What defines final dignity?

Not begging for mercy before one’s enemies.

If death was inevitable, he could at least choose how to die.

By pulling the trigger himself, he could at least choose the time, place, and suit to wear.

If he left the choice to others, they might stage the murder as an accident, like a car crash – too undignified a death.

BANG—

Old Ivan was selfish. In choosing to end his life, he might have considered George and Cynthia but hadn’t spared a thought for the hotel.

George found Harold at the golf club.

Finally meeting Harold, as Old Ivan had instructed, he mentioned the swing under the walnut tree and the pony called “Moonlight.”

These were tender memories between Old Ivan and Harold.

Though they had unknowingly reached a point of mortal conflict, they once shared warmth… Many years ago, when Ivan wasn’t old and Harold was still young, the brothers had quite a good relationship.

Ivan, that crafty old fox – was he deliberately having George show weakness?

This was Harold’s first thought.

“George, I can decide what I do, but I can’t control what others do! Your parents have provoked some dangerous gangsters—”

Harold instinctively deflected, but halfway through speaking, he suddenly clamped his mouth shut.

Ivan probably knew better than him what kind of dangerous people Zhang Jiandong had left behind.

“Let’s go to the hotel.”

Harold already had a bad feeling.

George, though older than Harold, hadn’t caught on yet. Thinking he had convinced Harold, he was somewhat happy:

“Uncle Harold, I swear we’ll live quietly in Europe!”

Harold said nothing. When they arrived at the South Sea Hotel, they already sensed something was wrong.

A foreign guest’s death at the South Sea Hotel didn’t just alert the local police station but also brought city bureau officials to the scene immediately.

Old Ivan had died from a gunshot.

Police investigation of the scene initially determined it was suicide by gunshot.

“There were no signs of forced entry into the room. The cleaning staff heard the gunshot, and knocked, but received no response…”

Ivan Wilson had been staying at the South Sea Hotel for quite some time.

Why did he suddenly commit suicide by gunshot?

The police hoped to get some clues from George.

George’s emotions completely collapsed; his resilience was too weak.

Harold ignored the police’s advice to stay and walked into the room.

Old Ivan lay on the bed, having blown his head off.

Harold stared at the body, lost in thought.

He certainly wouldn’t break down crying like George – crying was a sign of weakness, and the leader of the Wilson family couldn’t be weak.

Who knows if at this moment he truly remembered that pony named ‘Moonlight’ that Ivan had given him?

And that swing Ivan had built with his own hands under the walnut tree.

And some other things…

“Mr. Harold.”

Butler Allen believed Harold must be grieving at this moment, even though Harold hadn’t shed a single tear.

Some people are taught from childhood to be strong, and the strong don’t allow themselves to cry.

In this whole affair, who made the mistake?

Who was right or wrong hardly mattered anymore.

Harold turned and left, ignoring the grief-stricken George. He just shut himself alone in his office, and two hours later, told Allen his decision:

“Drop the charges against Cynthia. If there’s resistance from Tina’s side, have them come to me to resolve it.”

“…Send them to Europe.”

The first “them” referred to Zhang Jiandong’s men left to protect Tina, plus the angry Xu family members.

Zhang’s men and Xu Zhongyi all wanted Ivan and Cynthia dead. Harold’s passive stance, even pleasure at this prospect, was the main reason for Ivan’s suicide.

The old fox knew he had failed.

He wasn’t begging for mercy per se; he was wagering his life that Harold would soften and spare Cynthia and George.

George hadn’t been involved in the plan anyway; it was mainly about Cynthia.

Ivan had won his bet – Harold’s second “them” referred to Cynthia and George.

“Sir, I will certainly handle these matters properly.”

Butler Allen sighed inwardly – Mr. Harold would never show his grief to anyone. If only there were someone who could comfort Mr. Harold.

But there wasn’t.

The strong don’t allow themselves to cry, and he had no true friends, no lover.

What ran through his life was constantly accumulating wealth and constantly accumulating loneliness… Butler Allen prayed to God, hoping his employer would receive even a touch of God’s grace.

Xia Xiaolan heard this news from Ji Jiangyuan.

By then, she had just finished the initial concept drawings for the museum.

The connections between people are truly unpredictable. Just as Xia Xiaolan had felt fatherly love from Tang Hong’en, Ji Jiangyuan had felt the same from George. Although George and Ji Ya’s marriage had been particularly brief, and American parent-child relationships were more informal, George had genuinely tried to be a good “stepfather,” making efforts to show goodwill to Ji Jiangyuan.

“Uncle George has left China, taking Ivan’s ashes. He’ll first return to America to pick up Mrs. Wilson, then head to Europe. He plans to settle in Europe and hopes to meet a lady there he can come to care for… This was Mr. Ivan’s final wish for him.”

Ji Jiangyuan’s eyes reddened as he spoke of this.

Old Ivan’s death wasn’t unjust.

If he hadn’t killed himself now, he couldn’t have escaped others’ pursuit later.

Ji Jiangyuan was reluctant to part with George.

Although George had invited him to visit Europe when he had the chance, Ji Jiangyuan knew he had completely lost “Uncle George.”

His connection with George was built on George’s affection for his mother Ji Ya. Ivan’s death led George to decide to leave China for Europe – this decision meant completely letting go of Ji Ya.

Yes, George’s divorce from Ji Ya hadn’t meant completely giving up on her.

Over these past few months, George had been running between Pengcheng and HK hospitals, surely hoping Ji Ya’s condition would improve, hoping she could regain her ability to love… But things hadn’t gone as hoped. George made one final visit to HK’s Ching San Hospital, asking Ji Ya if she would like to recuperate in Europe, but still didn’t get the answer he wanted.

Ji Jiangyuan was reluctant to let George go, yet felt it was also a kind of release for George.

Only after complete disappointment can one walk away from pain.

Xia Xiaolan didn’t know what to say.

Could Ji Ya find another George?

Probably impossible.

Xia Xiaolan could only ask Ji Jiangyuan: “What about you? What are your plans next?”

“I resigned from the golf club. I know this wasn’t Harold’s fault, but I felt very uncomfortable continuing to work at the club. I’ll stay at school for a while and figure out what path I want to take!”