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

Monday, January 2010, 1.

The conference room on the seventh floor of the Gangcheng City Public Security Bureau was filled with smoke. Fifteen people were crammed into the space of just over thirty square meters—all members of the cross-review team for case quality. These criminal investigation experts, drawn from various branches and detachments, were sitting around a long conference table piled high with case files, stacked like small mountains.

Lin Fan sat by the window, holding a newly completed evaluation report. He was attending as the director of the Political and Legal Affairs Commission's office, but everyone knew he represented Secretary Zhou Wenyuan.

"This is a summary of the seventeen cases reviewed this week." Lao Yang, the head of the review team and deputy director of the Legal Affairs Department of the Municipal Bureau, cleared his throat. "Three problematic cases were found, two of which were procedural flaws, and one..." He paused, "...has significant doubts."

The meeting room fell silent, with only the hum of the air conditioner vents breaking the silence.

"Which case has the most serious doubts?" Lin Fan asked.

Old Yang pushed up his glasses and pulled out a file from the pile: "Wang Jianguo Theft Case in Gangdong District, 2008. The person involved, Wang Jianguo, male, 38 years old at the time, was criminally detained on suspicion of stealing a motorcycle and later sentenced to three years in prison for theft. He is currently serving his sentence in the Third Provincial Prison."

Lin Fan's heart skipped a beat—he had seen this name on the list Zhou Wenyuan had given him.

"What's suspicious?"

"The case file only contains confessions, not physical evidence." Old Yang flipped through the file. "The murder weapon was not found, the stolen goods were not recovered, and the crime scene investigation record is very brief. Most importantly, Wang Jianguo's guilty confession was made on the fourth day after he was criminally detained, and his statements for the first three days were all 'denied'."

"Has a forensic medical examination been conducted?"

"No," Old Yang shook his head. "Wang Jianguo mentioned feeling unwell during the interrogation, but the investigating unit did not arrange for a check-up. Later, when his family came to visit, they found that he had injuries on his face and could not lift his arm, but the detention center doctor at the time diagnosed it as 'soft tissue contusion' and did not keep a record."

Lin Fan took the file and flipped through it page by page. The paper was yellowed, the edges were curled, and some pages were stained with unknown marks. The handwriting in the transcript was messy, and in some places it was even difficult to read. Wang Jianguo's signature was crooked and was clearly different from his signature on the later court transcript.

Who was the original investigator?

"Liu Zhiqiang from the Criminal Investigation Brigade of the Gangdong Branch is now the deputy director of the branch." Old Yang lowered his voice. "There were also two assistants, one was transferred to the Economic Crime Investigation Department, and the other resigned last year."

Lin Fan closed the case file: "I'm going to follow this case to the end."

The next day, July 19th.

Lin Fan, accompanied by two members of the evaluation team, arrived at the Gangdong Public Security Bureau. The bureau's office building was an old six-story building with some peeling paint. Deputy Director Liu Zhiqiang's office was on the third floor, at the far east end.

When Lin Fan knocked and entered, Liu Zhiqiang was on the phone. Seeing Lin Fan, he paused for a moment, said into the receiver, "We'll talk later," and quickly hung up.

"Director Lin, what brings you here?" Liu Zhiqiang stood up. He was in his early forties, slightly overweight, with his hair neatly combed. He had a warm smile, but there was a hint of wariness in his eyes.

"Director Liu, I apologize for bothering you." Lin Fan shook hands with him. "I have a few questions to ask about the review of the Wang Jianguo theft case in 2008."

Liu Zhiqiang's smile froze for a moment, then quickly returned to normal: "That case? It's been several years. Director Lin, please have a seat."

The two sat down on the sofa. Lin Fan got straight to the point: "Director Liu, we've reviewed the case file. This case only has testimonies, no physical evidence. Why wasn't a forensic medical examination conducted at the time?"

"Injuries?" Liu Zhiqiang frowned, recalling the events. "It seems... Wang Jianguo did mention feeling unwell, but we checked him and there wasn't anything seriously wrong. It's probably just that the interrogation was long and he was tired."

"But his family said he had injuries on his body."

"He probably did it himself, or someone in his cell did it," Liu Zhiqiang said, spreading his hands. "Director Lin, as you know, there are all sorts of people in the detention center. We investigators are only responsible for interrogation; things inside the detention center are not our concern."

"The interrogation records show that Wang Jianguo denied everything for the first three days, only suddenly confessing on the fourth day." Lin Fan stared at Liu Zhiqiang. "What happened in between?"

Liu Zhiqiang's expression was somewhat unpleasant: "Director Lin, what do you mean by this? We are handling the case according to the law, and all procedures are in compliance. Wang Jianguo confessed because our policy of winning people over worked well, and his conscience finally came to him."

"Winning hearts and minds through policy?" Lin Fan repeated the phrase. "Director Liu, could you elaborate on how you do it?"

"It's just about explaining the law and policies, telling him that he can be lenient if he confesses." Liu Zhiqiang was getting impatient. "Director Lin, it's been two years. Isn't it a bit... making a mountain out of a molehill to dig this up now?"

"This isn't making a mountain out of a molehill." Lin Fan stood up. "Secretary Zhou said that the case quality review is about being realistic and correcting any mistakes. Director Liu, we need to re-examine this case, and we hope for your cooperation."

"Cooperate, of course I'll cooperate." Liu Zhiqiang also stood up, his smile returning to his face. "Director Lin, just say what you need. But I must warn you, this Wang Jianguo is no good person. He has a criminal record; he's done theft and fighting. Don't believe him."

As they left Liu Zhiqiang's office, Xiao Wang from the evaluation team whispered, "Director Lin, there's something wrong with this Director Liu."

"I see." Lin Fan nodded. "But we can't rely on gut feeling to solve cases; we need evidence. Let's go to the detention center."

The first detention center in Gangcheng City, interrogation room.

This is a small room of less than ten square meters, divided in the middle by iron bars. There is one chair inside and two chairs outside. The walls are grayish-white, with some peeling paint revealing the cement underneath. The air smells of disinfectant mixed with mildew.

When Wang Jianguo was brought in, Lin Fan barely recognized him. The photo in the file showed a strong, middle-aged man, but the man in front of him was hunched over, with gray hair and a vacant look, and looked to be over fifty years old.

"Wang Jianguo, this is Director Lin from the Municipal Political and Legal Affairs Commission. He wants to speak with you about the situation." After introducing him, the guard stepped outside.

Wang Jianguo raised his eyelids, glanced at Lin Fan, then lowered his head again without saying a word.

"Wang Jianguo, we're here to understand the case from 2008." Lin Fan tried to keep his tone calm. "You can say whatever you want to say."

Wang Jianguo remained silent, his fingers twisting together and trembling slightly.

"Don't be afraid. This is a case quality review organized by the Political and Legal Affairs Commission, to clarify the facts of each case." Lin Fan took out a case file from his bag. "In your case, we've found some suspicious points. For example, there's no physical evidence, only confessions; for example, you have injuries, but no forensic examination was done..."

Upon hearing the word "injury," Wang Jianguo's shoulders trembled violently.

"How did you get these injuries?" Lin Fan asked.

Wang Jianguo raised his head, his lips trembling, and after a long while, he managed to squeeze out a sentence: "They... took a taxi."

"Who hit him?"

"Captain Liu... there are two more people."

"How did you hit him?"

Wang Jianguo's eyes widened in fear, his voice barely audible as he gasped, "With batons...hitting his back, hitting his legs. Also...using books to cushion his chest, pounding him. And...electric shocks..."

Lin Fan's heart sank. He took out his notebook: "Tell me in detail, what day, what time, and where?"

"The fourth day... at night. In the interrogation room. They handcuffed me to a radiator pipe, and three men took turns beating me. When they got tired of beating me, they used an electric baton to shock me." Wang Jianguo's tears flowed down his face. "I couldn't take it anymore. I confessed to whatever they said. They said if I confessed, they would let me sleep; if I didn't, they would continue beating me."

Why didn't you mention these things back then?

"It's no use talking," Wang Jianguo said with a wry smile. "My family hired a lawyer, but when the lawyer went to the detention center to visit them, he was stopped. During the trial, I wanted to speak, but the judge wouldn't let me, saying it was irrelevant to the case. Later... later I just accepted my fate."

After Lin Fan finished taking notes, he asked again, "Did you actually steal the motorcycle?"

Wang Jianguo remained silent for a long time before finally shaking his head: "No. I was sleeping at home that night, and my wife can testify to that. But Captain Liu said that someone saw me, and when I denied it, he beat me. I... I just couldn't take it anymore."

"Can anyone verify what you're saying?"

"My cellmates probably heard it. That night, my screams could be heard throughout the entire hallway." Wang Jianguo paused, "And... Dr. Zhang from the infirmary examined me the next day; he knew I had injuries."

What is Dr. Zhang's full name?

"Zhang Baoguo".

It was already three in the afternoon when Lin Fan came out of the detention center. The winter sun was weak and offered little warmth. Standing at the entrance of the detention center, Lin Fan took a few deep breaths to suppress the pent-up frustration in his heart.

"Director Lin, what should we do now?" Xiao Wang asked.

"Let's split up," Lin Fan said. "You go check the list of people who shared a cell with me back then and see if you can find any witnesses. I'll go find Dr. Zhang Baoguo."

The medical clinic at Gangcheng No. 1 Detention Center is located on the first floor of the office building. It's a room of about 20 square meters, divided into two sections: an outer examination room and an inner pharmacy. Dr. Zhang Baoguo, in his fifties with gray hair, is organizing the medicine cabinet.

"Dr. Zhang, excuse me." Lin Fan knocked on the door.

Zhang Baoguo turned around and saw the detention center director behind Lin Fan, and was stunned for a moment.

"This is Director Lin from the Municipal Political and Legal Affairs Commission. He's here to get some information," the director explained.

"Hello, Director Lin." Zhang Baoguo said somewhat reservedly, "What is it?"

"I'd like to know if, in 2008, a detainee named Wang Jianguo had a physical examination here?"

Zhang Baoguo's expression changed, and he subconsciously looked at the director.

"Dr. Zhang, tell the truth," Lin Fan said. "This is a case investigation organized by the Political and Legal Affairs Commission. You must report the situation truthfully."

Zhang Baoguo hesitated for a moment before whispering, "Yes."

"What was his condition at the time?"

"I had multiple soft tissue contusions and subcutaneous bleeding. I couldn't lift my left arm, which was probably a shoulder joint injury," Zhang Baoguo recalled. "I suggested that I go to the hospital for a detailed examination, but... but the investigating unit said it wasn't necessary, so they just prescribed some anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving medication."

Did you take notes at the time?

"I made an outpatient record, but..." Zhang Baoguo hesitated, unable to finish his sentence.

"But what?"

"Later...later Director Liu came and said that the record was not appropriate and asked me to rewrite it. So I...changed it to 'no obvious external injuries'."

Lin Fan's heart sank to the bottom: "Are the original records still there?"

"It should...it should be in the archives. But I don't know if they destroyed it or not."

"Take me to the archives."

The archives were in the basement, dark and damp. The detention center archivist, a young woman, hesitated when she heard that they needed to retrieve medical records from 2008: "Director Lin, it's been too long; we might not be able to find them."

"Find it," Lin Fan said, uttering only one word.

The three men searched through the archives for over an hour. Dust billowed and swirled in the dim light. Finally, in a corner, Xiao Wang shouted, "Found it!"

It was a clinic outpatient registration book from 2008, the paper yellowed and the edges torn. Turning to May, on the page for May 17th, there was indeed the name "Wang Jianguo". The record was very detailed: "Multiple subcutaneous hemorrhages in both shoulders, back, and thighs; limited range of motion in the left shoulder joint; further examination recommended."

Next to it, there was a line of smaller text added later: "Upon re-examination, no obvious external injury was found." The handwriting was clearly different, and the ink was newer.

"Who added this line of text?" Lin Fan asked.

Zhang Baoguo lowered his head: "I...I added it. Director Liu said the original record wasn't good and asked me to change it."

Lin Fan took a picture of the page with his phone and had Xiao Wang make a copy.

"Dr. Zhang, how much do you remember about what happened back then?" Lin Fan asked.

"I remember it very clearly." Zhang Baoguo's voice trembled slightly. "When Wang Jianguo was brought here, he could barely walk, and there was blood on his clothes. When I examined him, I found that his back and thighs were covered with purplish-blue bruises, and in some places the skin was broken. I asked him how he got them, but he wouldn't say, he just cried."

Didn't you ask the investigating unit?

"I asked. Director Liu said it was from resistance during the arrest, and he was accidentally bumped." Zhang Baoguo smiled bitterly, "But that kind of injury is clearly caused by repeated blows. I'm a doctor, I can tell."

Why didn't you report it?

"I..." Zhang Baoguo's eyes reddened. "Director Lin, I'm just a detention center doctor, I have no power or influence. Director Liu was already the head of the criminal investigation team at the branch office at the time, I couldn't afford to offend him. Besides, he said that if I dared to say anything out of line, he would make sure I couldn't continue working."

Lin Fan fell silent. He understood Zhang Baoguo's concerns, but he was even more heartbroken by the helplessness behind this silence.

It was already dark when I came out of the detention center. The snow had started falling again, and the fine snowflakes danced in the glow of the streetlights.

Sitting in the car, Lin Fan didn't start the engine immediately. He looked at the snow outside the window, and the images of Wang Jianguo's blank eyes, Zhang Baoguo's helpless expression, and Liu Zhiqiang's seemingly warm but actually wary smile kept replaying in his mind.

An ordinary person's three-year prison sentence may be due to the abuse of power by some people, or the silent condoning by others.

This is why Secretary Zhou Wenyuan was determined to conduct a thorough investigation.

The phone rang. It was Xiao Wang from the investigation team calling: "Director Lin, I found someone who was in the same cell as Wang Jianguo back then. One of them is named Li Weidong, who now runs a small shop in the south of the city. He said he remembers that Wang Jianguo's screams lasted for a long time that night, and everyone in the cell heard them. He also said that when Wang Jianguo was brought back the next morning, he could barely walk, and his clothes were covered in blood."

"Okay." Lin Fan took a deep breath. "Organize all the evidence. Tomorrow, we'll confront Liu Zhiqiang."

January 20nd, 9:00 AM.

The atmosphere in the conference room of the Gangdong Public Security Bureau was heavy. Liu Zhiqiang sat on one side of the conference table, his face ashen. Opposite him were Lin Fan, Lao Yang, and two members of the investigation team. Several documents were laid out on the table: photos of the original medical records, the testimony of Li Weidong, a fellow inmate, and Wang Jianguo's interrogation records.

"Director Liu, how do you explain this evidence?" Lin Fan pushed the materials over.

Liu Zhiqiang flipped through the documents, then sneered, "Director Lin, is this all you've got? A criminal's confession, a prisoner's testimony, and a record that can be easily altered—you think you can overturn a judgment that's already been in effect for two years?"

"This wasn't just some random alteration," Lin Fan said, pointing to the photo. "This is the original record; the ink used for the later additions is clearly different. Dr. Zhang Baoguo has already admitted that you asked him to change it."

"He admitted it?" Liu Zhiqiang's expression changed, but he quickly regained his composure. "Even if he admitted it, so what? Wang Jianguo's injuries could have been inflicted by his cellmates, or he could have done it himself to frame us."

"Li Weidong, who was in the same cell, confirmed that Wang Jianguo had injuries on his body when he was taken back after being interrogated that night."

"Li Weidong? You can believe what a thief says?" Liu Zhiqiang stood up. "Director Lin, I understand you want to investigate, but you can't just jump to conclusions. Our police officers work hard on this case, and now we're being questioned by a few criminals' words. How do we all feel about this?"

"We don't just jump to conclusions," Lin Fan said, standing up as well. His voice was low but firm. "We look at the evidence. In this case, there's no physical evidence, only confessions; the confessions were obtained while the person was injured; the original medical records were altered; and fellow inmates testified that the person was abused. This chain of evidence is sufficient to initiate a review process."

Liu Zhiqiang stared at Lin Fan, his eyes filled with anger and panic: "Director Lin, are you determined to hold onto this case?"

"It's not that I want to dwell on it, it's just that the facts are right here." Lin Fan met his gaze. "Director Liu, you're a veteran police officer, you should know what's most important in handling cases? It's being truthful and acting in accordance with the law and regulations. If there really is a problem with this case, it's not too late to correct it now. If we keep making mistakes, and it's fully exposed in the future, then it won't be a matter of correction."

The meeting room was eerily quiet. The clock on the wall ticked away.

After a long while, Liu Zhiqiang slumped down and covered his face with his hands.

"I..." His voice escaped through his fingers, "I was also under a lot of pressure to solve the case. The branch office had quotas that month, and I had several unsolved cases. Wang Jianguo had a criminal record, and someone identified him, so I just wanted to... get a confession as soon as possible."

"So you resorted to torture to extract a confession?" Old Yang asked.

"There was no torture or forced confession!" Liu Zhiqiang suddenly looked up. "It's just... the interrogation took a little longer, and the methods were... a little harsher. I wanted him to tell the truth!"

"Tell the truth?" Lin Fan picked up Wang Jianguo's statement. "But he's lying. He said he stole the motorcycle, but in fact, that motorcycle was later found in another case, and the thief was someone else."

Liu Zhiqiang was stunned: "What?"

"We checked the city's case system," Lin Fan said. "In 2009, Xicheng District cracked down on a motorcycle theft gang. They confessed that they had stolen a motorcycle in Gangdong District in May 2008. The model, color, and license plate were all consistent with the description in Wang Jianguo's case. That case has already been closed."

Liu Zhiqiang's face turned deathly pale instantly.

"In other words," Lin Fan said, emphasizing each word, "Wang Jianguo is very likely innocent."

Silence fell again in the meeting room. Outside, the snow fell heavier and heavier, the snowflakes hitting the glass with a soft sound.

"Director Liu," Lin Fan softened his tone, "it's not too late to tell the truth now. Secretary Zhou said the purpose of the investigation is to correct mistakes and improve the system. Those who voluntarily confess their problems and actively cooperate with the investigation will be treated leniently. If they conceal or resist, then the nature of the matter changes."

Liu Zhiqiang lowered his head, his shoulders trembling slightly. After a long while, he finally raised his head, his eyes bloodshot.

"I...I confess." His voice was hoarse. "That night, it was me...it was me who did it. Two auxiliary police officers did it too. We...we did hit Wang Jianguo. I had Dr. Zhang change the injury record. I...I was wrong."

After saying that, he seemed to have all his strength drained away and slumped into the chair.

Looking at this once spirited deputy director, Lin Fan felt no joy of victory, only heaviness in his heart.

A wrongful conviction ruined three years of Wang Jianguo's life and also destroyed Liu Zhiqiang's future. Even more frightening is that if this investigation hadn't taken place, this mistake might never have been discovered.

"Old Yang, take a statement," Lin Fan said.

Old Yang opened his notebook and began to take notes. Liu Zhiqiang recounted the events of that night in detail, down to every single word.

The snow is still falling outside the window. The city is covered in a blanket of white, temporarily burying the filth and mistakes.

But Lin Fan knew that the snow would eventually melt and the truth would eventually come to light.

His job is to bring the truth to light as soon as possible and to correct the mistakes as soon as possible.

This is the significance of case quality review.

This is the responsibility of political and legal work.

By the time he finished taking notes, it was already noon. Lin Fan walked out of the conference room and stood by the window in the corridor.

The snow stopped. Sunlight shone through gaps in the clouds, illuminating the snow and reflecting a blinding white light.

My phone rang; it was Zhou Wenyuan calling.

"Lin Fan, how's the situation?"

"Secretary Zhou, the Wang Jianguo case has been basically investigated. There was torture to extract a confession, the evidence was insufficient, and the person involved is very likely innocent. The investigator, Liu Zhiqiang, has already admitted it."

There was a few seconds of silence on the other end of the phone.

"Okay." Zhou Wenyuan's voice was deep. "Handle it according to the law and regulations. Correct what needs to be corrected, and hold those responsible accountable. This case should be used as a typical example and circulated throughout the public security system."

"clear."

"Also," Zhou Wenyuan paused, "thank you for your hard work."

After hanging up the phone, Lin Fan looked at the sunlight outside the window. Although it was cold, it was still sunshine.

He knew that the Wang Jianguo case was just the beginning. There were many more cases to investigate and many more mistakes to correct.

But with this start, the road ahead will be much easier.

Because people saw determination, they saw hope.

This is enough.

He turned and headed for the stairs. There was still a lot of work to be done.

The corrective procedures for the Wang Jianguo case need to be initiated, the handling of Liu Zhiqiang needs to be studied, and warning education should be carried out throughout the entire public security system...

But it was all worth it.

Because fairness and justice are never just empty words.

It needs someone to defend it, to put it into practice, and to fight for it step by step.

And he is on this path.

Take it one step at a time.