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

At the end of May, the Finance Bureau held a small internal meeting.

It wasn't a formal meeting, just a small gathering of several bureau chiefs and deputy bureau chiefs in Director Yan's office. Director Yan had just returned from the city, looking rather grim. He said the mayor had some complaints about the fiscal expenditures for the first half of the year, especially regarding several projects that had significantly exceeded their budgets.

"Even key projects must be carried out according to the budget," Director Yan said. "The mayor said that we need to cut spending in the second half of the year, starting with our bureau. We will cut spending on official receptions, official vehicles, and official travel by 20% and project funding by 10%."

The people in the room gasped.

Zhou Wenyuan spoke up: "Director Yan, isn't this too drastic? The spending on official receptions, official vehicles, and official travel is manageable, but cutting project funding by 10% might force some projects to be halted."

"Stop if you want, we can't live beyond our means," Director Yan said. "This is the mayor's decision, we just need to follow it."

The meeting was tense. After it ended, He Yan followed Zhou Wenyuan out and whispered, "Director Zhou, what should we do? The projects under my supervision have all been reported to the Party Secretary. It would be difficult to explain if we cut them."

Zhou Wenyuan thought for a moment: "Let's make a plan according to Director Yan's idea first, and then discuss the specifics when it comes to implementation. Some projects can be postponed, and some cannot. We just need to keep that in mind."

"That's all we can do."

Lin Fan waited at the door, and followed Zhou Wenyuan when he came out. Back in the office, Zhou Wenyuan sat down and rubbed his temples.

"Kobayashi, pour me a cup of tea."

Lin Fan brewed some tea and brought it over: "Brother Zhou, did the meeting not go well?"

"Yes, the mayor is under a lot of pressure to cut the budget." Zhou Wenyuan took a sip of tea. "But it's also good. It's a good thing to take this opportunity to cut some unnecessary spending."

"Director Yan doesn't seem very happy."

"How could he be happy? Cutting the budget offends people," Zhou Wenyuan said. "But it's the mayor's decision, and he has to comply."

Just then, the phone rang. Zhou Wenyuan answered, "Hello? Secretary Li? Hello, hello."

Lin Fan tactfully withdrew and closed the door. He couldn't hear what was being said, but he could sense Zhou Wenyuan's respectful tone.

Ten minutes later, Zhou Wenyuan opened the door: "Xiao Lin, come in."

"Brother Zhou."

"Come with me to the Municipal Party Committee this afternoon; Secretary Li wants to see you," Zhou Wenyuan said. "Bring the Land Cruiser, not the Audi."

"OK."

At 2 PM, the two arrived at the Municipal Party Committee. Lin Fan parked the car, and Zhou Wenyuan went upstairs. Lin Fan waited in the car, taking out his review materials to study. After a while, feeling a bit sleepy, he got out of the car and walked around.

The municipal party committee compound was even more impressive than the municipal government compound, with better landscaping and newer buildings. Several drivers were chatting under the shade of a tree when they saw Lin Fan and waved.

"Master Lin, are you waiting for Director Zhou?"

"Um, what about you guys?"

"We're waiting for our Party Secretary; he's in a meeting," a driver said. "I heard your bureau is going to cut the budget?"

Lin Fan laughed: "You guys are really well-informed."

"How could we not be informed about something this big?" another driver said. "I heard the mayor was furious, saying some organizations were spending money too recklessly."

"It's time to do something about this," Lin Fan said. "The money needs to be spent wisely."

"That's what they say, but if we actually cut it, there will definitely be objections from below."

After chatting for a while, Lin Fan returned to his car. Almost two hours later, Zhou Wenyuan finally got out. He looked much better than when he arrived.

"Brother Zhou, how's it going?"

"It's alright." Zhou Wenyuan got into the car. "Secretary Li asked about the budget, and I gave a report. He said he understood, but some projects can't be stopped, and he told me to handle it as I see fit."

That means there's room for maneuver.

"Yes, Secretary Li pointed out a few projects that must be guaranteed," Zhou Wenyuan said. "That makes things easier. We'll protect what needs to be protected and cut what needs to be cut."

As the car drove out of the municipal party committee compound, Zhou Wenyuan suddenly asked, "Xiao Lin, how's the Moutai stock doing?"

Lin Fan was taken aback: "That's a good increase. It's risen another 20% recently."

"Hmm." Zhou Wenyuan thought for a moment, "The mayor asked me about stocks last time, and I suggested he buy Moutai, which he did. He should have made quite a bit of money by now."

"Even the mayor buys stocks?"

"I bought it privately, not much, just a few hundred thousand," Zhou Wenyuan said. "But word has spread, and now many people are contacting me to ask about the stocks."

Lin Fan understood. News of Brother Zhou making money in the stock market had spread among the leadership. This was both a good thing and a problem.

"Brother Zhou, what are you going to do?"

"What can we do? Give me some advice," Zhou Wenyuan said. "But we have to be careful. If we make money, people will thank us; if we lose money, we'll offend them."

"Too."

Back at the bureau, it was almost time to leave work. Zhou Wenyuan said, "I'm free tonight, you can go home first. Oh, by the way, I'm going to the city to give a report tomorrow morning, so get ready."

"Okay, Brother Zhou."

Lin Fan drove home, thinking about stocks. His and Zhou Wenyuan's Tencent shares had almost doubled. Moutai had also risen considerably. The money was easy to make, but certainly eye-catching.

When Lin Fan got home, Wang Juan wasn't back yet. He cooked himself a bowl of noodles. Just as he finished eating, Wang Juan returned.

Why are you so late today?

"The new store is under renovation; I need to keep an eye on it." Wang Juan put down her bag. "Have you eaten?"

"I've eaten. I left some noodles for you; they're in the pot."

"I'm not eating, I'm not hungry." Wang Juan sat down. "Lin Fan, I heard something today."

"What is it?"

"The news that your Director Zhou made a fortune in the stock market has spread," Wang Juan said. "I had dinner with some clients today, and they all heard about it, saying that Director Zhou is a stock market genius."

Lin Fan frowned: "The news spread so fast?"

"Yes, everyone says Director Zhou has a keen eye; whatever he buys goes up in price," Wang Juan said. "Some people even asked me to find out what Director Zhou will buy next."

"Ignore them," Lin Fan said. "The more you say, the more mistakes you make."

"I know, I declined them all," Wang Juan said. "But Lin Fan, is this a good thing or a bad thing for Director Zhou?"

"It's hard to say," Lin Fan shook his head. "It's always a sensitive issue for leaders to invest in stocks. They're even more sensitive when they make money. But on the other hand, it also shows that Brother Zhou is capable and understands economics. The mayor values ​​him highly now, and that's also related to this."

"Then you'd better be careful."

"Yes, I know."

The next morning, Zhou Wenyuan went to the city to report. While Lin Fan was waiting in the car, he ran into Zhang Wei again.

"Brother Fan, Director Zhou is here again?"

"Yes, reporting on work."

"Director Zhou is a big shot in the city now," Zhang Wei said in a low voice. "Our Mayor Liu said yesterday that Zhou Wenyuan understands economics and has a good eye for things."

"Mayor, you flatter me."

"It's not an overstatement, it's real skill," Zhang Wei said. "I heard that Director Zhou made a lot of money in the stock market, and the mayor also made money. Now many city leaders are seeking advice from Director Zhou."

Lin Fan smiled but didn't say anything. These things are better left unsaid; explaining them only makes things worse.

Zhou Wenyuan came out at noon, looking quite well. After getting into the car, he said, "The mayor basically approved of our adjustment plan, but raised a few points for revision. I'll go back to the bureau this afternoon to revise it."

"Okay, Brother Zhou."

"Oh, by the way, the mayor asked about stocks again," Zhou Wenyuan said. "I advised him to continue holding Moutai and hold it long-term. He said he would listen to me."

"The mayor truly trusts you."

"Trust is one thing, making money is another," Zhou Wenyuan said. "The mayor trusts me because he makes money. But this also puts pressure on me; if I lose money, it will be hard to explain."

"Moutai should be fine; it has good performance and a strong brand."

"Yes, that's what I think too," Zhou Wenyuan said. "But Xiao Lin, I mentioned Hong Kong stocks to the mayor, but he's not interested for now. He said he's not familiar with Hong Kong and would prefer to focus on A-shares first."

"That's normal; many people have concerns about Hong Kong stocks."

"Yes, so we should just hold onto our own shares and not try to persuade others," Zhou Wenyuan said. "By the way, Director Sun contacted me yesterday and asked about stocks. I talked to him about it, and he bought some Moutai."

"Did Director Sun buy some too?"

"Yes, not only Director Sun, but Director He also bought some," Zhou Wenyuan said. "Director Liu from the county finance bureau came to the city for a meeting last week and chatted with me for a long time before buying some as soon as he got back."

Lin Fan did the math; this was already a whole circle of people. The mayor, the party secretary, and several bureau chiefs were all buying stocks with Brother Zhou. His influence was indeed considerable.

Back at the bureau in the afternoon, Zhou Wenyuan was busy revising the plan. Lin Fan was reading in his office when the phone rang. It was his brother-in-law, Sun Lin.

"Xiao Fan, is Director Zhou here?"

"Yes, I'm in a meeting. Brother-in-law, is there something you need?"

"It's nothing much, Director Sun just asked me to ask if Director Zhou is free tonight, as he'd like to invite him to dinner."

"Let me ask Brother Zhou, I'll get back to you in a bit."

After hanging up the phone, Lin Fan waited for Zhou Wenyuan to finish his meeting before going in to report. Zhou Wenyuan listened and said, "Tonight won't work; I have plans. Tell Sun Lin to do it another day."

"OK."

Lin Fan called Sun Lin back. Sun Lin said, "Okay, then let's do it another day. By the way, Xiao Fan, is Director Zhou really that good at stocks? Director Sun bought Moutai and made a lot of money, he's been praising Director Zhou every day."

"Brother Zhou does know a bit, but it was also luck," Lin Fan said. "Brother-in-law, please don't tell anyone about this."

"I know, I was just asking."

After hanging up the phone, Lin Fan shook his head. The story was getting more and more fantastical.

Over the next few days, Zhou Wenyuan's office was bustling with people. Not only from within the bureau, but also from other units. Director Wang from the Construction Bureau, Director Li from the Tax Bureau, and Director Zhang from the Industry and Commerce Bureau all came. Ostensibly to discuss work, the conversations inevitably drifted to stocks.

Zhou Wenyuan was very cautious, offering conservative advice: Moutai could be held long-term, while other stocks depended on the situation. But even that was enough to make these leaders happy.

On Friday afternoon, Zhou Wenyuan was going to attend a financial symposium organized by the city government, which was attended by leaders in charge from various bureaus. Lin Fan drove him there.

The meeting was held at the Municipal Party School, a nice venue. Lin Fan parked the car, and Zhou Wenyuan went inside for the meeting. He waited outside and saw many familiar drivers.

Zhang Wei was also there, and waved him over.

"Brother Fan, it's going to be lively today. All the bigwigs from various bureaus in the city have come."

"What God of Wealth?"

"The finance manager is practically a god of wealth," Zhang Wei laughed. "But today, I think half of it is a meeting and the other half is an exchange of stock trading experiences."

"Is it really that bad?"

"Why wouldn't it be that bad?" Zhang Wei lowered his voice. "Our mayor is praising Director Zhou to everyone he meets, saying he understands economics and has foresight. Aren't all the other bureau chiefs rushing to curry favor with him?"

Lin Fan remained silent. Zhang Wei was right; Zhou Ge's status among the leaders was indeed different now.

After waiting for more than two hours, the meeting ended. The leaders came out one after another, chatting in twos and threes. Zhou Wenyuan was surrounded by several people, talking and laughing.

Lin Fan drove the car over, and Zhou Wenyuan got in.

"Brother Zhou, shall we head back to the station?"

"I'm not going back, I'm going straight home," Zhou Wenyuan said. "I'm tired, I need to rest."

On the way, Zhou Wenyuan said, "The mayor also came to today's meeting. He specifically mentioned me, saying that I gave a lot of good suggestions for the city's financial work."

"The mayor really values ​​you."

"I value it, but it's also a pressure," Zhou Wenyuan said. "Now so many leaders are buying stocks with me. If something goes wrong, I'll become a sinner."

"Probably not, Moutai has good fundamentals."

"I hope so," Zhou Wenyuan sighed. "But Xiao Lin, this has its advantages too. Now I have more influence in the city than before. Some things I used to have to ask for help with, now people offer to help me on their own."

"That's because you're capable, Brother Zhou."

"Ability is one thing, but personal connections are another," Zhou Wenyuan said. "These leaders have made money and owe me favors. It will make things easier for them in the future."

Lin Fan nodded. This is the Chinese way of interpersonal relationships: owing each other favors and helping each other out.

After dropping Zhou Wenyuan off at home, Lin Fan drove himself home. On the way, he reflected on the changes of the past few months. Brother Zhou's prestige had indeed risen significantly, and even he, as his driver, had benefited. Now, when he went to various government offices for business, mentioning that he was Zhou Wenyuan's driver made them treat him with extra respect.

This is the side effect of power.

When Lin Fan arrived home, Wang Juan had already prepared dinner. During dinner, Lin Fan recounted his experiences of the day.

Upon hearing this, Wang Juan said, "Director Zhou is quite a prominent figure in the city now."

"Yeah, being a celebrity has its troubles too," Lin Fan said. "But overall it's a good thing. Zhou Ge's position is secure, and so is my job."

"So, what did Director Zhou say about your taking the civil service exam?"

"Brother Zhou said he'd arrange a good job for me once I pass the exam," Lin Fan said. "But I can't rely entirely on Brother Zhou; I have to prove myself."

"You can definitely do it." Wang Juan put some food on his plate. "Eat more, it'll help your brain."

After finishing his meal, Lin Fan continued studying. Wang Juan sat beside him, knitting a sweater. It was a new style she had learned; she said she wanted to knit a little garment for her future child.

Seeing Wang Juan's earnest expression, Lin Fan felt a warmth in his heart. This was the life he wanted: simple, grounded, and full of hope.

Lin Fan spent the weekend studying at home. Early Monday morning, upon arriving at work, he heard news that the city was reshuffling its cadres, and Zhou Wenyuan might be promoted.

The message came from Xiao Liu, and it was very secretive.

"Brother Fan, have you heard? Director Zhou is going to be promoted to executive deputy director."

"Really?"

"It's just a rumor, but it's reliable," Xiao Liu said. "Director Yan might be transferred, and Director Zhou will take over as executive director, and then in two years he'll become director."

Lin Fan's heart skipped a beat. If that were true, then Brother Zhou's future would be even brighter.

When Zhou Wenyuan came to work in the morning, Lin Fan observed his expression; nothing seemed amiss. He approved documents and attended meetings as required.

During lunch, Lin Fan tentatively asked, "Brother Zhou, I heard the city is going to reshuffle its cadres?"

Zhou Wenyuan glanced at him: "Who told you that?"

"I just heard people talking about it."

"Don't listen to those baseless rumors," Zhou Wenyuan said. "Focus on your work and don't overthink it."

But Lin Fan could sense that since Brother Zhou hadn't denied it, it was possible.

In the afternoon, He Yan came to see Zhou Wenyuan and they talked behind closed doors for a long time. When they came out, both of them looked serious. When Lin Fan brought in the documents, Zhou Wenyuan said, "Xiao Lin, get ready. You're coming to the provincial capital with me tonight."

"So urgent?"

"Yes, something came up unexpectedly."

Lin Fan didn't ask any further questions and went to prepare the car. At six o'clock in the evening, the two set off for the provincial capital. On the way, Zhou Wenyuan remained silent. Lin Fan also didn't speak, focusing on driving.

It was already past 8 p.m. when they arrived in the provincial capital. Zhou Wenyuan asked Lin Fan to drive to a residential area, and he went upstairs while Lin Fan waited in the car.

After waiting for almost an hour, Zhou Wenyuan finally got off the bus. Once in the car, he said, "Find a place to stay, we'll go back tomorrow."

"OK."

Lin Fan found a hotel and booked two rooms. After settling in, Zhou Wenyuan said, "Xiao Lin, have some tea with me."

The two sat down in the room, and Lin Fan made tea.

Zhou Wenyuan took a sip and said, "Today I met with a senior leader from the provincial department. Director Yan is indeed being transferred to the provincial department. The city is considering me for the position of executive deputy director."

Lin Fan's heart tightened: "That...is a good thing."

"It's a good thing, but the competition is fierce," Zhou Wenyuan said. "He Yan also wants to compete, as do other deputy directors from other bureaus. So you have to network around."

"Brother Zhou, you can definitely do it."

"I hope so," Zhou Wenyuan said. "But this can't be rushed; we have to take it slowly. Don't talk nonsense when you get back; just pretend you don't know anything."

"I see."

The two chatted for a while longer before resting. Lying in bed, Lin Fan couldn't sleep. If Brother Zhou really was promoted to executive deputy director, then his position in the bureau would be secure. As Brother Zhou's driver, he too would rise in rank.

But Lin Fan knew that it was precisely at times like these that he needed to be most cautious. He couldn't be arrogant or ostentatious. He had to proceed steadily, step by step.

On the way back to Gangcheng the next day, Zhou Wenyuan was in a noticeably better mood. He chatted with Lin Fan about stocks.

"Xiaolin, how much has Tencent's stock gone up?"

"It's almost tripled."

"Hmm, not bad," Zhou Wenyuan said. "What about Moutai?"

"It's almost doubled."

"The mayor called me yesterday and said he made over 200,000 yuan from Moutai and was very happy," Zhou Wenyuan laughed. "He invited me to dinner, but I declined. At this time, I can't be too high-profile."

"Brother Zhou has considered everything very carefully."

"Yes, you should be low-key when you need to be," Zhou Wenyuan said. "But Xiaolin, remember this: in government offices, ability is important, connections are important, but the most important thing is stability. Don't make mistakes, don't cause trouble, just wait it out, and you'll eventually make it through."

"I've got it."

Upon arriving in Gangcheng, Zhou Wenyuan went straight back to his workplace. That afternoon, he threw himself back into work, as if nothing had happened.

But Lin Fan could sense that the atmosphere in the bureau had changed. He Yan was more polite to Zhou Wenyuan, and the other deputy directors were interacting more with him. Even Director Yan's tone when speaking to Zhou Wenyuan was gentler.

This is the subtle shift in power.

Lin Fan continued his life: going to work, driving, studying, and spending time with Wang Juan. The days passed peacefully and fulfillingly.

He knew that 2005 was a good year.

The stock market is rising, housing prices are rising, and Brother Zhou's future is rising.