The richest man started taking advantage of loopholes after joining Alibaba.

Chapter 616 The First Green Light!

Hangzhou.

The weather was still gray in the second week of January, but it was better than at the end of December, at least the sun could be seen occasionally.

The ginkgo tree downstairs in the community is still bare, but a thin layer of buds has sprouted on the branches. They are not visible from a distance, but can be seen as tiny pale green dots when viewed up close.

Lin Che spent the next few days in quiet contemplation after signing the papers.

Every day when I get to the office, I check the CCPS data, the Ark backend, and my email.

The daily average data increased a little each day, from 5200 to 5300, and then to 5400. It wasn't fast, but it kept rising.

Temperature is maintained at 99.7 degrees Celsius, without fail.

There were no new unusual inflows into the BVI account.

Fang Yuan never came back.

There is no new information about Chen Wei.

He neither replied to nor deleted the message about "Africa" from the unknown number; he simply left it at the top of his text message list.

Every time I open the text message, I see those three words, lying quietly at the top of my inbox.

He didn't know whose number it was, or what the person who sent the message wanted.

But he wasn't nervous.

He's done what he needed to do, signed what he needed to sign, and the rest is beyond his control.

On the afternoon of January 11, Xie Yu made a phone call.

Xie Yu usually makes phone calls once a week, typically between 4 and 5 pm on Fridays, without fail.

Today is Wednesday, at 2:15 PM.

It wasn't his usual reporting time.

Xie Yu is not someone who would break his own rhythm unless there is something worth breaking it.

Lin Che accepted it.

"President Lin," Xie Yu's voice had a suppressed tremor, as if he was trying to control his tone but couldn't quite manage it, "the delay in the Chengdu signing has been lifted."

Signing delayed.

Chengdu is the fastest-growing of the four cities in the second batch, with an average of 1800 vehicles per day, but it has a lingering problem.

When CCPS was launched in Chengdu, a local approval process got stuck, and a technical compliance stamp was delayed for more than three months.

It wasn't rejected, it was "suspended," it's been hanging there, neither approved nor denied.

During the three months that it was suspended, Chengdu's CCPS was actually operating under a "temporary" status, which was legally flawed.

Xie Yu made two trips to Chengdu, and each time he returned with the same report: "It's still going through the process, but the other party said it will be done soon."

We've been saying "it'll be here soon" for three months, but it hasn't come any closer.

When was it approved?

"This morning," Xie Yu said, "Director Zhang personally signed it."

Director Zhang.

The local supervisor in Chengdu responsible for CCPS technical coordination is at the division chief level.

Previously, my attitude towards dealing with Weiguang was always standard administrative politeness, neither too warm nor too cold. I would cooperate when necessary, but never say anything beyond what was not my business.

Of the two times Xie Yu flew there before, Director Zhang only met with him once; the other time, he sent his deputy instead.

"He even called after he signed it," Xie Yu said.

Who should I call?

"He called me," Xie Yu's tone shifted slightly, "He said, 'Please tell President Lin to rest assured, Chengdu will fully cooperate.'"

Please.

He used the word "please".

Lin Che got to know Director Zhang through Xie Yu's report; the two had never spoken directly.

But every time Xie Yu relayed Director Zhang's original words, Lin Che would pay attention to his wording habits.

Director Zhang speaks directly, using phrases like "okay," "successful," and "I understand," never beating around the bush or using honorifics.

In all of Xie Yu's reports, from the first time he mentioned Director Zhang until now, the word "please" has never appeared once.

It happened today.

"Please tell General Manager Lin that he can rest assured."

It's not "tell Mr. Lin a word," nor is it "tell your Mr. Lin."

It means "Please pass on the message".

"That's exactly what he said?" Lin Che confirmed.

"The exact words, not a single word changed," Xie Yu said. "I even recorded it."

Lin Che almost burst out laughing.

Xie Yu actually recorded it.

This person is indeed meticulous in his work; after relaying the information, he even made a recording as a backup.

Like his 0.38 fine-tipped pen, he wrote everything down and kept everything.

"Is there anything else?"

"After the signatures were approved, the Chengdu team immediately started the next step of the technical coordination process," Xie Yu said. "Director Zhang's people signed the documents in the morning, and by 1 p.m. that afternoon, they had sent over the coordination plan via email, which was at least two weeks faster than we had expected."

One o'clock in the afternoon.

Signed in the morning, followed by coordination in the afternoon.

Not a minute wasted.

"At this rate, Chengdu can complete all of the second phase of deployment before the Spring Festival."

Before the Spring Festival.

Phase II deployment.

The approval process had been delayed for three months, but it suddenly went through today. Director Zhang personally signed the document and called to request it. Chengdu will immediately proceed with the next step.

This was not a decision made by a local official on their own.

This is the execution that occurs after receiving a certain signal.

"Xie Yu."

"exist."

"Has there been any related documents or notices from Chengdu?"

"He didn't say anything specific," Xie Yu thought for a moment, "but Director Zhang's original words included the sentence, 'We have received the opinions from above.'"

The above opinions.

"We received it."

Lin Che leaned back in his chair.

Sunlight streamed in through the window. In mid-January in Hangzhou, the sun peeked through the gaps in the clouds, shining on the glass curtain wall of the office building across the street, reflecting shards of light.

A sliver of light streamed through his office window, landing on the desk and overlapping with the positions of the four icons on it.

Chengdu is shining.

The first green light.

The signature that had been pending for three months was finally approved today.

Director Zhang used the word "please," which he never used before.

"We have received your feedback."

Everything is pointing in the same direction.

"Xie Yu, summarize today's events and send them to me."

"I'm already writing it," Xie Yu said, typing as he spoke on the phone. "I'll get it to you in half an hour."

It's over.

Lin Che placed his phone on the table.

The office was quiet, with only the hum of the air conditioner and the faint sound of traffic outside the window.

Sunlight streamed in through the window, dividing the desk in front of him into two halves: the pen holder in the light and the computer screen in the dark.

After the document was approved in Chengdu, Director Zhang used the word "please," adding, "We have received the feedback from above."

All three pieces of information point to the same conclusion: a document or instruction from above arrived in Chengdu through a channel unknown to Xie Yu.

The arrival time is probably in the next few days, no earlier, because Director Zhang only signed the document today.

This is the same thing as Wuhan's "strategic infrastructure".

The file is being sent out.

Wherever it's sent, the green light comes on.

Wuhan made its stance clear, and Chengdu made its signature clear.

Which city is next?

He picked up the water glass on the table and took a sip. The water was already cold, but he didn't care.

He glanced at the four icons on the table as he put the cup down.

Lv4 is still empty.

The phone rang again.

It's not Xie Yu.

It's not an unfamiliar number.