Oliver left the corner in something of a hurry, wearing the complicated expression of a man who had swallowed an entire lemon whole and still had to keep smiling. Li Jie watched his tall, inexplicably stiff figure disappear among the jewel-bedecked guests, shrugged in satisfaction, and returned his attention to the unfinished platter of cold cuts before him.
"Well, well. Ham and melon. Someone knows how to eat."
He speared a slice and popped it into his mouth. Savory saltiness and delicate sweetness burst across his tongue, perfectly soothing the mental strain of that intense bout of socializing.
At the front of the banquet hall, the lights gradually converged on the stage, and the emcee announced the official start of the charity donation ceremony in a richly modulated voice. The extravagantly wealthy guests gravitated toward the stage like metal filings drawn by an invisible magnet. Names were called out one after another, and wealthy donors and celebrities known throughout Star City-and even the nation-stepped onto the stage with polished smiles. They spoke into the microphone about their charitable ideals, some sincere and some grandiose, then signed checks for staggering sums, drawing rounds of perfectly timed applause.
"St. Joy Medical Center Foundation, five hundred thousand dollars!"
"The Wilfred Family, eight hundred thousand dollars!"
"Queen Industries, one million five hundred thousand dollars!"
Every announced sum struck like a heavy hammer against the drumhead of high-society respectability. Hidden in his corner, Li Jie kept stuffing food into his mouth while watching the spectacle with keen interest, as though enjoying a piece of performance art, silently scoring each performer.
Just as the wave of donations began to subside and the emcee prepared to move on, Oliver Queen stepped into the center of the stage again. He took the microphone from the emcee, his face