. There weren't many people on the street, and most shops were closed. The few that were open were mostly selling firecrackers and Spring Festival couplets. When he arrived at Zhou Wenyuan's residential compound, the security guard at the gate recognized his car and let him through.

Zhou Wenyuan lived on the third floor. Lin Fan carried his things upstairs. He knocked on the door, and Zhou Wenyuan's wife, Li Mei, opened it.

"Happy New Year, sister-in-law."

"Xiao Lin is here, come in quickly." Li Mei smiled and took the things. "Old Zhou, Xiao Lin is here."

Zhou Wenyuan came out of the study, dressed in casual clothes and looking very relaxed: "You're here? Have a seat."

Happy New Year, Brother Zhou!

"Okay, everything's fine." Zhou Wenyuan sat down. "Have you had breakfast?"

"have eaten."

Li Mei brought over some tea: "Xiao Lin, have some tea. Have lunch at home, I made chicken."

"No, sister-in-law, I have to go to my workplace later."

"Why go to work during the Lunar New Year?" Zhou Wenyuan said. "I'm free today, play a game of chess with me."

"OK."

The two set up the chessboard and began to play Chinese chess. Zhou Wenyuan played a steady and methodical style, while Lin Fan was no slouch either; they went back and forth in exchange.

"I'm going to the provincial capital on the fourth day of the Lunar New Year." Zhou Wenyuan stepped onto the bus. "You're coming with me."

"Okay. Or should we give it as a gift?"

"Yes, we need to keep in touch with some of the old leaders," Zhou Wenyuan said. "This year is a special case. With Director Yan's incident, we also need to show our support to the mayor."

"Understood." Lin Fan jumped off the horse. "Brother Zhou, are the gifts ready?"

"It's all ready, in my basement," Zhou Wenyuan said. "Moutai, Zhonghua cigarettes, and a few boxes of cordyceps. Come on the morning of the fourth day of the Lunar New Year to load it into the truck."

"it is good."

While they were playing chess, the doorbell rang. Li Mei went to open the door, and several section chiefs from the bureau came in to offer their New Year's greetings. They were all quite polite when they saw Lin Fan.

"Master Lin is here too."

"Happy New Year, Section Chief Li."

"Okay, all is well."

A few people sat for a while, chatted, left their gifts, and then left. Then another group arrived, all from various departments within the bureau. Some they knew, some they recognized.

Lin Fan watched from the sidelines, knowing exactly what was going on. Zhou Wenyuan now oversees two core departments, the budget and the treasury, and his position in the bureau is secure, so naturally many people come to pay their respects for the New Year.

After everyone left, Zhou Wenyuan shook his head: "It's the same every year, so annoying."

"It's all from the heart," Lin Fan said.

"It's the thought that counts, but it's tiring." Zhou Wenyuan stood up. "Come on, let me show you around."

The two went downstairs to the basement. The basement wasn't large, but it was crammed with things. Cases of Moutai liquor were stacked, cartons of Zhonghua cigarettes were laid out, and there were various gift boxes: sea cucumber, bird's nest, cordyceps, tea…

"So many?" Lin Fan exclaimed in surprise.

"This is nothing," Zhou Wenyuan said. "It's like this every year; we can't use it all. Take what you need."

"Brother Zhou, this..."

"Don't be shy, I'll just keep it anyway," Zhou Wenyuan said. "Take some cigarettes and alcohol, and some tea. There are elderly people at home who might need it."

Lin Fan thought for a moment and didn't refuse: "Then I won't stand on ceremony."

The two began to choose. Lin Fan took four cartons of foreign cigarettes, two bottles of aged Moutai, and several boxes of tea. Zhou Wenyuan then gave him two boxes of bird's nest: "For your parents, to make soup."

"Thank you, Brother Zhou."

"No need to thank me." Zhou Wenyuan patted him on the shoulder. "By the way, we're going to the provincial capital on the fourth day of the Lunar New Year. It'll take a whole day. You should let Wang Juan know in advance."

"Yes, I know."

It was already noon when Lin Fan left Zhou Wenyuan's house. He drove home and put his things away. Wang Juan had already gone to the shop; only his parents were at home.

His mother was startled when she saw him carrying so many things back: "Where did all this come from?"

"It's from Brother Zhou," Lin Fan said. "Mom, keep the bird's nest; you can use it to make soup. Put the cigarettes and alcohol in the garage for later use."

"This...this is too much," the mother said. "Director Zhou is too good to us."

"So we must remember their kindness," the father said. "Xiao Fan, drive Director Zhou well from now on."

"I know."

After a quick lunch, Lin Fan went to his workplace. The bureau was quiet, with only a few people on duty. He sat in the office for a while, flipped through some documents, and finding nothing of note, left.

On the fourth day of the Lunar New Year, Lin Fan got up before dawn. Wang Juan also woke up: "So early?"

"I'm going to the provincial capital with Brother Zhou today, so we need to get there early." Lin Fan said as he got dressed. "You can sleep a little longer."

"Be careful on the road."

"Know."

They drove to Zhou Wenyuan's house, where Zhou Wenyuan was already waiting downstairs. The two carried the gifts out of the basement and loaded them into the trunk. There were six cases of Moutai, ten cartons of Zhonghua cigarettes, and various gift boxes, filling the trunk to the brim.

"Brother Zhou, how many families do we need to deliver to?" Lin Fan asked.

"About five or six families," Zhou Wenyuan said as he got into the car. "They're all former leaders, and a few section chiefs from the provincial department."

The car left the steel city and entered the highway. There weren't many cars on the road, and Lin Fan drove steadily. Zhou Wenyuan leaned back in his seat, closing his eyes to rest.

"Xiao Lin, what are your plans after the New Year?" Zhou Wenyuan suddenly asked.

"I'll still work with Brother Zhou," Lin Fan said. "I'll learn more at work and support Wang Juan in business."

"Yeah, it's good to play it safe," Zhou Wenyuan said. "But you need to hurry up with your correspondence course. You'll graduate in June, and once you get the certificate, you can take the civil service exam."

"I've been reading."

"Reading is one thing, but you also need to put it into practice," Zhou Wenyuan said. "Go and help out in the budget department. Li Jing is a good person; you can learn a lot from her."

"clear."

The car arrived in the provincial capital after nine o'clock. Following Zhou Wenyuan's instructions, they delivered the gifts one by one. Some leaders lived in residential communities, while others lived in government compounds. Lin Fan followed Zhou Wenyuan upstairs, carried the gifts, exchanged a few New Year's greetings, and left.

When he arrived at the third house, it was a retired department head. He was very happy to see Zhou Wenyuan.

"Wen Yuan is here, please have a seat."

"Old boss, Happy New Year!" Zhou Wenyuan said. "This is Xiao Lin, my driver."

"Happy New Year, old leader," Lin Fan said respectfully.

"Good, good." The old director looked at Lin Fan. "You're a spirited young man. Wen Yuan, you've got a good driver."

"It's good, reliable."

They sat for a while and chatted. The old director asked about the situation in the steel city, and Zhou Wenyuan reported back in detail. Before leaving, the old director saw them to the door, patted Zhou Wenyuan on the shoulder, and said, "Work hard, you have a bright future."

"Thank you, former boss."

It was already noon when they left the old director's house. The two ate a quick bowl of noodles by the roadside and continued their deliveries. They didn't finish delivering to the last house until 3 p.m.

On the way back, Zhou Wenyuan said, "Xiao Lin, you've met all these leaders today. If you need anything in the future, you can contact them directly."

Lin Fan's heart skipped a beat: "Brother Zhou, I..."

"Don't overthink it, it's just about gaining connections," Zhou Wenyuan said. "In government agencies, connections are resources. If you follow me, these resources will all be yours in the future."

"Thank you, Brother Zhou."

"Just do a good job."

By the time the car arrived in Gangcheng, it was already evening. Lin Fan drove Zhou Wenyuan home, and then went home himself.

As soon as I entered, I heard Niu Niu's laughter. Lin Ping's family had arrived, and Niu Niu was playing with toys in the living room.

"Uncle!" Niu Niu ran over.

"Niu Niu, Happy New Year." Lin Fan picked her up. "You've grown taller again."

"Uncle, Mom bought me new clothes, look!" Niu Niu spun around.

"it's beautiful."

Lin Ping came out of the kitchen: "Xiao Fan's back? How was things in the provincial capital?"

"Not bad, just spent the day delivering gifts." Lin Fan put Niu Niu down. "Sis, I heard your job transfer went smoothly?"

"Yes, I've been transferred to the district government office." Lin Ping's face lit up with joy. "Director Sun helped with the arrangements. Although I'm still a contract worker, the platform is different now."

"That's good, keep up the good work."

"I know, I'm studying every day now, preparing for the civil service exam," Lin Ping said. "If I pass, my life will be stable."

"You'll definitely pass the exam."

Brother-in-law Sun Lin was also there, playing chess with his father. Seeing Lin Fan, he nodded: "You're back?"

"Hmm. Brother-in-law, I heard you've been promoted to deputy section chief?"

"It's just a title; the main job is still driving for Director Sun," Sun Lin said. "But the pay is better; it's a few hundred yuan more a month."

"That's not bad either."

Lin Fan went in to help while his mother and Wang Juan were cooking in the kitchen.

"You're back? Are you tired?" Wang Juan asked.

"It's alright," Lin Fan said. "What kind of good food do you guys make?"

"Mom stewed some pork ribs, and I'll cook a few dishes," Wang Juan said. "My sister's family is coming over today, so let's have some fun."

At mealtime, the whole family sat around the table. Niu Niu was the most excited, chattering away nonstop.

"Uncle, my mom is going to work at a new company."

"Really? Your mom is amazing."

"Dad got a promotion too."

"Your dad is amazing too."

The adults all laughed.

Lin Ping asked, "Xiao Fan, is your house all renovated? When are your parents moving in?"

"It's all installed. We can move in after it's been aired out for half a month," Lin Fan said. "We plan to move in after the Lantern Festival."

"That'll be soon," Lin Ping said. "I'll help out then."

"No need, there's a moving company," Lin Fan said. "It's just some clothes and bedding; the furniture is all new."

My father said, "There's no rush to move. Let's wait until it gets warmer."

"Dad, the new house has heating, it's warmer than here," Lin Fan said. "The sooner we move in, the sooner we can enjoy it."

My mother said, "I just can't bear to leave this place; I'm used to living here."

"Mom, it's just two streets away. I can come back anytime I want," Wang Juan said. "I'll visit you every day from now on."

"Juan'er knows how to talk," the mother said with a smile.

After finishing their meal, Lin Ping and her family sat for a while before leaving. Lin Fan saw them downstairs and then came back to clear the table.

Wang Juan said, "Lin Fan, several regular customers came to the store today, all ordering spring clothes. I looked at the styles, and this year light colors are in fashion, such as pale yellow, pale green, and off-white."

"You can decide," Lin Fan said. "You know more about business than I do."

"I just wanted to tell you," Wang Juan said. "By the way, I have a class reunion on the eighth day of the Lunar New Year. Are you going?"

"Is it appropriate for me to attend your class reunion?"

"If there's anything inappropriate, bring your family members," Wang Juan said. "Many classmates heard that I opened a shop and wanted to come and see."

"Okay, I'll go with you."

On the eighth day of the first lunar month, Wang Juan's classmate reunion was scheduled for the "Ke Lai Xiang" restaurant. Lin Fan drove her there, and when they arrived, there were already more than a dozen people sitting in the private room.

"Wang Juan's here!" a female classmate exclaimed. "Oh, is this your husband?"

"My fiancé," Wang Juan said a little shyly, "Lin Fan."

"Hello everyone." Lin Fan nodded.

"Sit down, sit down, we've been waiting for you all."

After sitting down, Lin Fan observed them. Wang Juan's classmates were scattered across different backgrounds: some worked in government agencies, some in companies, and some ran their own businesses. Their clothing and appearance varied, but they were all quite presentable.

"Wang Juan, I heard you opened a shop? Where is it?" a male classmate asked.

"I have a shop in the Donghe Wholesale Market and another one in the West District," Wang Juan said. "It's a small business, just enough to make a living."

"What's with the modesty? You've already opened two stores, and you still call it a small business?" another female classmate said. "We're still working part-time, earning a meager fixed salary each month."

"That's right, Wang Juan, you're the boss now."

Everyone chatted about their recent lives. Lin Fan listened from the side, occasionally chiming in with a word or two.

A classmate who works at a bank heard that Lin Fan works at the Finance Bureau and was very interested: "Which department does Brother Lin work in the Finance Bureau?"

"Logistics department, driving for the leaders," Lin Fan said.

"Driving is great, you get to meet a lot of leaders," the classmate said. "I'll have to trouble you a lot in the future."

"Help each other."

Another classmate, who works in engineering contracting, heard that Lin Fan knew Zhou Wenyuan and his eyes lit up: "I've heard of Director Zhou. He's in charge of budgets and a powerful figure."

"Brother Zhou is a nice guy." Lin Fan didn't say much more.

The gathering proceeded in a lively atmosphere. Wang Juan was surrounded by her classmates, who asked her all sorts of questions. She didn't hold back, sharing some of her business experiences. Lin Fan looked at her, pleased. In her previous life, Wang Juan had never had the chance to be so confident in front of her classmates.

After dinner, someone suggested going to a karaoke bar. Lin Fan noticed that Wang Juan looked a bit tired, so he said, "Let's not go, we have to get up early tomorrow."

"Okay, you guys go back first." The students didn't insist.

As they left the restaurant, Wang Juan linked arms with Lin Fan, saying, "I'm happy today."

"I can tell," Lin Fan said. "Your classmates are all quite envious of you."

"Actually, there's nothing to envy; it's all hard-earned money," Wang Juan said. "But being able to do something for myself does give me a real sense of accomplishment."

"Okay, take your time."

The Lantern Festival, the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, was celebrated by Lin Fan's family in their new house.

The house is renovated, and it looks simple and elegant. The living room has a false ceiling with LED strip lighting; the TV wall is covered in light gray wallpaper with a simple design; the bedroom has beige wallpaper, creating a warm atmosphere. The furniture is all solid wood, environmentally friendly, and odorless.

The mother looked it over inside and out, beaming with joy: "So beautiful, so bright!"

The father nodded, "It's good, better than the old house."

Lin Ping's family also arrived, and Niu Niu ran around the new house, exclaiming, "Grandpa and Grandma's house is so big!"

"Do you like it?" Lin Fan asked.

"I love it! I'll come here often!"

We had a simple lunch, and for dinner we cooked glutinous rice balls. The family sat around in the dining room of our new house, eating glutinous rice balls and watching the fireworks outside the window.

"This house is wonderful," the mother exclaimed. "I never imagined that I would be able to live in such a nice house in my old age."

"Mom, the best days are yet to come," Lin Fan said.

"Yes, I believe you." The mother wiped her eyes. "My son is promising."

After dinner, Lin Fan took his parents back to Anjuyuan – the official move would take two more days, and they could move their belongings slowly.

After leaving his parents' house, Lin Fan drove back to Riverside Garden. On the way, Wang Juan asked, "Lin Fan, when are we getting married?"

Lin Fan was taken aback: "What's wrong? Are you in a hurry?"

"I'm not in a rush, I'm just asking," Wang Juan said. "You'll be old enough in June."

"Let's get our marriage certificate in June and have the wedding banquet on National Day," Lin Fan said. "How about it?"

"Okay." Wang Juan leaned on his shoulder. "Lin Fan, I feel really good now. I have a family, a career, and hope."

"Yes, things will get better."

The car drove into the residential area and parked. The two went upstairs.

The new year has truly begun.

Lin Fan knew that 2005 was a good year.

He needs to keep working hard and take steady steps.

For this family, for this good life.

Outside the window, fireworks for the Lantern Festival are still blooming.

Inside, the lights were bright and warm.

this is life.

This is everything he wants to protect.