Reborn to Become A Queen: The Real Heiress's Comeback-Chapter 391: I Am His Mistress!

Xue Lingling was being held by Vermilion Bird, feeling that these arms gave her an overwhelming sense of security.

She stared at Vermilion Bird until his ears turned crimson.

Vermilion Bird placed her on the bed and said, "Rest here for now. We’ll talk after the medicine’s effects wear off."

Xue Lingling blinked her eyes, signaling her understanding.

Vermilion Bird stepped out of the room and closed the door behind her.

Yun He was just about to leave when Vermilion Bird called out coldly, stopping him in his tracks. Yun He turned back to glance at Vermilion Bird, who had just exited Xue Lingling’s room.

Yun He silently griped to himself: Commander, you’re not cutting it! You came out so quickly—you should look at Master. Now that’s what a real man is!

"Why didn’t you come over earlier?" Vermilion Bird asked coldly.

Yun He put on a serious face and replied, "What do you mean? Subordinate heard nothing at all."

Vermilion Bird frowned, "Do you have donkey hair stuffed in your ears or what?"

Yun He scratched his ears and said, "Commander, I’ll go clean my ears right away!"

With those words, he leapt into the air and disappeared from the spot.

Vermilion Bird moved his shoulders and arms, silently vowing: The next time Xue Lingling is brewing poison and I go into her room again, I swear I’ll be a dog!

This little troublemaker Xue Lingling is far too dangerous—better to stay far away from her!

Ever since Xue Lingling moved into his courtyard, Master and Madam didn’t seem to need him anymore. They only tasked him with protecting Xue Lingling.

An hour later, Xue Lingling finally detoxified herself and ran off to visit the Princess before returning.

Xue Lingling dashed into Vermilion Bird’s room, beaming as she said, "Little Vermilion Bird, let’s go out and have fun!"

Vermilion Bird’s lips twitched. He said seriously, "Just call me Vermilion Bird. Don’t call me ’Little Vermilion Bird.’ This Commander is much older than you!"

Xue Lingling chuckled mischievously. When it came to going out, she completely forgot about the embarrassing situation between them earlier.

"I just visited Princess Sister. She said you should accompany me to stroll around the main street and also buy some Nanjin-style women’s clothing for me!"

Vermilion Bird: "..."

Pointing at his own face, he asked, "Me? Buy them?"

"Yes, that’s right. Princess Sister gave me this," Xue Lingling pulled out a silver note from her pocket and waved it toward Vermilion Bird.

Vermilion Bird took the silver note and inspected it. As expected, Madam was exceedingly generous—1,000 taels of silver! One couldn’t possibly spend all that on clothes!

Xue Lingling went on, "Princess Sister also said: you can take me to hear opera, eat delicious food, and you’re not allowed to come back until the money’s all spent!"

Cold sweat broke out on Vermilion Bird’s forehead. He glanced at the afternoon sun hanging high in the sky. Spending 1,000 taels of silver? This was going to take some effort.

He turned to Xue Lingling, "Let’s go, out the door!"

Xue Lingling cheerily followed behind Vermilion Bird.

She was over the moon. Compared to her crazy brother, Princess Sister was, simply put, her true favorite!

She had made up her mind to brew lots of poison for Princess Sister as a token of gratitude!

They took a carriage and first bought a set of clothes that fit her roughly, with the rest being custom-tailored.

Wrapped in a crimson outfit, Xue Lingling looked especially lively and radiant.

The shopkeeper glanced at Vermilion Bird and said, "Your wife is truly graceful—she looks good in anything!"

Vermilion Bird immediately clarified, "She’s not my wife."

The shopkeeper smiled faintly, speaking with meaningful undertones, "Ah—I see, I understand. A handsome gentleman like yourself, naturally your ’outer chamber’ must be a beauty!"

Xue Lingling leaned toward Vermilion Bird and asked curiously, "Little Vermilion Bird, what’s an ’outer chamber’?"

Vermilion Bird was already regretting visiting this tailor shop. With a grim expression, he dragged Xue Lingling out.

Once in the carriage, the Hidden Guard driving it asked, "Commander, where to next?"

Vermilion Bird replied in a deep voice, "Somewhere lively!"

He placed a veiled hat on Xue Lingling’s head.

Xue Lingling asked, "Little Vermilion Bird, why do we have to wear veiled hats?"

Vermilion Bird coughed lightly. As Mu Yan’s Dark Guard Commander, ordinary people wouldn’t recognize him.

But if he happened to encounter someone who did, anyone misunderstanding his relationship with Xue Lingling would certainly be awkward.

Both donned their veiled hats before disembarking.

"Little Vermilion Bird, I want that!" Xue Lingling ran to a sugar figurine stall, her eyes gleaming with excitement.

Vermilion Bird followed up behind her, speaking coldly, "Don’t call me that."

"Little Vermilion Bird, I want this rabbit!" Xue Lingling was already spellbound by the sugar figurine, entirely ignoring Vermilion Bird’s remark.

Vermilion Bird handed over Copper Coin to the stall owner, who immediately passed the sugar figurine to Xue Lingling.

Xue Lingling removed her veiled hat, handed it to Vermilion Bird, and became completely absorbed in her sugar figurine.

She took a lick, giggling with joy as she ate.

Vermilion Bird furrowed his brow. Was it really that delicious? This girl truly hadn’t eaten much in her life!

"Let’s go; I’ll take you to the night market," Vermilion Bird said as he strode ahead.

He removed his veiled hat as well—the night market’s atmosphere was too gritty for him to worry about running into familiar faces.

Ding’an City’s night market was bustling. The sizzling heat of the street stalls was everywhere, and the aroma of delicious food filled the air.

In less than fifteen minutes, Xue Lingling had already devoured five skewers of grilled meat, three pieces of sugar cakes, a chicken leg, and a bowl of beef noodles.

Light on her feet, she darted to a stall selling candied chestnuts.

"This... I want this, Little Vermilion Bird!"

The stall vendor handed her a paper-wrapped bundle of candied chestnuts.

Xue Lingling held the warm chestnuts in her palms, inhaling their sweet aroma. She grabbed one and popped it straight into her mouth.

Vermilion Bird shook his head, took one from the paper bag, peeled it, and handed it over as he said, "This is how you eat it!"

Xue Lingling accepted it, munching as she exclaimed, "Delicious, so delicious!"

Vermilion Bird held the paper bag for Xue Lingling, casually commenting, "At this rate, you’ll turn into a little fatty soon."

Xue Lingling mimicked Vermilion Bird’s method and peeled a chestnut as she replied, "Impossible. For us Poisonous Insect Clan, we have a Lifebound Gu Worm in our bodies—it’s impossible for me to get fat!"

Vermilion Bird’s brow twitched wildly. Could it be that what she ate was partially absorbed by the Gu Worm? That was a little terrifying...

As they chatted, Vermilion Bird suddenly spotted someone drinking alone in a small tavern—it was Xiao Chen.

Xiao Chen happened to look over as well, and Vermilion Bird stepped forward to greet him, "Greetings, Mr. Xiao!"

Xiao Chen, now the Minister of the Ministry of Criminal Justice, sat in such a gritty place drinking alone—a rare occurrence indeed.

Xiao Chen glanced at the pair and nodded slightly.

With his gender-defying appearance, Xiao Chen’s stunning features caught Xue Lingling’s attention, and she lit up with excitement like a little hen discovering treasure.

Ahhh, there were so many handsome men in Ding’an City!

Holding her bundle of candied chestnuts, Xue Lingling asked, "Little Vermilion Bird, is this handsome brother your friend?"

Was her luck for real? In just a few days, she’d encountered so many gorgeous men.

Xue Lingling silently ranked them in her heart: First, the Regent King. Second, the handsome man before her. As for third, that’s Little Vermilion Bird!

Before Vermilion Bird could answer, Xiao Chen smiled faintly and said, "Yes. I am Xiao Chen. May I know who this young lady is?"

Xue Lingling, brimming with excitement, pointed at Vermilion Bird and announced, "I’m his ’outer chamber’!"

Vermilion Bird: "..."

Before Vermilion Bird could clear things up, Xue Lingling had already plopped herself down opposite Xiao Chen, enthusiastically asking, "Xiao Chen Brother, what are you drinking?"

Vermilion Bird rolled his eyes. This little troublemaker called everyone ’Brother.’

Xiao Chen replied indifferently, "Just call me Xiao Chen. Would you care to have some wine?"

Xue Lingling nodded like a pecking chicken. Although people of the Poisonous Insect Clan didn’t usually drink wine, she wanted to try!