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

At the end of August, the summer heat hadn't completely subsided, but a faint chill could already be felt in the mornings and evenings. Autumn in the steel city always arrives quietly, yet with a touch of impatience.

On the surface, life at the Finance Bureau continued as usual. Documents circulated, meetings were held, and figures crawled across reports. But Lin Fan could sense that beneath the surface, subtle undercurrents were stirring. Zhou Wenyuan's arrival was like a pebble thrown into a calm pond, the ripples spreading outwards, disrupting certain established balances.

That afternoon, Lin Fan came out of the printing room carrying a stack of newly copied meeting materials. As he passed the corner of the third-floor staircase, he heard two unfamiliar voices talking in hushed tones, their tone somewhat dismissive.

"...Isn't the new Section Chief Zhou overstepping his bounds? They're even interfering in the preliminary budget review with the national treasury. Where was this rule before?"

"Who says otherwise? I heard they sent back the application for the industrial support fund for the High-tech Development Zone this morning, saying the justification was insufficient and a new performance evaluation is needed. That's a project that Vice Mayor Wang put in a good word for..."

"Young people want to show off, I understand. But being too serious can easily offend people. So what if they're from the provincial level? Even a powerful dragon can't suppress a local snake."

As the footsteps drew near, the two men fell silent and brushed past Lin Fan. They were the deputy section chiefs from two different business departments within the bureau. Lin Fan kept his eyes straight ahead, carrying the materials as he continued walking, but he knew in his heart that Zhou Wenyuan's "meticulousness" had begun to affect the interests and habits of some people. This pressure would probably come sooner than he had imagined.

Back in the office, Director Du was on the phone, his expression not very good. "...Yes, yes, Director Wu, I understand. I'll talk to Section Chief Zhou again... Okay, don't worry."

After hanging up the phone, Director Du rubbed his temples, saw Lin Fan, and sighed: "Lin, go to the Treasury Department and find Section Chief Zhou. Tell him... Director Wu just called, asking about the funding for the High-tech Development Zone Industrial Fund. He wasn't very happy about it. Please give Section Chief Zhou a gentle reminder."

Lin Fan's heart skipped a beat. Director Wu was the executive deputy director of the bureau, in charge of the budget and the treasury, and Zhou Wenyuan's direct superior. This was clearly dissatisfaction with Zhou Wenyuan "blocking" the project.

"Okay, Director." Lin Fan put down the materials, thought for a moment, and then picked up a report from his desk that he had seen by chance a few days ago about problems found in audits of similar industrial funds in other cities in the province (he habitually collected all kinds of potentially useful information), and carried it with him to the third floor.

In the Treasury building, Zhou Wenyuan was facing his computer screen, his brow furrowed, his fingers rapidly tapping on the keyboard, seemingly revising some documents. Hearing a knock at the door, he didn't even look up: "Come in."

Lin Fan walked in, gently placed the situation report on the empty space on his desk, and then said, "Section Chief Zhou, Director Du asked me to come over. Director Wu just called the office to ask about the allocation of funds from the High-tech Zone's industrial fund. He seems... quite anxious."

Zhou Wenyuan's fingers stopped typing. He looked up, his eyes behind his glasses meeting Lin Fan's, revealing not surprise, but a cold, knowing understanding. "Anxious?" He smirked, a barely perceptible smile. "You should be anxious. Fifty million in government funds, and you think you can take it all with that flawed, self-serving feasibility report? Do you think this place is a charity or an ATM?"

His voice wasn't loud, but every word was sharp and piercing. Lin Fan could sense his suppressed anger and the pressure of adhering to his principles.

"Section Chief Zhou," Lin Fan carefully chose his words, pointing to the situation report he had just put down, "This is a situation report from the province that I saw before. It mentioned that another city had a similar fund, but due to insufficient preliminary research and inadequate supervision, the money was spent but the effect was not seen. Instead, it caused a lot of problems, and there was even illegal misappropriation. The audit opinion was very severe."

Zhou Wenyuan glanced at the report, quickly scanned it, and his expression softened slightly, but his eyes remained sharp: "See? A lesson from the past. We're not deliberately making things difficult for anyone; we're being responsible for the financial resources and the development of the steel city. Reports that only make empty promises, ignore risks, and disregard performance will not pass muster with me."

He paused, then looked at Lin Fan: "What else did Director Du say?"

"Director Du said... that you should reconsider and see if there's any... alternative solution? Or, to speed up the review process?" Lin Fan conveyed Director Du's "tactful reminder."

"Make compromises? How? Lower the standards? Turn a blind eye?" Zhou Wenyuan sneered. "I can speed up the process; I can produce the review comments even if I work overtime today. But the standards cannot be lowered. Not a single piece of supplementary material can be missing. Xiao Lin, go back and tell Director Du that I understand Director Wu's meaning and thank Director Du for the reminder. But the Treasury Department has its own principles and procedures for review. Incomplete materials and insufficient evidence are useless no matter who intervenes. If the bureau feels that what I'm doing is inappropriate, they can adjust my assignment or find someone more capable."

These words were spoken with conviction, even leaving no room for negotiation. Lin Fan knew that Zhou Wenyuan had laid bare his principles and bottom line. He wasn't being reckless; rather, he was confidently insisting on his principles. This confidence stemmed from his professional expertise, and perhaps also from his background in the provincial department and some higher-level recognition.

"I understand, Section Chief Zhou. I will convey your message to Director Du." Lin Fan didn't try to persuade him further; he knew that any words of advice would be futile at this moment. He simply tidied up the scattered file boxes on the table and refilled Zhou Wenyuan's cold teacup with hot water.

This subtle movement made Zhou Wenyuan glance at him, and his tense expression seemed to relax slightly. "Thank you," he said softly, then buried his head in front of the screen again.

Lin Fan left and returned to his office, where he relayed Zhou Wenyuan's words to Director Du verbatim, but in a calm and objective tone.

After listening, Director Du remained silent for a long time, finally sighing and waving his hand: "Okay, I understand. Go ahead and get back to work."

Lin Fan wasn't entirely sure how the matter was resolved. He only knew that a couple of days later, the High-tech Zone submitted a thick stack of supplementary materials, and the performance evaluation was redone. Zhou Wenyuan, along with the treasury department staff, reviewed it overnight, and ultimately, while adhering to the core regulatory clauses, approved the funding. Director Wu never made a similar call to the office again. However, the gossip within the bureau about Zhou Wenyuan being "difficult to work with" and "stubborn" seemed to increase.

However, Lin Fan noticed that after this confrontation, Zhou Wenyuan seemed to have gained more weight in the eyes of some mid-level cadres. At least, everyone knew that this new section chief was not someone who could be easily manipulated or fooled. The rules he set were truly to be followed.

On a weekend in early September, Lin Fan finally moved from the Finance Bureau's guesthouse into his new home in Anjuyuan. The furniture, which had been purchased and delivered in installments, consisted of simple wooden sofas, dining table and chairs, a bed, and a wardrobe—all practical pieces. He spent a day cleaning and arranging everything. As the last item was placed, the afterglow of the setting sun streamed into the living room, bathing the new floor in a warm golden light. An unprecedented sense of peace and belonging filled his heart.

This is his nest, his starting point.

On Monday, his steps were lighter. At lunchtime in the cafeteria, Zhou Wenyuan, unusually, showed up at this time, got a simple meal, and sat in the empty seat diagonally opposite Lin Fan—usually he either came late or made do in the office.

Lin Fan looked up and called out, "Section Chief Zhou," to which Zhou Wenyuan nodded in response. The two ate in silence, neither speaking. The noisy cafeteria only served to highlight the quietness of their corner.

As they were finishing their meal, Zhou Wenyuan suddenly spoke up, his voice low, as if asking casually, "Moved to a new house?"

Lin Fan paused for a moment, then nodded: "Yes, we just moved over the weekend. In Anjuyuan."

"Oh, that place is nice, close to work, and the environment is good too." Zhou Wenyuan stirred the last few grains of rice in his bowl with his chopsticks. "Did you clean it all by yourself?"

"Hmm, there's not much stuff, we can take our time."

"That's good." Zhou Wenyuan didn't say anything more. After finishing the last bite, he picked up his plate and left.

It was a very brief conversation, hardly even a chat. But Lin Fan detected a hint of casualness in it, a kind of relaxed ease that was different from usual. Zhou Wenyuan had actually noticed something as small as him moving to a new house and even asked about it. This seemed to mean that in Zhou Wenyuan's mind, he was no longer just a "capable temporary worker," but a "familiar person" who would pay a little attention to his well-being.

Changes in relationships often begin with these seemingly insignificant details.

A few days later, one evening, Lin Fan was working overtime, checking data in a report he needed to present at the meeting the next day. He was alone in the office, the fluorescent light humming softly. Suddenly, his Nokia 2100 rang; it was an unfamiliar local landline number.

He answered, "Hello."

"Lin Fan? This is Zhou Wenyuan." Zhou Wenyuan's voice came from the other end of the phone, still calm, but seemingly a little lower than usual.

"Section Chief Zhou? It's me. What are your instructions?" Lin Fan immediately sat up straight.

"No instructions. Are you still in the office?"

"Yes, I'm checking the materials."

"Hmm. My office printer is broken, and the IT department staff have gone home. I have an urgent document that needs a sample printout. Are your computer and printer still working?"

"It works, Section Chief Zhou. Shall I come up and get the documents right away?" Lin Fan said, getting up to stand up.

"No need, I'll come down." The phone call ended.

A short while later, Zhou Wenyuan walked into the office carrying a USB drive and several sheets of handwritten manuscript paper. He looked somewhat tired, took off his glasses and held them in his hand, pinching the bridge of his nose with his fingers.

"Thank you for your help. The revision suggestions are on the manuscript paper. Please revise it according to the original electronic version on the USB drive, and then print a copy for me." He placed the document on Lin Fan's desk.

"Okay, Section Chief Zhou, please have a seat, it will be quick." Lin Fan took the USB drive, plugged it into the computer, and quickly reviewed the revisions on the handwritten draft. They were all revisions to clauses concerning a certain national treasury fund risk control mechanism; the logic was rigorous, and the wording was precise, but there were quite a few places to modify.

Lin Fan concentrated intently and began working on the computer. He typed quickly and edited with ease. Zhou Wenyuan didn't sit down but paced slowly around the office with his hands behind his back, his gaze sweeping over the rules and regulations hanging on the wall, the potted green ivy that Sister Liu kept on the windowsill, and finally settling on Lin Fan's focused profile.

The office was quiet, save for the tapping of keyboards and the occasional paper feeding from the printer. Outside, darkness had completely fallen, and the city lights cast blurry shadows through the windows.

About twenty minutes later, Lin Fan finished revising the last word, quickly checked it again, and clicked print. The printer churned up and down the papers, making a rhythmic sound.

"Section Chief Zhou, it's been revised. Please take a look." Lin Fan handed the still slightly warm printed manuscript to Zhou Wenyuan.

Zhou Wenyuan took the printer and stood beside it, carefully reviewing it word by word under the bright office light. He read very quickly, but with exceptional focus, occasionally running his finger under a line of text. After finishing, he let out a long sigh of relief, a look of relaxation on his face.

"It's fine, no problem." He carefully folded the manuscript and put it into his briefcase. "Thank you, Lin Fan. I'm sorry to have kept you from getting off work again."

"Section Chief Zhou, please don't be so polite. It's what I should do." Lin Fan turned off his computer and began packing his things.

Zhou Wenyuan didn't leave immediately. He stood there, hesitated for a moment, and then suddenly asked, "Do you... usually cook for yourself at night?"

Lin Fan was a little surprised and answered honestly, "Sometimes I eat in the cafeteria, sometimes I just make something simple when I get home. I'm not very good at cooking complicated dishes."

"Me too." Zhou Wenyuan seemed to smile, but it was very faint. "At least there are canteens in the provincial capital, but here... besides the company canteen, there are only a few options for eating out. I heard there's a pretty good stir-fry restaurant on the street behind Anjuyuan?"

Lin Fan immediately understood his meaning. This had gone beyond the realm of pure work; it was a veiled exchange of information about personal life, or even… a tentative invitation?

"Yes, there is a place called 'Old Chen's Stir-Fry,' the taste is quite authentic, and the price is reasonable. If Section Chief Zhou hasn't eaten yet, how about... we go try it together? It's on me, consider it a celebration of my move." Lin Fan readily accepted the offer, his tone natural, with a touch of junior sincerity. He didn't feel flustered or refuse because the other party was a leader, nor was he overly enthusiastic; he handled the situation very well.

Zhou Wenyuan looked at him, his eyes behind his glasses flickering, as if weighing his options or confirming Lin Fan's sincerity. After a moment, he nodded: "Alright. Then I won't stand on ceremony. But it's on me. You helped me work overtime, so I should thank you."

Without any unnecessary formalities, the deal was made immediately. This was very much in line with Zhou Wenyuan's dislike of empty formalities.

The two turned off the lights, locked the door, and walked down the office building together. The Finance Bureau compound was quiet in the night, with only the guardhouse light on. Old Chen, who looked after the bicycle shed, had already gone home; his small table was securely locked.

Stepping out of the compound and crossing two streets, you arrive at the small street behind Anjuyuan, a street that, while not bustling, is full of life. Old Chen's Stir-Fry Shop is small but brightly lit, with several tables already occupied. The aroma of stir-fried dishes mingled with the wok hei (wok's breath), tempting the appetite.

Zhou Wenyuan was clearly visiting for the first time, and he briefly looked around. Lin Fan, on the other hand, greeted the owner familiarly and found a relatively quiet corner to sit down.

"Section Chief Zhou, what would you like to eat? The twice-cooked pork, Mapo tofu, and hot and sour shredded potatoes here are all pretty good." Lin Fan pushed the greasy menu over.

Zhou Wenyuan didn't even look at the menu and said directly, "You order, you know your stuff. Keep it simple, two dishes and a soup, that should be enough. I don't have any dietary restrictions."

Lin Fan then ordered twice-cooked pork, stir-fried broccoli, and a tomato and egg soup, along with two bowls of rice.

While waiting for the food, the atmosphere became somewhat quiet. Although the two had interacted frequently at work, this was the first time they had eaten alone together in private. Lin Fan knew he couldn't let the conversation become awkward, but he also couldn't force a conversation about work.

"Section Chief Zhou, how have you been doing in Steel City these past two months? Compared to the provincial capital, the pace here might be a bit slower." Lin Fan started the conversation with a safe topic.

Zhou Wenyuan picked up the barley tea the waiter had poured and took a sip. "The pace is a bit slow, but there's no shortage of work. The provincial capital has many macro-level policies, and the real work is implementation. It's a complex and multifaceted process, with each area facing its own difficulties." He paused, then looked at Lin Fan. "And you? How have you been feeling at the Finance Bureau?"

"I've learned a lot," Lin Fan said earnestly. "I used to think that government offices were just about drinking tea and reading newspapers, but after actually getting in here, I realized that there are many rules, heavy responsibilities, and it's not easy to do something well."

"Yes, it's not easy." Zhou Wenyuan nodded in deep agreement. "Especially when it comes to doing things according to the rules and regulations, it's even more difficult. Sometimes, the resistance comes not only from the outside, but also from within."

These words were rather profound, sounding like a sigh, or perhaps a heartfelt revelation to Lin Fan, whom he considered "one of their own." Lin Fan didn't respond with a comment, but simply echoed, "You're right."

The dishes arrived quickly. The twice-cooked pork was glistening and fragrant, with a perfect balance of lean and fat; the broccoli was vibrant green and refreshing; and the tomato and egg soup was steaming hot, topped with chopped scallions. It was a very home-style dish, but full of the warmth and comfort of everyday life.

The two picked up their chopsticks. Zhou Wenyuan ate elegantly, but it was clear he was quite satisfied with the simple flavors. After a few bites of hot food, the atmosphere naturally relaxed considerably.

"Is your hometown Steel City?" Zhou Wenyuan asked.

"Yes, I'm from a rural area in the county below. My parents are both in my hometown."

Are you living alone?

"I also have an older sister, who married and moved to the city."

"It's good." Zhou Wenyuan picked up a piece of twice-cooked pork. "How are your parents' health? Is the burden on rural residents lighter now?"

"My health is alright. The burden... is a bit better than before, but supporting my studies is still not easy." Lin Fan said, recalling the hardships his parents had endured in his previous life, his tone unconsciously carrying a hint of emotion.

Zhou Wenyuan glanced at him, seemingly sensing something, but didn't press the matter. Instead, he said, "Coming from a rural background, it's not easy to pass the exam and establish yourself in the city. You've done a great job."

These words, spoken with the affirmation of an elder, warmed Lin Fan's heart. "Thank you, Section Chief Zhou. I was just lucky, and I also owe a lot to the leaders and colleagues in the bureau for their care."

"Luck is one aspect, but hard work is the key," Zhou Wenyuan said calmly. "When I was in school, my family's financial situation was just average. I knew that to move up the social ladder, I had to fight for every step of the way."

These words deepened Lin Fan's understanding of Zhou Wenyuan. It turned out he wasn't from a wealthy family either, but had risen through his own hard work. This shared humble origin brought them closer together.

The two chatted over a meal, their conversation gradually expanding from their initial conversations about work and the local customs of the steel city to more personal topics, such as their favorite books (Zhou Wenyuan preferred history and finance, while Lin Fan said he read a wide variety of books) and their views on current economic phenomena (Zhou Wenyuan's opinions were sharp, while Lin Fan's were more based on his practical experience at the grassroots level). Lin Fan discovered that, aside from his serious demeanor at work, Zhou Wenyuan was actually quite knowledgeable, quick-witted, and not shy about expressing his opinions, though he was usually concise.

Zhou Wenyuan also discovered that although Lin Fan, this young man, had a low level of education and a low position, he was quite knowledgeable, often had unique perspectives on issues, and was down-to-earth and pragmatic, without being pretentious. In particular, he greatly admired the composure and insight that he possessed beyond his years.

After the meal, when it came time to pay the bill, Zhou Wenyuan insisted on paying, and Lin Fan didn't insist. Stepping out of the small shop, the cool night breeze felt particularly refreshing.

"Thank you for today, Lin Fan." Zhou Wenyuan stopped at the intersection. "The food was good, and we had a nice chat."

"Section Chief Zhou, you're too kind. I should be thanking you for coming," Lin Fan said sincerely.

Zhou Wenyuan patted his shoulder, a gesture that seemed much more intimate than his usual nod. "From now on, in private, when we're alone, just call me Brother Zhou. 'Section Chief' sounds too formal."

Lin Fan's heart skipped a beat, and he looked up at Zhou Wenyuan. Under the streetlights, Zhou Wenyuan's face showed a faint weariness, but his eyes were gentle and sincere. This wasn't just politeness; it was an acknowledgment, a clear signal that the relationship was progressing.

"Okay, Brother Zhou." Lin Fan readily agreed and addressed him naturally.

Zhou Wenyuan smiled, a faint but genuine smile. "Alright, I'll head back now. You should get some rest too. See you tomorrow."

See you tomorrow, Brother Zhou.

Watching Zhou Wenyuan's tall figure disappear around the street corner, Lin Fan stood there, a complex mix of emotions welling up inside him. There was joy, anticipation, and a heavy sense of responsibility. He knew that the title "Brother Zhou" signified a closer relationship, but also meant that he might have to shoulder more responsibility.

This private dinner was like a key that unlocked a door. Behind that door lies a wider world and a more complex landscape.