The bloodless war at the donation ceremony finally came to an end. Once the reporters had been cleared out, the buffet reception that followed took center stage. The tables in the conference room had been pushed together, covered with white cloths, and piled with what Li Jie called foods packed with power.
Oliver Queen had a steak on his plate, but he had yet to take a bite. He stood in a corner with a slight frown and an unfocused gaze, repeatedly working through a simple math problem in his head.
How had three million turned into five million?
He had come to Gotham to smooth over the trouble he had inadvertently caused, conduct a targeted strategic investigation, and do a little charity on the side. Instead, everything had spun completely out of his control, and his budget had nearly doubled. What frustrated him even more was that he felt entirely justified in spending those extra two million, yet somehow had no idea why he had done it.
Should I concede? No, the people of Gotham provoked me first. My response was perfectly reasonable. But if I didn't do anything wrong, why did I spend so much extra...
His thoughts were a tangled mess, and he sank back into his usual internal struggle. Bruce Wayne, however, looked far more at ease, weaving leisurely through the crowd like a feline surveying its territory. He exchanged a few casual words with several officers who recognized him, leaving them flattered by the attention. Eventually, he stopped near Li Jie.
"Hey, Jay. Long time no see."
"Hey!"
Li Jie immediately grinned around a mouthful of toast and bacon. He hurriedly chewed a few times, forced it all down, and wiped his mouth with his hand. "Ah, long time no see, Wayne... ah, Master Bruce."