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

By mid-October, autumn was already quite evident in the steel city. The poplar leaves lining the streets were beginning to turn yellow, rustling softly in the wind.

On his first day back at work after returning from Yunnan, Lin Fan sensed a subtle change in the atmosphere within the bureau.

He picked up Zhou Wenyuan in his car in the morning. After Zhou Wenyuan got in, he said, "Xiao Lin, have you rested well?"

"I've had a good rest, thank you, Brother Zhou."

"Hmm, you look good." Zhou Wenyuan flipped through the documents. "I have something to tell you. The person chosen for the executive deputy director has been selected."

Lin Fan glanced at the rearview mirror: "Which leader?"

"Cong Jie, the former deputy director," Zhou Wenyuan said. "I nominated him, and the city approved it in a meeting. He's a reliable person, and he works well with me."

"I know Deputy Director Cong; he's reliable and steady," Lin Fan said. Cong Jie is forty-eight years old and has worked in the Finance Bureau for over a decade, rising from section chief to deputy director. He's not a talkative person, but he's dependable.

"His position as executive director will help me with a lot of the workload," Zhou Wenyuan said. "Xiao Lin, you'll be interacting with him more often in the future. Seek instructions when necessary, report as required, and follow the rules."

"clear."

When the car arrived at the bureau, Zhou Wenyuan went upstairs. Lin Fan parked the car and went to his office. He ran into several colleagues on the way, and their greetings were noticeably more polite.

Good morning, Captain Lin.

"Team Leader Lin is back? How was your trip to Yunnan?"

"It's alright, the scenery is nice," Lin Fan replied one by one.

As soon as I entered the office, before I could even sit down, Da Liu arrived.

"Team Leader Lin, you're finally back," said Da Liu. "There's been a lot going on these past few days."

"What is it? Tell me slowly."

Da Liu pulled up a chair and sat down: "Regarding the audit rectification, all the departments have submitted their plans, and they're waiting for your review. As for the motorcade, Lao Zhao's car has completely broken down; it was stranded on the road yesterday. Also, Section Chief Jiang from the Logistics Department said you should go see him when you have time."

Lin Fan rubbed his temples: "Let's take it one step at a time. Leave the audit rectification plan here for now, I'll look at it later. What about Lao Zhao's car?"

"I towed it to a repair shop, but the mechanic said it couldn't be fixed and the engine had to be replaced," said Da Liu. "Replacing the engine will cost more than 20,000 yuan, and I have to go through procedures to apply for a budget."

"Let's go through the procedures, and replace it if necessary," Lin Fan said. "While there's no car available, let's arrange another one for Lao Zhao."

"Okay, I'll talk to him." Da Liu nodded. "What about Section Chief Jiang...?"

"I'll go right away."

Jiang Dayong's office was next door. Lin Fan knocked and went in. Jiang Dayong was looking at documents. Seeing him, he waved and said, "Xiao Lin, you're back? Have a seat."

"Section Chief Jiang, you wanted to see me?"

"Well, something's come up." Jiang Dayong took off his glasses. "You're a deputy section chief now, and you're in charge of the vehicle fleet. There are some things I need to discuss with you."

"Please speak."

"The logistics department manages the fleet, canteen, property management, and procurement; it's a lot of work," Jiang Dayong said. "You're young and energetic now, so learn more. I'm getting old; I'll retire in two years, and then someone will have to take over this mess."

Lin Fan understood that Jiang Dayong was paving the way for him: "Thank you, Section Chief Jiang. I will definitely learn more."

"Learning is one aspect, practice is another," Jiang Dayong said. "Starting next week, you'll take a look at the cafeteria's procurement approval process, and you'll also help handle any issues with the property management. Gradually, you'll become more familiar with the process."

"OK."

"By the way, how's the audit rectification going?" Jiang Dayong asked.

"The proposals from all departments have been submitted, and I will begin reviewing them today."

"This needs to be addressed quickly," Jiang Dayong said. "Director Zhou just took office, and the audit department is keeping a close eye on things. If the rectification is successful, it will be an achievement; if not, it will be a problem."

"I see."

After leaving Jiang Dayong's office, Lin Fan returned to his seat and began reviewing the audit rectification plan. It was a thick stack, dozens of pages long. He made himself a cup of tea and focused intently on reading.

The plan is fairly detailed, listing all the problems and outlining corrective measures. However, some measures are too general, such as "strengthening review" and "optimizing processes," without specifying how to strengthen or optimize them.

Lin Fan picked up a pen and marked the parts he found problematic. He'd only read half of it by noon.

While eating in the cafeteria, I ran into Xiao Liu from the budget department. Xiao Liu sat down with his tray and asked, "Team Leader Lin, have you read the audit rectification plan?"

"I'm looking at it now," Lin Fan said. "Some parts of your budget department's section need further refinement."

"Tell us where you need to change it, and we'll change it right away."

I'll mark it out this afternoon and send it to you.

"Okay, thank you, Captain Lin." Xiao Liu took a bite of his food. "By the way, Captain Lin, you know that Deputy Director Cong has become the executive director?"

"I've heard about it."

"Deputy Director Cong is a good person, but he's very demanding," Xiao Liu said. "In the future, we'll need to be more meticulous in our budget estimates."

"Being demanding is a good thing," Lin Fan said. "Financial work requires rigor."

After finishing his meal, he returned to his office to continue reviewing the plans. By 3 PM, he had finished. He compiled a list of the sections requiring revision and distributed it to the respective departments.

After returning from dropping off the animals, I had just sat down when Zhou Wenyuan called: "Xiao Lin, Deputy Director Cong is treating us to dinner tonight. You should come too. Six o'clock, 'Juxianlou'."

"Okay, Brother Zhou."

At six o'clock, Lin Fan drove to Juxianlou. Zhou Wenyuan and Cong Jie were already there, along with Li Jing, the head of the Budget Section, and Zhao Ming (formerly Director Zhou's secretary), the head of the Treasury Section. They were all key figures in the bureau.

"Xiao Lin is here, please have a seat," Zhou Wenyuan said.

"Director Zhou, Director Cong, Section Chief Li, Section Chief Zhao," Lin Fan greeted them one by one.

Cong Jie was around fifty years old, with slightly graying hair, wore glasses, and looked quite refined. He nodded to Lin Fan: "Xiao Lin, please sit down. I heard from Director Zhou that you're now in charge of audit rectification?"

"Yes, Director Cong, it's being pushed forward."

"Yes, this is important, do a good job," Cong Jie said. "The worst thing in financial work is a lack of rigor. If the audit finds problems, we will rectify them. If we rectify them well, it will also improve our own work."

"Director Cong is right," Lin Fan said.

The food arrived, and everyone ate and chatted. Zhou Wenyuan and Cong Jie did most of the talking, while Li Jing and Zhao Ming occasionally chimed in, and Lin Fan mostly listened.

Cong Jie said, "Director Zhou, my role as executive officer is mainly to assist you in your work. I will handle more of the bureau's daily affairs, while you focus on the overall direction."

"Old Cong, I trust you to handle things," Zhou Wenyuan said. "You know this place in the bureau better than I do. You can manage what you're supposed to manage and make the decisions that need to be made. You don't need to ask me about everything."

"I still need to consult with the authorities when necessary," Cong Jie said. "But don't worry, I will definitely do my job well."

Lin Fan listened and could sense that the two had a good relationship. Zhou Wenyuan delegated authority, and Cong Jie was sensible; with such a partnership, work would proceed smoothly.

After finishing their meal, Cong Jie left first. Zhou Wenyuan said to Lin Fan, "Lin, you take Section Chief Li and Section Chief Zhao home."

"Okay, Brother Zhou."

First, they dropped off Li Jing, then Zhao Ming. As Zhao Ming got out of the car, he said, "Team Leader Lin, our Treasury Department will fully cooperate with the audit rectification. If you need anything, just let us know."

"Thank you, Brother Zhao."

After dropping everyone off, Lin Fan went home by himself. Wang Juan was already back and was doing the accounts.

"You're back? Have you eaten?"

"I've eaten, then I'll join Director Zhou and the others." Lin Fan sat down. "What about you?"

"I ate at the store," Wang Juan said. "Today is the first day the store officially opened, and we sold over eight thousand yuan worth of goods."

"Not bad, that's enough for the first day."

"It's mainly our regular customers who are patronizing us," Wang Juan said. "But there's definitely a lot of foot traffic on Zhongshan Road, with many people shopping there."

"Take it slow. Once you build a good reputation, business will improve."

"Hmm." Wang Juan closed the ledger. "Lin Fan, my brother-in-law called me today."

"Brother-in-law? What's wrong?"

"Nothing much, just asking how our trip to Yunnan was going," Wang Juan said. "He said their statistics bureau is also busy lately with all sorts of reports at the end of the year."

"The National Bureau of Statistics is very busy at the end of the year," Lin Fan said.

My brother-in-law said that Director Sun treats him very well, and he's happy with his work.

"That's good," Lin Fan said. "How about my sister?"

"My sister said she's adapting well to her new job, but it's busy. There's a lot to do in the district government office, and since she's new, she has to learn and do a lot."

"Being busy is good; it's fulfilling."

The two chatted for a while, then washed up and went to bed. Lying in bed, Wang Juan said, "Lin Fan, when are we going to have a baby?"

"Isn't the advice to let things take their natural course?"

"I'll let nature take its course, but I also want to have a plan," Wang Juan said. "I've calculated that if we want to have the baby now, next fall will be perfect. By then, the store will be more stable, and your work will be going smoothly."

"You're thinking really far ahead," Lin Fan laughed. "Okay, I'll listen to you."

"Shall we give it a try?"

"Give it a try."

In late October, the audit rectification entered a critical stage. Lin Fan was extremely busy every day, reviewing documents, attending meetings, and coordinating with various departments. Zhou Wenyuan's entrustment of this matter entirely to him was both a sign of trust and a test.

That afternoon, Lin Fan was reviewing the rectification report in his office when Cong Jie walked in.

"Kobayashi, are you busy?"

"Director Cong, please have a seat." Lin Fan stood up.

"Don't be shy, have a seat." Cong Jie sat down. "I've read part of the rectification report; it's well-written. The problems are accurately identified, and the measures are effective."

"Thank you for your recognition, Director Cong. There are still many areas that need improvement."

"No need to be modest, it's really good," Cong Jie said. "But Xiao Lin, I looked at the vehicle management section. Old Zhao's car needs an engine replacement, which costs over 20,000 yuan. What channel should we use to pay this?"

"We'll use the maintenance budget," Lin Fan said. "I've already spoken with the finance department, and they said it's possible."

"Yes, the procedures need to be standardized," Cong Jie said. "Also, I have a suggestion. Our bureau has more than 20 vehicles, some of which are quite old and have high maintenance costs. Why not make a plan to replace them in batches and transfer some of the older vehicles to the subordinate bureaus? This way, we can ensure the availability of vehicles while controlling costs."

"That's a good suggestion," Lin Fan said. "I'll draft a plan and submit it to you and Director Zhou."

"Okay, draft a plan." Cong Jie stood up. "By the way, Director Zhou asked me to tell you that people from the provincial department are coming to inspect tomorrow, so please prepare your report materials."

"Okay, I'll get ready right away."

After Cong Jie left, Lin Fan began preparing the report. Audit rectification was the focus; he needed to clearly describe the problems, measures, progress, and results. He stayed up until after 8 p.m. to finish the first draft.

When Lin Fan got home, Wang Juan was already asleep. There was food left on the table, covered with a plate. Lin Fan heated it up and ate it. After washing up, he quietly got into bed, careful not to wake Wang Juan.

The next day, the provincial inspection team arrived. Zhou Wenyuan and Cong Jie accompanied them, while Lin Fan gave a briefing. There were over a dozen people in the conference room, from the provincial department and the municipal bureau.

When it was Lin Fan's turn to report, he was a little nervous, but he quickly regained his composure. His presentation was clear and logical, his data was accurate, and his answers to questions were appropriate.

The provincial department's team was led by a deputy director. After listening to the report, he said, "The audit rectification work of the Gangcheng Finance Bureau was thorough. The problems were accurately identified, and the measures were practical. In particular, this Comrade Lin is young, but he is skilled in his work and has a clear mind."

Zhou Wenyuan said, "Xiao Lin is a young cadre that our bureau is focusing on cultivating, and he is indeed very good."

After the meeting, Zhou Wenyuan said to Lin Fan, "You did very well today and didn't embarrass me."

"Thank you, Brother Zhou."

"Keep up the good work," Zhou Wenyuan said. "By the way, how's Wang Juan's store going?"

"Not bad, we sold over eight thousand on the first day."

"Not bad, you're smart," Zhou Wenyuan said. "You two are a good match, one of you working steadily within the system, and the other making a name for yourself in the business world."

"It's all thanks to Brother Zhou's guidance."

"It's because you're capable." Zhou Wenyuan patted him on the shoulder. "Go on, get back to what you're doing."

In early November, the weather grew cooler. Lin Fan completed the vehicle replacement plan and submitted it to Zhou Wenyuan and Cong Jie. Zhou Wenyuan reviewed it, said it was feasible, and instructed Lin Fan to implement it.

The first step was to upgrade Lao Zhao's car. Lin Fan contacted several 4S stores, compared prices, and finally ordered a new Passat for 180,000 yuan. The process followed government procurement procedures, ensuring openness and transparency.

When the car arrived, Old Zhao was overjoyed: "Team Leader Lin, thank you so much. Driving a new car gives me so much more energy for work."

"Master Zhao, the car is now in your possession. Drive carefully and be safe."

"Definitely, definitely."

Wang Juan's specialty store business has stabilized, with daily sales reaching four to five thousand yuan and weekend sales exceeding ten thousand yuan. She then looked at a shop in another district, preparing to open a second specialty store.

Over the weekend, the two families gathered at their parents' house. Lin Ping and Sun Lin brought Niu Niu, and the whole family had a lively gathering.

At the dinner table, the mother asked, "Juan'er, is the shop busy?"

"Busy, but happy busy," Wang Juan said. "Mom, I've found another shop I like and I'm planning to open my second store."

"With so many shops, can you manage them all?" the mother worried.

"We can manage, we've hired people," Wang Juan said. "I'll handle the purchasing and accounting, the actual sales are handled by the shop assistants."

"That's good, don't overwork yourself," the mother said. "Xiao Fan too, don't push yourself too hard at work."

"Mom, we know what we're doing," Lin Fan said.

Sun Lin said, "Xiao Fan is now in charge of the fleet and also responsible for audit rectification, so he's really busy. Our statistics bureau is also busy at the end of the year, with all kinds of reports, and we're working overtime every day."

"Everyone's busy, everyone's busy," Father said. "Being busy is good, it means you have things to do. But you must take care of your health, health is the foundation of everything."

"Okay, Dad."

After dinner, the men chatted in the living room while the women cleaned up in the kitchen.

Sun Lin said to Lin Fan, "Xiao Fan, I've met Deputy Director Cong from your bureau once. He's quite amiable."

"It's good; you're working well with Director Zhou," Lin Fan said. "Brother-in-law, how's your bureau's budget this year?"

"It's alright, just routine work," Sun Lin said. "But Director Sun said that there might be a big project next year, and we'll have to deal with your bureau again then."

"I need someone to speak on my behalf."

"No need, just follow the procedures," Sun Lin said. "Everything is regulated now, so just do it the way it should be done."

Lin Fan nodded. Indeed, things are becoming more and more standardized, and there's less room for connections to get things done. That's a good thing.

After chatting for a while, the women finished tidying up. Niu Niu pestered Wang Juan to play, and Wang Juan was very patient, helping her build with blocks.

Lin Ping said, "Juan'er really loves children. She'll definitely be a good mother when she has one of her own."

Wang Juan blushed: "Sister, what are you saying?"

"To be honest," Lin Ping laughed, "you two need to hurry up, your parents are waiting to hold their grandson."

The mother also said, "Yes, while we can still move around, we'll help you take care of them."

Lin Fan and Wang Juan exchanged a smile. Having a child was now on their agenda.

On her way home that evening, Wang Juan said, "Lin Fan, my sister and Mom are both urging us to get back to work."

"Let them rush us, we'll proceed according to plan," Lin Fan said.

By late November, the audit rectification work was basically completed. The provincial department issued a notice commending the Steel City Finance Bureau for its thorough rectification work. Zhou Wenyuan specifically mentioned Lin Fan at the bureau meeting, praising his conscientious and responsible work and significant achievements.

After the meeting, Cong Jie said to Lin Fan, "Xiao Lin, you've done a great job in this audit rectification. Director Zhou is very satisfied, and so am I. Keep up the good work, you have a bright future ahead of you."

"Thank you, Director Cong. I will continue to work hard."

The recognition he received at work fueled Lin Fan's motivation. But he knew he couldn't be arrogant. In the workplace, taking things one step at a time and working steadily was the right path.

In early December, the first snow fell. The steel city was covered in a blanket of white, creating a unique and beautiful scene.

Lin Fan drove Zhou Wenyuan to a meeting at the municipal government. On the way, Zhou Wenyuan said, "Xiao Lin, it's almost the end of the year, with all sorts of summaries, assessments, and budgets to work on. Be prepared, this period will be even busier."

"I understand, Brother Zhou. I'm ready."

"Yes, I trust you to handle things." Zhou Wenyuan looked at the snow outside the window. "Another year has passed. Time flies."

"Yes, the Lunar New Year is almost here again."

"Happy Chinese New Year, may your family be reunited," Zhou Wenyuan said. "Xiao Lin, have a wonderful Chinese New Year with your spouse this year. Next year, you might be a family of three."

Lin Fan smiled: "Thank you for your kind words, Brother Zhou."

When the car arrived at the municipal government building, Zhou Wenyuan got out. Lin Fan waited in the car, watching the snowflakes flutter down.

A lot happened that year. He passed the civil service exam and became a deputy section chief; Wang Juan's business expanded and she opened a specialty store; Brother Zhou was promoted to bureau chief; his sister passed the civil service exam; and his brother-in-law had a stable job.

Everything is going in a good direction.

But he knew that wasn't enough. There was still a long road ahead. He needed to continue working hard and taking steady steps.

For this family, for this good life.