Help! I'm in Another World and the Dragon Man Want Me To Get Pregnant!
Chapter 46: Facing the Past

Chapter 46: Facing the Past

After the man left, Henry turned to Shen Xinghui with a calm but piercing gaze.

He flipped the sign on the door to "Closed" and called for Jenna before leading Shen Xinghui to his private quarters.

Henry’s room was similar to Shen Xinghui’s, though the bed was larger, as it was shared with Jenna.

Shen Xinghui sat across from Henry, clutching at the hem of his clothes, unable to lift his gaze.

"Xinghui," Henry said directly, "is it true that Prince Ignatius is looking for you?"

The blunt question made Shen Xinghui’s heart feel like it might burst.

It was a wonder it hadn’t already jumped out of his chest, but somehow, he managed to stay composed—barely.

"I’m not angry," Henry said gently. "And I don’t believe you’ve done anything wrong. You’re an honest and kind young man. After living with you for a month, that much is clear."

"I..." Shen Xinghui tried to speak but faltered.

"I understand that you may have reasons for keeping this a secret," Henry continued. "But sooner or later, the truth will come out. People in town know you, and if someone mentions you to the mayor, this place will be thrown into turmoil. For your sake and ours, will you tell me why you’re being searched for and what your connection to Prince Ignatius is?"

Shen Xinghui’s voice trembled, refusing to form words properly.

However, Henry’s reasoning was sound.

The inn’s patrons all knew him, and if someone reported him to the authorities, it would bring trouble to the inn and the people who had been so kind to him.

Tears welled up in Shen Xinghui’s eyes and began to fall.

He felt overwhelmed by guilt for causing trouble to such good people.

"I’m sorry..." Shen Xinghui whispered.

"Xinghui..." Henry said gently.

"I’m so sorry!" Shen Xinghui cried, his voice breaking.

All Shen Xinghui could do was apologize.

Tears dripped steadily from his lowered face, creating patterns on the wooden floor.

Henry walked over, gently wrapped his arms around him, and stroked his back.

"You don’t need to apologize," Henry said softly. "You’ve already endured so much just by being someone from another world. Don’t feel like you have to hold back, and don’t think of yourself as a burden. You are my precious son."

Hearing those words, warmth and kindness flooded Shen Xinghui’s chest, and he cried.

His sobs racked his body, and even then, Henry continued to comfort him, staying by his side the entire time.

That night, Shen Xinghui finally opened up to Henry and Jenna.

He told them everything—how Ignatius had been the first person he met in this world, how much Ignatius had helped him, his unique skills, the events that transpired before they reached the Drakhtar Dominion, the mistake he made, and how he ultimately fled.

It took a long time to share everything, but Shen Xinghui felt a small sense of relief afterward.

He hadn’t thought of it as guilt before, but perhaps, deep down, it had been weighing on him.

When he finished, Jenna hugged him with tears in her eyes, whispering, "You’ve been through so much."

Henry, on the other hand, looked at him steadily and gave a single nod.

"I understand the situation between you and Prince Ignatius," Henry said. "Now, the question is—will you return to him?"

Shen Xinghui couldn’t find an answer.

Truthfully, he didn’t know why Ignatius was searching for him.

Moreover, he didn’t know what kind of feelings he could carry when standing before Ignatius.

Things couldn’t go back to how they were before.

Just the thought of being near him but never truly connecting left him feeling suffocated.

"I don’t know," Shen Xinghui admitted, his voice trembling. "I... I love Ignatius. I still do. That’s why it hurts so much to have been rejected. I’m scared to see him again. It’s painful, and I don’t know if I can bear it."

This, Shen Xinghui realized, was the truth of his heart.

Henry listened while crossing his arms with a serious expression. "But you never actually heard his answer, did you?"

"What? Oh... maybe not. But he pushed me away."

"He may have been caught off guard. Did you ever directly ask about his feelings?"

"No."

"Then you need to have that conversation. You won’t be able to move forward otherwise. Even if someone else captures your heart in the future, you’ll still be haunted by the unresolved past. Closure is essential—it’s the lack of it that leaves these lingering feelings."

Henry’s words sank deep into Shen Xinghui’s heart.

Perhaps he did need to summon his courage again.

But the thought of facing rejection a second time, this time in words, was terrifying.

"I’ll be here for you," Henry said firmly. "I’ve sworn to protect you. You are our precious son, and I won’t let anyone—prince or not—hurt you. So gather your courage and find out the truth."

"...Okay," Shen Xinghui whispered, his resolve slowly forming.

After a long night of deliberation, Shen Xinghui finally nodded.

He was scared, but running away wasn’t an option.

The unwavering support of Henry and Jenna gave him the courage he needed.

Shen Xinghui resolved to face Ignatius once more and have an honest conversation.

If he ended up hurt, he would deal with it then.

For now, he wasn’t alone.

The following day, Henry wrote a letter to Ignatius on Shen Xinghui’s behalf.

Instead of delivering it through the mayor, Henry used magic to ensure it would reach Ignatius directly.

As he enchanted the envelope, Shen Xinghui held it tightly, focusing on every detail he could recall about Ignatius—his face, voice, and presence.

When the spell activated, the envelope transformed into a white bird and flew away.

Shen Xinghui marveled at how convenient and magical this world was, though he couldn’t use such abilities himself.

Now, all that was left was to wait—and that was proving to be the hardest part.

Out of consideration for Shen Xinghui’s emotional state, Henry and Jenna had closed the shop for the day, knowing Ignatius’s response would likely come soon and that Shen Xinghui might need to act quickly.