Tenses change.
What do you think the rule might be?
John (Direct speech): ' I am really hungry'
Amy (Reported speech): John said that he was really hungry.
John (Direct): 'I am meeting Paul for dinner'
Amy (Reported): John said he was meeting Paul for dinner.
John (Direct): 'we bought an electric car'
Amy (Reported): John said that he had bought an electric car