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

Since then, the way Lin Fan and Zhou Wenyuan interacted subtly changed. At work, Lin Fan remained respectful and measured, addressing Zhou as "Section Chief," and was meticulous in his work. But in private, when they were alone, he would naturally call him "Brother Zhou," and their conversations would no longer be limited to work; they would chat about life experiences, reading notes, and even occasionally crack a harmless joke. Zhou Wenyuan seemed to enjoy this relaxed exchange as well. He would complain to Lin Fan about the monotonous food in the cafeteria, talk about the current situation of old colleagues in the provincial capital, and ask Lin Fan for his opinion on a certain person or event in the bureau (although Lin Fan answered very cautiously).

Lin Fan also maintained a proper distance, never overstepping boundaries. He didn't ask what he shouldn't ask, nor said what he shouldn't say, and his opinions were always based on facts and rational analysis; he never spread rumors. He knew that building trust takes time, but destroying it can happen in an instant.

In mid-September, a minor but significant event occurred within the bureau. The provincial department issued an urgent notice regarding the clearing of temporary fiscal payments, requiring all cities and prefectures to submit their clearing progress and plans within a specified timeframe. This work involved a wide range of issues, numerous historical problems, and a tight deadline, leaving the budget department, the lead department, extremely busy and under immense pressure, especially Section Chief Wu.

At a coordination meeting chaired by Section Chief Wu, the relevant departments were passing the buck and shirking responsibility, resulting in slow progress. Zhou Wenyuan, as the head of the Treasury Department, also attended the meeting. As he listened to the buck-passing, his expression grew increasingly grim.

When a certain department passed the buck back to the Treasury Department, saying that some temporary payment vouchers were in the Treasury account and should be investigated by the Treasury Department, Zhou Wenyuan finally couldn't hold back anymore.

He took off his glasses and slowly wiped them with a cloth. The sound was soft, but it instantly quieted the noisy conference room.

"Ladies and gentlemen," he put his glasses back on, his gaze sweeping over the people present, "the provincial department's notice is very clear: the clearing of temporary payments follows the principle of 'whoever borrows, is responsible, and clears.' The Treasury Department is only responsible for fund disbursement and accounting records, not for loan approval or subsequent management. The vouchers are with us, and we can cooperate in providing them, but the primary responsibility does not lie with us."

He paused, his tone growing colder: "Now is not the time to discuss who should do the work; it's the time to get the work done on time and well. The Budget Department will take the lead, with our Treasury Department and other relevant departments fully cooperating. We will provide any data or vouchers needed as soon as possible. But please be clear about your own responsibilities. Don't try to push past issues onto others. If everyone keeps passing the buck like this, the task won't be completed, and when the blame comes down, no one will look good."

His words were clear, logical, and well-founded, directly outlining the division of responsibilities and the requirements for collaboration. The meeting room fell silent; several section chiefs who had been so assertive just moments before looked somewhat embarrassed. Section Chief Wu gave Zhou Wenyuan a grateful look, then continued his train of thought, redistributing the tasks and clarifying the deadlines.

After the meeting, Zhou Wenyuan returned to his office, still looking rather grim. Lin Fan happened to be delivering a document and, noticing his bad mood, quietly placed a cup of freshly brewed green tea beside him.

Zhou Wenyuan picked up his teacup and took a sip. The warm tea eased his tense nerves slightly. He looked at Lin Fan and suddenly asked, "You heard, didn't you? Did I say something too harsh at the meeting today?"

Lin Fan hadn't expected him to ask for his opinion. After thinking for a moment, he said seriously, "Brother Zhou, I think you're right. If the rules and responsibilities aren't clearly stated from the beginning, it'll be more troublesome to shirk responsibility later. By making your bottom line clear, you're actually helping Section Chief Wu and also helping the bureau move forward with its work as quickly as possible. Some people might feel embarrassed at first, but those who really want to get things done will understand."

As Zhou Wenyuan listened, the frost on his face gradually melted, revealing a wry smile: "That makes sense. But when you're in a position of power, sometimes you have to play the bad cop. Offending people is unavoidable."

"When you want to do something, there will always be obstacles. But as long as you're on the right track and have a clear conscience, time will prove everything," Lin Fan said calmly.

Zhou Wenyuan gave him a deep look, nodded, and said nothing more. But Lin Fan could feel that his words had touched a chord with him. It was a resonance of "I understand you."

In the following days, the work of clearing up temporary payments indeed progressed rapidly. Zhou Wenyuan kept his word, and the data provided by the Treasury Department was extremely efficient and accurate. Lin Fan was also assigned by Director Du to assist the Budget Department with some liaison and summarization work. He shuttled between various departments, conveying information and coordinating progress. His attitude was humble, but his efficiency was high, leaving a good impression on all parties. Even Section Chief Wu, upon seeing him, patted him on the shoulder, a rare occurrence for him: "Xiao Lin, you've worked hard and been a great help."

This incident further enhanced Zhou Wenyuan's standing in the eyes of the bureau's leadership. He was not only capable himself, but also able to step up in crucial moments and prioritize the overall situation. Lin Fan, through this cross-departmental coordination work, also further demonstrated his abilities and value, and his name became more widely remembered by middle-level cadres.

In late September, a sudden autumn rain brought a noticeable chill. It was a Friday, and as the workday was drawing to a close, the sky was heavily overcast, with low-hanging dark clouds and a strong wind whipping up fallen leaves and dust.

Lin Fan was organizing the week's file archives in his office when Zhou Wenyuan called on the internal line, his voice sounding somewhat urgent: "Lin Fan, are you busy right now?"

"Brother Zhou, I'm filing documents, it's nothing urgent."

"I have an urgent matter here. An old leader from the Provincial Treasury Department, who used to be very kind to me, has a son who is studying at a university in the steel city. He suddenly developed acute appendicitis and needs surgery. He's currently at the Second Machinery Plant Hospital. The old leader called me, extremely anxious. I have an urgent meeting here and can't leave; I need to report to the director. Could you go to the hospital for me? See how things are, and if there's anything I can help with, please handle it first. I'll be there as soon as I finish my meeting."

"No problem, Brother Zhou. Tell me the hospital department and the patient's name, and I'll be right there." Lin Fan agreed without hesitation. He knew that this was no longer a simple matter of helping with work, but an important matter involving Zhou Wenyuan's personal relationships and connections. The fact that Zhou Wenyuan entrusted this matter to him showed an extraordinary level of trust.

Having obtained the address and name (the patient's name was Li Haoran, a sophomore at the University of Finance and Economics), Lin Fan briefly explained the situation to Director Du (only saying that Section Chief Zhou had an urgent matter requiring assistance), and Director Du immediately granted him leave. Lin Fan grabbed his old coat and umbrella and rushed out of the office building.

It was pouring rain outside, and the wind whipped the raindrops into the ground, creating a white mist. The bus was nowhere in sight, and getting a taxi was even more difficult.

Without the slightest hesitation, Lin Fan plunged into the rain and ran towards the First Municipal Hospital. The wind was strong, the umbrella could barely hold up, and the rain quickly soaked his trousers and shoulders. But he ran fast, with only one thought in his mind: he couldn't delay; this was something Brother Zhou had entrusted to him.

Twenty minutes later, when he rushed into the emergency room of the Second Machinery Factory Hospital, soaked to the bone and panting, he looked quite disheveled. Ignoring the rain on his face, he went to the nurses' station and inquired about Li Haoran's condition.

"Just brought into the operating room. Acute appendicitis, perforated, it's a bit dangerous. Where are the family members?" the nurse asked quickly.

"The family is out of town and is on their way. I'm a colleague of his father's friend, and I was asked to come first. Has the surgery consent form been signed? Have the fees been paid?"

"The consent form was signed by the patient himself (he is over 18 years old), the fees have not been fully paid, and the deposit is insufficient."

"How much is missing? I'll pay. Which floor is the operating room on? Can I go and take a look?" Lin Fan immediately took out his wallet.

After paying the fees, Lin Fan ran to the floor where the operating room was located. The corridor was empty, with only the "Operating" indicator light shining a glaring red light. He found a chair near the operating room door and sat down. His clothes were wet and clung to his body, and he was very cold, but he didn't care. His eyes were fixed on the light.

Time ticked by. He was alone in the corridor, with only the sound of the pouring rain outside. He recalled the anxious wait he and Wang Juan had felt in the hospital corridor when his son was sick in his past life. Putting himself in that shoes, he knew that old provincial leader must be extremely worried right now.

More than an hour later, the operating room door opened and the doctor came out. Lin Fan immediately went to greet him.

"The surgery was successful, the pus has been cleaned up, and thankfully the patient was brought in in time. The patient is still under anesthesia, so we'll keep him in the ICU for observation overnight. If there are no problems, he'll be transferred to a regular ward tomorrow," the doctor explained.

Lin Fan breathed a sigh of relief and thanked him repeatedly. After waiting a while longer, he saw Li Haoran being wheeled out, his face pale, his eyes closed, but his breathing steady, and he finally felt completely at ease.

He found a nurse, asked about post-operative precautions in detail, and got the contact number for the intensive care unit. Then, he took out his Nokia phone—the screen was wet but still usable—and sent Zhou Wenyuan a text message: "Brother Zhou, the surgery was successful. He has been transferred to the ICU for observation and his condition is stable. I'm staying at the hospital, so don't worry."

After thinking for a moment, he used a public phone at the hospital to call the provincial capital number Zhou Wenyuan had given him. A middle-aged man answered the phone, sounding anxious.

"Hello Uncle Li, I'm Lin Fan, a colleague of Section Chief Zhou Wenyuan. Haoran's surgery is complete and very successful. The doctor said there's no danger, and he's in the ICU now. I'm here at the hospital watching over him. Section Chief Zhou is in a meeting, but he'll be here as soon as he's done. Don't worry too much."

A long sigh came from the other end of the phone, followed by choked words of gratitude: "Thank you! Thank you so much, young comrade! Wen Yuan also told me, thanks to you all! We'll buy the fastest tickets and head over right away!"

"Please be careful on your journey, we're here for you."

After hanging up the phone, Lin Fan returned to the corridor outside the ICU and found a chair to sit down. His wet clothes clung to his body, making him uncomfortable, but he felt reassured. He had done what he was supposed to do, and handled the situation promptly and appropriately.

Nearly an hour later, hurried footsteps echoed down the corridor. Zhou Wenyuan appeared, also soaked in the rain, his hair somewhat disheveled, clearly having rushed over after a meeting.

"Lin Fan!" Zhou Wenyuan saw him and quickly walked over. His gaze first swept across the door of the ICU before landing on Lin Fan. Seeing his soaked clothes and pale face, his brows immediately furrowed. "Why are you so wet? Didn't you take a taxi?"

"It was raining too hard, and it was difficult to get a taxi, so I ran here." Lin Fan stood up and said simply, "Haoran's surgery was very successful, and the doctor said there was no danger. He is now under observation in the intensive care unit. I have already spoken to his father on the phone, and they are on their way here."

Hearing this, Zhou Wenyuan's tense face finally showed a relieved expression. He patted Lin Fan's shoulder forcefully, his grip strong, his gratitude evident: "Thank you for your hard work! Lin Fan, really... thank you so much!"

His voice was slightly hoarse, clearly showing he was genuinely moved. Lin Fan not only handled this matter swiftly and thoughtfully, but more importantly, his sense of responsibility and loyalty in running in the rain and staying at the hospital went beyond the scope of ordinary colleagues helping each other.

"Brother Zhou, please don't say that. It's all what I should do," Lin Fan quickly said.

Zhou Wenyuan didn't say any more words of thanks, but Lin Fan understood what was in his eyes. It was genuine trust and closeness.

The two stood guard in the corridor until Li Haoran's parents arrived from the provincial capital overnight. They were again moved to tears of gratitude. Zhou Wenyuan introduced Lin Fan to them: "Director Li, sister-in-law, this is Lin Fan from our unit. We owe him so much for today; he ran around doing everything. Otherwise, I would have been completely helpless."

Mr. Li held Lin Fan's hand tightly, too moved to speak. Mrs. Li wiped away her tears, repeatedly saying that she had met a good person.

Once everything was settled, Li Haoran awoke from anesthesia, his condition stable, and was transferred to a regular ward. It was already late at night. The rain had long since stopped, and the night sky was clear, revealing a few scattered stars.

As Zhou Wenyuan and Lin Fan walked out of the hospital building, a cool breeze brought on their fatigue.

"Come on, I'll take you home. You must be exhausted. Change into some dry clothes so you don't catch a cold," Zhou Wenyuan said, waving to flag down a night taxi.

On the train, the two didn't say much, but the atmosphere was unusually peaceful. A tacit understanding, a shared experience, mutual support, and unspoken agreement, flowed through the small carriage.

When they arrived at Anjuyuan, Lin Fan got out of the car. Zhou Wenyuan rolled down the window, looked at him, and said earnestly, "Lin Fan, I've remembered what happened today. In the future... if anything happens, just let me know."

"Okay, Brother Zhou, you should get some rest too." Lin Fan nodded.

The car drove away. Lin Fan turned and went upstairs. Although he was physically exhausted, his heart was clear and warm. He knew that after tonight, his relationship with Zhou Wenyuan had undergone a qualitative leap. From being mutually appreciative and having a tacit working relationship as superiors and subordinates, and friends, they had truly transformed into a brotherly bond where they could entrust each other with urgent matters and share joys and sorrows.

This friendship is free from ulterior motives; it stems from shared values ​​(dedication to work and loyalty), mutual sincerity, and mutual support and commitment in crucial moments. It is stronger than a simple bond of mutual benefit and deeper than a superficial friendship.

Back in his quiet, empty new home, after changing into dry clothes, Lin Fan lay on the bed, but couldn't fall asleep. Outside the window, the city lights twinkled.

He remembered Zhou Wenyuan's last words: "If anything happens in the future, just let me know."

This is a commitment, an acceptance, and a responsibility.

He had found a true "benefactor," an elder brother figure he could call "Brother Zhou." This path he walked was far more solid and warmer than he had imagined in his previous life.

He knew that this was just the beginning. He and Zhou Wenyuan still had a long way to go. But at least, from now on, he was no longer alone.