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

December 14, 2009, 7:10 a.m.

In apartment 502, Building 3, Gangcheng Municipal Party Committee Compound, the curtains in the living room were drawn, and the winter morning light slanted in through the glass windows, casting warm spots of light on the floor. Lin Fan stood in front of the stove, carefully frying eggs—this was the third day since he moved into this two-bedroom apartment, and the pots and pans in the kitchen were all new, still carrying that brand-new smell from the shopping mall.

The eggs sizzled in the pan, their edges turning golden brown. Lin Fan skillfully flipped them, simultaneously turning the toaster knob with his other hand. The television in the living room was on, and the morning news anchor was reporting the weather: "Today in Steel City, it will be cloudy turning sunny, with a northerly wind of level two to three. The high will be -2 degrees Celsius, and the low will be -10 degrees Celsius..."

The apartment wasn't large, just over 80 square meters, with two bedrooms and a living room, but the layout was reasonable and the decoration was simple. The logistics department of the municipal party committee office provided basic furniture—a bed, wardrobe, desk, sofa, and television—enough for his needs. Lin Fan only added some personal items, a few clothes, and some books he brought from home. He planned to use it as a temporary place to stay when working overtime, but most of the time he wanted to return to Riverside Garden.

With a "ding," the bread popped out. Lin Fan turned off the stove, put the fried egg into a plate, and sprinkled some salt and black pepper. A simple breakfast—two slices of bread, a fried egg, and a glass of milk. He sat at the table, eating while flipping through today's "Steel City Daily."

The front page headline was a report on the city's economic work conference, with a photo of Mayor Chen Li speaking taking up half the page. Lin Fan quickly skimmed the article—the financial crisis continued to have an impact, but the steel city's economy was showing signs of recovery, with industrial added value increasing by 8.7% year-on-year and fixed asset investment increasing by 15.2%... He already knew these figures, but the tone of the public report was much more optimistic than the internal documents.

Turning to the second page, there was an inconspicuous news item in the lower left corner: "Tuxian County's E-commerce Development Model Recognized by the Provincial Department of Commerce." The article was short, just over three hundred words, but it mentioned e-commerce associations, training systems, regional brand building, and even quoted a few words from the newly appointed county head, Chen Ming. Lin Fan read it carefully, a faint smile appearing on his lips. Tuxian County's e-commerce business was already capable of operating independently, which made him very gratified.

After finishing breakfast at 7:35, Lin Fan got up to clear the table and put the dishes in the sink—he planned to wash them when he got back in the evening. He changed his clothes: a dark gray suit, a white shirt, a dark blue tie, and a black cashmere overcoat. He straightened his collar one last time in front of the mirror in the entryway, picked up his briefcase, and went out.

The elevator came up from the first floor, and when the doors opened, there were already two people standing inside—both were cadres from the municipal party committee. Although they weren't very familiar with each other, their faces were familiar.

Good morning, Director Lin.

"morning."

After a brief greeting, the elevator descended. Once downstairs, Lin Fan headed towards the parking lot. His white Lexus 570 was parked on the side of the road, next to Zhou Wenyuan's new Audi A6. Both cars had been parked in the yard the previous night, their surfaces covered in a thin layer of frost.

Lin Fan started the car, turned on the heater, and used the defroster to clear the windshield. The municipal government compound was quiet in the early morning, with only a few elderly people practicing Tai Chi in the courtyard, their movements slow and graceful. The compound was mostly inhabited by municipal government officials and their families; most of them had already left for work by this time.

At 7:50, the car drove out of the residential compound gate. The gatekeeper, an older man in his fifties, recognized Lin Fan's car and nodded with a smile. Lin Fan nodded in response.

The drive from the residential compound to the municipal government building takes less than ten minutes. However, the main roads of the steel city were already congested during the morning rush hour, with traffic moving slowly. Lin Fan wasn't in a hurry; he turned on the radio and tuned it to the traffic channel.

"...A traffic accident has occurred at the intersection of Zhongshan Road and Jiefang Street. Please be aware and give way to passing vehicles..."

"...Starting today, our city will launch a special campaign to improve road traffic order during the winter..."

"...Next, please listen to the song, 'The Story of Spring'..."

A familiar melody flowed through the carriage. Lin Fan hummed along softly. He knew this song well; he had heard it often in his past life, and even more so in this one—it represented a certain spirit of this era: openness, progress, and hope.

At 8:00 AM sharp, the car entered the municipal party committee compound. The parking lot was already quite full. Lin Fan found his spot—the office director had a designated spot near the building entrance. After parking, he locked the car, straightened his coat, and strode towards the building.

In the lobby on the first floor, people hurried to work. Some jogged for the elevator with briefcases, some stood in front of the notice board reading announcements, and some made quiet phone calls in a corner of the lobby. Lin Fan stepped into the elevator and pressed the button for the fifth floor.

"Good morning, Director Lin." Several people in the elevator greeted him.

"morning."

The elevator reached the fifth floor and the doors opened. Lin Fan stepped out of the elevator; people were already walking in the corridor. The offices of the Political and Legal Affairs Commission were concentrated on the east side of the fifth floor, and his office was located closest to the stairs.

Pushing open the door, I saw two people already in the office—Secretary Li Ming and Administrative Assistant Xiao Wang. Li Ming was organizing Zhou Wenyuan's schedule for the day, while Xiao Wang was making copies of documents.

Good morning, Director Lin.

"morning."

Lin Fan took off his coat and hung it on the hanger before walking to his desk. The day's documents were already laid out on the desk—a thick stack of over fifty pages titled "List of Leading Cadres in the City's Political and Legal System," compiled by Li Ming yesterday. This was the first task Lin Fan had him do: familiarize himself with the personnel situation within the city's political and legal system.

"Director Lin, Secretary Zhou is holding a secretary's office meeting at 9:00 this morning, and will meet with Director Zhang of the Public Security Bureau at 10:30," Li Ming reported as he walked over. "The Municipal Party Committee Standing Committee will be at 2:00 this afternoon, and at 4:00 we will hear a work report from the Procuratorate. At 6:00 this evening, Deputy Secretary Sun from the Provincial Political and Legal Committee will be coming to Gangcheng for research, and Secretary Zhou will be accompanying him to dinner."

"Okay, I understand." Lin Fan opened his schedule. "Secretary Li, what are the important documents for today?"

"There are three documents you need to review first." Li Ming handed over a folder. "One is a notice from the Provincial Political and Legal Affairs Commission on strengthening social security and prevention during the Spring Festival, one is a special report from the Municipal Court on the problem of enforcement difficulties, and one is a progress report from the Municipal Public Security Bureau on the special campaign against organized crime."

"Put it here, I'll look at it in a bit." Lin Fan took the folder. "By the way, how's the preparation plan for the city's political and legal work conference that I gave you yesterday progressing?"

"The first draft is finished," Xiao Wang replied. "I'm proofreading it now, and I can give it to you this afternoon."

"Okay, hurry up."

Lin Fan sat down and began working. The first document, a notice from the Provincial Political and Legal Affairs Commission, mainly required all localities to strengthen patrols and prevention measures before and after the Spring Festival to ensure social stability. He carefully read it through, marked several key points with a red pen, and then wrote his proposed handling opinions on the document processing sheet: "Please have the Political Department take the lead in formulating an implementation plan based on the actual situation in our city, and submit it to the Secretary for review within this week."

The second document was a report on the difficulties in enforcing court judgments. The problem was very specific—in 2009, the city's courts had accumulated over 3,000 unenforced cases, with an enforcement rate of less than 60%. The reasons were analyzed thoroughly: difficulty in locating the assets of the judgment debtors, insufficient cooperation from assisting enforcement units, and inadequate enforcement resources… Lin Fan frowned as he read it. After thinking for a moment, he wrote in the proposed action section: "It is recommended to convene a special coordination meeting, inviting representatives from the courts, public security bureaus, banks, housing management departments, and other relevant departments to study specific measures to solve the problem of enforcement difficulties."

The third document is the Public Security Bureau's summary of its "crackdown on organized crime." The results are impressive—seven organized crime gangs were dismantled, 86 criminal suspects were arrested, and over 120 criminal cases were solved. However, problems also exist: evidence in some cases was not solid enough, case-handling procedures were not standardized enough, and verification of tips from the public was not timely… Lin Fan commented: "Achievements should be acknowledged, but problems must be faced squarely. It is recommended that the Public Security Bureau organize a review, evaluate the cases already handled, and rectify any existing problems."

After reviewing three documents, it was already 8:40. Lin Fan rubbed his temples and got up to pour himself a glass of water. Just then, there was a knock on the office door.

"Please come in."

The man who came in was Old Chen, the director of the political department. He was in his fifties, with gray hair and wearing reading glasses.

"Director Lin, are you busy?"

"Director Chen, please have a seat," Lin Fan greeted him. "What can I do for you?"

"I'd like to report to you on the plan for training political and legal cadres next year." Old Chen sat down opposite me. "The province requires that cadres at or above the section level participate in no less than one week of training each year. Our political department has drafted a preliminary plan; please take a look."

Lin Fan took the plan and quickly skimmed through it. The plan was divided into four phases, with fifty people in each phase. The training content included political theory, laws and regulations, and professional skills. The location was the Municipal Party School, and the training would begin next March.

"The content is good, and the schedule is reasonable," Lin Fan said. "It's just that the budget needs to be refined. There needs to be a detailed breakdown of everything, including accommodation, venue, teachers, and teaching materials."

"Okay, I'll go back and refine it."

"Furthermore," Lin Fan thought for a moment, "training shouldn't just be lectures; it needs interaction, discussions, and ideally, some on-site learning opportunities. For example, visiting a prison, observing a court hearing, or experiencing life at a police station. Combining theory with practice will yield better results."

"That's a great suggestion!" Old Chen's eyes lit up. "I'll add it to the plan."

"Alright, report back to me with the details, and I'll report to Secretary Zhou."

"Okay, Director Lin."

After Lao Chen left, Lin Fan checked his watch; it was 8:55. He got up, picked up his notebook and pen, and headed towards Zhou Wenyuan's office.

Zhou Wenyuan was looking at documents when he saw him come in. He pointed to the chair opposite him and said, "Sit down. We have a lot to do today, let's get started."

Lin Fan sat down and opened his laptop.

"The main purpose of the Party Secretary's office meeting this morning was to discuss the city's key tasks for next year," Zhou Wenyuan said. "Regarding the political and legal affairs, I need to report on several aspects: social security and crime prevention, conflict resolution, and the development of the political and legal team. Please take notes on the key points."

Lin Fan quickly took notes.

"The key to maintaining public order is to improve the comprehensive prevention and control system. This involves combining human, physical, and technological defenses, with particular emphasis on increasing investment in and enhancing the intelligence level of technological defenses."

"To resolve conflicts and disputes, we must promote the localization of the 'Fengqiao Experience.' We should establish a four-tiered mediation network at the city, county, township, and village levels to resolve conflicts at the grassroots level and in their nascent stage."

"In building our team, we must focus on ideological and political development, improving professional skills, and rectifying discipline and work style. The political and legal team must be absolutely loyal, absolutely pure, and absolutely reliable."

Zhou Wenyuan explained things very clearly, and Lin Fan remembered them quickly. These ideas were actually reflected in the previous implementation plan, but now that Zhou Wenyuan wanted to present them at the secretary's office meeting, they needed to be refined and presented at a higher level.

"That's all," Zhou Wenyuan said. "Go back and organize it, write down the key points of the report, and give it to me before 9:30."

"Okay, Secretary Zhou."

Back in his office, Lin Fan immediately began organizing his notes. He extracted the key points of Zhou Wenyuan's speech, combined with the content of the implementation plan, and distilled them into three parts, each further subdivided into several points. The writing was concise, yet highlighted the key points and maintained a clear logic.

At 9:20, the key points were compiled. Lin Fan printed them out and delivered them to Zhou Wenyuan's office.

Zhou Wenyuan looked at it and nodded: "Okay, that's settled. I'm going to a meeting. You keep an eye on things here in the office."

"OK."

After Zhou Wenyuan left with the folder, Lin Fan returned to his office. He called Li Ming over: "Secretary Li, notify everyone in the office to have a short meeting at 10:30."

"Okay, Director Lin."

At 10:30, all twelve people in the office had arrived. The meeting room wasn't big, but there was enough room to sit.

"I'll take up a little of your time," Lin Fan said, getting straight to the point. "We'll have a short meeting today to discuss two main things."

Everyone opened their laptops.

"First, regarding work discipline," Lin Fan said seriously. "The office is the face of the Political and Legal Affairs Commission, and our conduct directly affects the image of the entire organization. From today onwards, everyone must: arrive and leave work on time, without being late or leaving early; dress appropriately, without wearing outlandish clothing; conduct your work in a civilized manner, without making loud noises; and be honest and self-disciplined, without accepting meals or gifts. These are the most basic requirements, and they must be met."

The meeting room was quiet, with only the sound of pens scratching across paper.

"Secondly, regarding work efficiency," Lin Fan continued, "Office work is multifaceted and must operate efficiently. I require: documents to be processed overnight, urgent documents to be processed immediately; all preparations for meetings to be completed three days in advance; tasks assigned by superiors to be recorded, followed up, and responded to; and departments to proactively coordinate and provide services. I will regularly check these requirements."

He paused for a moment: "I know some comrades may feel that the requirements are too strict. But I want to tell everyone that the nature of the Political and Legal Affairs Commission's work is special, and the requirements must be strict. We serve the public security, procuratorate, courts, and judicial departments, and the matters we handle are related to social stability and fairness and justice. The slightest slackness could have serious consequences. I hope everyone understands and supports us."

"I support it!" Old Zhao was the first to speak up. "Director Lin is right. Office work should be conducted with high standards and strict requirements."

The others nodded in agreement.

"Okay, meeting adjourned." Lin Fan glanced at his watch. "Everyone go about your business. Contact me anytime if you need anything."

The meeting lasted fifteen minutes, brief but effective. Lin Fan knew that in an organization, rules needed to be established early. He was new, so he had to set standards and clearly explain the rules. Only then could future work proceed smoothly.

After the meeting, Lin Fan returned to his office. The phone on his desk rang; it was the security guard calling: "Director Lin, there's a package for you, sent from Tuxian County."

"Okay, I'll have someone go down and get it."

A moment later, Xiao Wang came up with a cardboard box. The box wasn't big, but it was quite heavy. Lin Fan opened it; inside were two jars of chili sauce, several packets of walnuts, and a photo album. On the album's title page was a line that read: "Director Lin, all members of the Tuxian E-commerce Association wish you success in your work! — Written by Xiao Chen"

Lin Fan flipped through the photo album. It was full of new photos—the e-commerce incubation center had been expanded, with two more rows of computers; Grandma Wang's chili sauce factory had built a new factory building, and had many more workers; Grandpa Li's straw weaving cooperative's products were now on the shelves of department stores in the provincial capital; and there was also a group photo, with members of the e-commerce association standing in three rows, all smiles.

There was also a letter tucked behind the photo, written by Xiao Chen:

"Director Lin: It's like seeing you in person. It's been a week since you left Tuxian County, and everyone misses you. I have some good news for you. Last week, we participated in the provincial agricultural product fair, and Tuxian's chili sauce, walnuts, and straw weaving all received orders, totaling over 500,000 yuan. County Head Chen was very pleased and said he would promote e-commerce throughout the county. Rest assured, we will definitely build on the foundation you laid and do even better. We wish you continued success in your new position! Sincerely, Xiao Chen"

Lin Fan felt a warm feeling in his heart after reading the letter. He carefully put away the chili sauce and walnuts, planning to take them home over the weekend. He placed the photo album on the bookshelf, together with the one he had brought back from Tu County.

At lunchtime in the municipal party committee canteen, Lin Fan ran into several acquaintances: Director Zhang from the Organization Department, Section Chief Li from the Publicity Department, and Director Liu from the Discipline Inspection Commission. They sat at a table and chatted as they ate.

"Director Lin, I heard you've been very successful with your e-commerce business in Tuxian County?" Director Zhang asked.

"It's alright, mainly thanks to the hard work of the comrades in the county."

"Don't be modest," said Section Chief Li. "The Provincial Party Committee's Publicity Department has taken notice and is preparing to promote Tuxian County's e-commerce as a model of grassroots innovation."

"That's great, thank you, Section Chief Li."

"No need to thank me, it's because you've done a good job," Director Liu interjected. "Director Lin, now that you're at the Political and Legal Affairs Commission, if there's anything you need the Discipline Inspection Commission's cooperation with, just say so."

"Definitely, definitely."

The meal served both to exchange information and to strengthen relationships. Lin Fan knew that interpersonal relationships were crucial in the municipal government. He wasn't trying to create cliques, but necessary communication and coordination were essential.

At 2 PM, the Standing Committee of the Municipal Party Committee held a meeting. Lin Fan, as the Director of the Office, attended the meeting and took notes.

The atmosphere in the meeting room was serious. Party Secretary Wang Zhenshan presided over the meeting, which was attended by Mayor Chen Li, Deputy Party Secretary and Secretary of the Political and Legal Affairs Commission Zhou Wenyuan, and other standing committee members—a total of eleven people. The agenda consisted of three parts: discussing the city's economic work plan for next year, studying the cadre adjustment plan, and hearing a report on political and legal work.

The first two topics were discussed enthusiastically. Regarding economic work, Mayor Chen Li advocated for increased investment and large-scale projects; some Standing Committee members believed in a steady and pragmatic approach, avoiding redundant construction. Regarding cadre adjustments, the Organization Minister submitted a list of over twenty people, covering several important positions, each requiring discussion.

Lin Fan sat in the row seat against the wall, taking notes rapidly. He used a simplified notation system to keep up with the pace of the speech. This was a skill he had honed while working at the Finance Bureau.

When it was Zhou Wenyuan's turn to report on the work of the political and legal system, it was already 3:30 p.m. Zhou Wenyuan's report was concise, focusing on three key points: the prevention and control system, conflict resolution, and team building. Each point was accompanied by specific data and case studies, making it very persuasive.

After listening, Secretary Wang Zhenshan nodded: "Comrade Wenyuan's report was very clear. This is how political and legal work should be done: with clear ideas, effective measures, and tangible results. I agree to this arrangement."

Other members of the Standing Committee also expressed their agreement. Finally, Wang Zhenshan concluded: "Next year is the final year of the 'Eleventh Five-Year Plan,' and a crucial year for bridging the past and the future. Economic development and social stability are both indispensable. Comrades in the political and legal system bear a heavy responsibility and must go all out to safeguard the city's development."

The Standing Committee meeting lasted until 4:30. After the meeting, Zhou Wenyuan said to Lin Fan, "You'll be listening to the procuratorate's report later."

"Okay, Secretary Zhou."

At 4:30, the chief prosecutor of the procuratorate led a team to report. The report mainly covered this year's case handling and next year's work plans. Lin Fan listened attentively and took careful notes. He noticed that Zhou Wenyuan asked very detailed questions, paying particular attention to the quality and effectiveness of handling cases involving duty-related crimes.

"In investigating and prosecuting duty-related crimes, we cannot only look at the quantity, but also the quality," Zhou Wenyuan said. "Every case must stand the test of history and the people. The evidence must be solid, the procedures must be standardized, and the handling must be appropriate."

"Secretary Zhou is right, we will definitely strengthen the management of case handling quality," the chief prosecutor stated.

The report lasted until 5:30. After seeing the people from the procuratorate off, it was almost 6:00. Zhou Wenyuan checked his watch: "Deputy Secretary Sun from the Provincial Political and Legal Affairs Commission will arrive at 6:00. You'll come with me to pick him up."

"OK."

At 6:00 AM sharp, Deputy Secretary Sun's car from the Provincial Political and Legal Affairs Commission arrived at the Municipal Party Committee compound on time. Zhou Wenyuan, along with Lin Fan and officials from the Public Security Bureau, the Court, and the Justice Bureau, greeted them downstairs.

Deputy Secretary Sun was in his sixties, not very tall, but very energetic. He shook hands with Zhou Wenyuan: "Wenyuan, you've just arrived at the Political and Legal Affairs Commission, are you settling in well?"

"I'm getting used to it, please give me more guidance, Secretary Sun."

"I wouldn't call it guidance, I just came to take a look," Deputy Secretary Sun said with a smile. "I've heard that your steel city's political and legal work has many highlights, so I've come to learn from your experience."

The banquet was held at the municipal party committee guesthouse. It wasn't high-profile, but it was very thoughtful. Since Deputy Secretary Sun didn't drink alcohol, everyone ate tea instead. During the meal, Deputy Secretary Sun asked many questions: What is the state of public security? How safe do the people feel? How strong is the combat effectiveness of the law enforcement team? Zhou Wenyuan answered each question, while Lin Fan added details from the side.

"Wenyuan, your transition from the finance system to the political and legal system is a big leap," said Deputy Secretary Sun. "But I see you've adapted to your new role very quickly. What does that show? It shows that as long as you're willing to learn and delve into things, you can do any job well."

"Secretary Sun, you flatter me. I'm still learning."

"It's not an overstatement, it's the truth." Deputy Secretary Sun said earnestly, "What the political and legal work needs most is your down-to-earth and hardworking style. Keep up the good work, the province is watching."

The banquet ended at eight o'clock. After seeing off Deputy Secretary Sun, Zhou Wenyuan said to Lin Fan, "You've worked hard today, go home and get some rest."

"Secretary Zhou, you should also get some rest."

Lin Fan drove back to the municipal party committee's residential compound. On the way, he called Wang Juan.

"Hey, Juan'er, I just finished here."

"Have you got a meal yet?"

"I ate, and then I accompanied the leaders from the Provincial Political and Legal Affairs Commission. What about you?"

"We've already eaten. Baby Beibei just fell asleep; she was so fussy today, probably missing her dad."

Lin Fan's heart softened: "I'll go back this weekend and spend some quality time with them."

"Hmm. Are you getting used to your place there?"

"It's a habit, quite convenient. It's just a bit deserted."

"How about I come and stay with you for a couple of days?"

"No need, you're already tired enough taking care of the kids. I only stay here when I'm working overtime, and I usually go home."

"Okay, then you should get some rest."

"The same to you."

After hanging up the phone, the car had already arrived at the residential compound. I parked the car and went upstairs. Opening the door, the house was dark and quiet.

Lin Fan turned on the light, changed his shoes, and took off his suit jacket. He walked to the window and looked at the night view outside. The night in the municipal party committee compound was very quiet, with only a few windows still lit.

He walked to the bookshelf, picked up the photo album he had brought from Tuxian County, and flipped through it page by page. The people in the photos were smiling so brightly; it was the satisfaction after hard work, the joy after changing their destiny.

He thought of the days and nights he spent in Tuxian County, of the young people who had struggled alongside him, and of the simple, honest people like Aunt Wang and Uncle Li. Those days were tiring, but fulfilling.

Now, he has stepped onto a larger stage, shouldering greater responsibilities. But he is not afraid, because of his experience in Tuxian County, and because he knows what he is doing and what he needs to do.

In this life, he not only wants to secure a stable and prosperous life for himself and his family, but also wants to do something practical for those who trust him and for those in need.

At the Finance Bureau, he helped Zhou Wenyuan gain a foothold; in Tuxian County, he helped the people find a way out; now at the Municipal Political and Legal Affairs Commission, he wants to help Zhou Wenyuan open up new prospects and contribute to the stability and development of this city.

This is the meaning of his rebirth, and the path he chose.

After taking a shower, Lin Fan lay in bed. He took out his phone and looked at photos of his sons—Baby was drinking milk from a bottle, and Beibei was playing with toys on a playmat; the two little ones were smiling with their eyes crinkled. As he looked, the corners of his mouth unconsciously turned up.

He has work and challenges ahead tomorrow, but he's prepared.

Lin Fan slept soundly that night. He knew that no matter what lay ahead, he had the ability to face it and the confidence to do well.

Because family is a support system, career is a direction, and belief is a source of strength.

This is enough.