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

It was just past six in the evening, and the evening rush hour in the provincial capital hadn't completely subsided. Lin Fan didn't drive his conspicuous A8; instead, he hailed a taxi near his home and headed straight to the hotel he had booked. In the trunk of the car, there were several cases of Moutai liquor and several cartons of Zhonghua cigarettes, packed in inconspicuous dark cloth bags.

The hotel was a long-established star-rated hotel not far from the provincial fire brigade. It wasn't the most luxurious, but it excelled in its elegant environment, authentic cuisine, and good privacy. Many government employees preferred to hold banquets here. Lin Fan booked a medium-sized private room called "Ting Song Ge" (Listening to the Pine Pavilion). The room was decorated in a dignified Chinese style, with ink paintings of landscapes hanging on the walls, creating a very suitable atmosphere.

He arrived almost an hour early. He confirmed the menu with the manager on duty, carefully checked the layout of the private room and the air conditioning temperature, and even had the waiter re-wash the tableware. When entertaining guests, attention to detail shows sincerity, especially when entertaining someone like Minister Li, who works in a key department and is principled; one must be even more thoughtful.

Around 6:40, Minister Li called: "Xiao Lin, we're setting off and will be there in about 15 minutes. Besides me and Xiao Zhang, there's Lao Zhao from the Political Department of our brigade, Section Chief Sun from the Equipment Section of the Logistics Department, and I've brought a friend, Director Liu from the Vehicle Management Office of the Municipal Traffic Management Bureau. They're all on our side, so I'll introduce you to them."

"Great, Minister Li! We await the arrival of all the leaders!" Lin Fan was overjoyed. Minister Li not only came himself but also brought colleagues and friends, clearly intending to promote him and help him expand his network. The Political Department, the Equipment Section, the Vehicle Management Office... these departments may seem unrelated to his current work, but who knows if they might come in handy in the future? In the provincial capital, knowing more people means having more opportunities.

He immediately called over a waiter and whispered, "It'll be crowded later, so add a few more signature dishes, and make sure the seafood is fresh. As for the liquor... open a case of Moutai to have on hand."

At 7:00 sharp, the door to the private room opened, and Minister Li and his entourage arrived. There were five people in total. Besides Minister Li and Section Chief Zhang, whom they had met before, there were three unfamiliar faces. Minister Li was in the center, with a calm and composed demeanor; Section Chief Zhang was beside him; the other three were: a slightly older man, wearing glasses, with a refined air, who was probably Old Zhao from the Political Department; a capable middle-aged man with sharp eyes, who was Section Chief Sun from the Equipment Section; and a slightly overweight man with a ruddy complexion and a perpetual smile, who was Director Liu from the Vehicle Management Office.

"Minister Li! Leaders, welcome, welcome!" Lin Fan immediately went up to greet him, shaking hands with him warmly but respectfully.

"Xiao Lin, have you been waiting long?" Minister Li patted him on the shoulder with a smile, then introduced them one by one, "This is Director Zhao from the Political Department of our brigade, a real scholar! This is Section Chief Sun from the Equipment Section of the Logistics Department, an expert in guns and cannons (firefighting equipment)! This is my old friend, Director Liu from the Vehicle Management Office of the Municipal Traffic Management Bureau. He'll be a good help for your friend's company vehicle registration and annual inspection in the future!"

"Hello, Director Zhao! Hello, Section Chief Sun! Hello, Director Liu! I am Lin Fan, and I work at the Provincial Power Company. I am the assistant to Chairman Zhou Wenyuan. It is an honor to have you all here!" Lin Fan adopted a humble posture and spoke eloquently.

"Assistant Lin is young and promising!" Director Zhao of the Political Department pushed up his glasses and said with a smile, "We've all heard of Chairman Zhou's reputation."

"Chairman Zhou is a capable man. Assistant Lin has a bright future with him." Section Chief Sun of the Equipment Department didn't say much, but he was very honest.

Director Liu of the vehicle management office, always the most cheerful, laughed heartily: "Assistant Lin, don't be so polite! Old Li's friend is my friend! If you ever need anything, just let me know!"

After exchanging pleasantries, everyone took their seats. Lin Fan arranged for Minister Li to sit in the main seat, but Minister Li insisted on letting Director Zhao, the oldest person in the group, sit there. After some polite exchanges, Minister Li sat in the main seat, Director Zhao sat as the guest of honor, Director Liu as the second guest, and Section Chief Sun and Section Chief Zhang in turn. Lin Fan himself sat in the seat to the left of the door, so that he could easily call the waiters.

The cold dishes were already served, and Lin Fan signaled to the waiter to start bringing out the hot dishes. At the same time, he personally opened the first bottle of Moutai. The crystal-clear liquid was poured into the decanter, and the rich aroma of the sauce immediately filled the private room.

"I am very grateful to Minister Li and all the leaders for gracing us with their presence today!" Lin Fan picked up his small wine glass, stood up, and said sincerely, "My first toast is to all the leaders! Thank you, Minister Li and Section Chief Zhang, for your strong support and trust in the venue arrangements! And thank you, Director Zhao, Section Chief Sun, and Director Liu, for taking time out of your busy schedules to come! I'll drink this in one go, and you can all make yourselves at home!"

With that, he tilted his head back and downed the three-ounce glass of liquor in one gulp. The fiery liquor slid down his throat, but his expression remained unchanged.

"Good! Xiao Lin is straightforward!" Minister Li praised, taking a sip from his glass as well. The others followed suit.

Alcohol is the best catalyst for building rapport. After a few drinks, the atmosphere became noticeably warmer. Lin Fan knew how to maintain the flow, offering toasts thoughtfully and without hesitation. He toasted Minister Li to express gratitude for his guidance and trust; Director Zhao to seek advice on interpersonal relationships; Section Chief Sun to ask for advice on equipment management (a subtle hint about his future crane business); Director Liu to mention the inevitable hassle of vehicle paperwork; and Section Chief Zhang to thank him for his help with specific tasks. His words were sincere and genuine, making everyone feel comfortable.

He didn't just offer toasts; before each toast, he would listen attentively to the other person, responding appropriately to show respect and interest. He would chat with Director Zhao about the intricacies of official procedures, seek advice from Section Chief Sun on the maintenance of large equipment, and discuss the headache-inducing vehicle registration process with Director Liu. Although young, he had honed his skills alongside Zhou Wenyuan over many years, possessing considerable knowledge and eloquence. He could keep the conversation flowing and keep the atmosphere lively.

Minister Li observed this and nodded secretly. This young man is capable and knows how to conduct himself; he's unassuming, yet he doesn't skimp on manners or expressions of affection. No wonder Zhou Wenyuan values ​​him so much.

After several rounds of drinks and dishes, the conversation gradually shifted from work to more relaxed topics. Director Liu, a master of enlivening the atmosphere, shared several bizarre anecdotes and jokes about the vehicle management office, eliciting laughter from everyone. Director Zhao recounted some interesting stories from the early days of the system, imbued with a sense of historical weight. Section Chief Sun was a man of few words, but when he spoke of the firefighting equipment he was familiar with, he spoke with remarkable expertise. Lin Fan listened intently, occasionally asking a few professional questions, which further fueled Section Chief Sun's enthusiasm for the conversation.

Lin Fan noticed that although Minister Li was also drinking and chatting, he was very restrained, and his eyes remained clear. He was even more convinced that this leader was a person of strong principles, and that bringing so many people today was indeed a great honor.

Taking advantage of a lull in the conversation, Lin Fan picked up his glass, stood up again, and this time his expression was even more solemn: "Minister Li, Director Zhao, Section Chief Sun, Director Liu, Section Chief Zhang, to be honest, I, Lin Fan, am honored to have this meal with you all. As a lowly assistant from out of town, to receive such care from you leaders in the provincial capital is truly... indescribable. Enough said, it's all in this glass! I toast you all! And in the future, if there's anything I, Lin Fan, can do to help you, I will never refuse!"

These words, though spoken in a humble manner, were deeply sincere. Those present were all astute individuals; they could tell this was no empty talk. Everyone raised their glasses.

Minister Li drank the glass of wine, looked at Lin Fan, and said earnestly, "Lin, you are young, capable, and have a good leader. Your future is bright. Remember one thing: it's the same everywhere—be a good person before doing anything else. Follow the rules, but also value relationships. Everyone we meet today is a friend; let's keep in touch."

"I will keep Minister Li's teachings in mind!" Lin Fan nodded emphatically.

Both cases of Moutai were empty. Seeing that everyone had drunk enough, Lin Fan stopped urging them to drink and instead served them staple food and fruit platters.

As the dinner drew to a close, the atmosphere had become very cordial. Director Liu patted Lin Fan on the shoulder: "Brother Lin, from now on, leave all the company vehicle matters to me! Registration, transfer of ownership, annual inspection—a green channel!" Section Chief Sun also said, "Safety is paramount for special equipment like cranes. If you have any questions about operator training or equipment inspections, feel free to ask me." Director Zhao subtly suggested, "If Lin's writing is good, we might need your help or someone from your power company's writing team to polish some of our internal promotional materials." These were all signals of goodwill.

Lin Fan noted them down and thanked them again.

Around 9:30, the dinner ended. Lin Fan accompanied everyone downstairs. Minister Li's driver was already waiting at the door (Minister Li hadn't driven). Lin Fan led them to their cars. He had already made arrangements, placing a "small gift" in the trunk of each leader's car (or in the driver's)—two bottles of Moutai and two cartons of cigarettes. Minister Li and Section Chief Zhang naturally received double gifts, and in the bag given to Minister Li, Lin Fan had secretly placed two bottles of rare vintage Moutai, his private collection, which he hadn't brought out at the dinner table.

"Minister Li, leaders, please drive carefully! We apologize for the poor hospitality today, but we'll get together again next time!" Lin Fan stood by the car and bowed slightly.

"Xiao Lin, you've spent a lot today. Go back now, we'll meet again." Minister Li rolled down the car window, nodded to him, and looked at him with appreciation in his eyes.

Watching the two cars drive away, Lin Fan stood at the hotel entrance. The evening breeze was cool and helped clear his head, which was still feverish from the alcohol. He didn't immediately hail a taxi, but instead slowly walked along the sidewalk for a while.

Tonight's meal was far more valuable than those cases of Moutai and cartons of cigarettes. He not only solidified his relationship with Minister Li, but more importantly, through Minister Li, he gained access to two other important departments within the provincial fire department and even made the acquaintance of a powerful figure in the municipal traffic management bureau's vehicle management office. Although it was just a brief encounter, a rapport built over a meal, the seeds had been sown. If maintained well, these connections could prove invaluable in crucial moments.

He recalled his early days in the provincial capital, when he was completely clueless even about finding a suitable venue. He also remembered Zhou Wenyuan's seemingly casual yet powerful care. He deeply realized that while following Zhou Wenyuan on the larger stage of the provincial capital offered security, he couldn't be content with merely being a dependent. He needed his own independent network of contacts and resources he could mobilize and rely on. This wasn't just to help Wang Xin build his company, but also to provide a stronger foundation and greater security for his own and his family's future.

Zhou Wenyuan can protect him for a while, but not forever. Moreover, a truly capable person should be able to both leverage existing power and build their own system.

Today marks the first step in building my own network, and it's a good start. These connections aren't for illegal activities, but rather for making things run more smoothly, getting information more readily available, and expanding opportunities within the bounds of the rules. Like tonight, without Minister Li's introduction, how could he have known the head of the vehicle management office? He wouldn't have had to make so many unnecessary trips for the company's various special vehicles to register and inspect in the future.

He took out his phone and sent a message to Wang Xin: "Brother Xin, I've maintained a very good relationship with Minister Li of the Fire Department, and he even introduced me to a friend at the Vehicle Management Office. This will make our vehicle paperwork much easier in the future. For you, company registration is of paramount importance, so get it done quickly."

Wang Xin quickly replied, "Understood! Fanzi, I trust you to handle people! I'll expedite things here!"

Lin Fan put down his phone and hailed a taxi. Sitting in the car, looking at the dazzling night view of the provincial capital outside the window, he felt a long-lost sense of fulfillment and control. This feeling was different from the sense of security he felt as an "executor" when he worked for Zhou Wenyuan in the steel city; it was more like the initial sense of accomplishment of a "strategist."

He knew the road ahead was long. Whether the company could succeed was still uncertain, and whether these connections could be transformed into tangible help would require time to cultivate. But at least the direction was right, and the first step was solid.

It was almost eleven o'clock when he returned to the villa. The house was quiet; Wang Juan and the children must have been asleep. He tiptoed to wash up and went back to the bedroom. Wang Juan turned around groggily: "You're back? How much did you drink? Are you feeling unwell?"

"Not much, it's nothing." Lin Fan lay down and hugged his wife. "The conversation went well, and I met a few people."

"Okay, that's good. Go to sleep." Wang Juan snuggled into his arms and quickly fell asleep again.

Lin Fan, however, was not sleepy. The effects of the alcohol were still lingering, and his brain was somewhat excited. He recalled everyone's expressions and words from the evening, analyzing which were just polite formalities, which were genuine, which relationships needed to be maintained, and how to contact them next time…

As night deepened, the city outside the window gradually quieted down. In his mind, Lin Fan slowly began to weave the initial outline of a network of relationships in the provincial capital that belonged to him. This network would run parallel to his main path of following Zhou Wenyuan, supporting each other and creating a broader and more stable sky for him, as well as for his family and brothers.