Li Xiu Mei was soon picked up and brought to the city where Lin Yan resided. After arranging for Man Man's hospital admission, Lin Yan rushed to the hospital.
"You're here, I've caused you a lot of trouble," Li Xiu Mei said, seeing Lin Yan enter the ward. She quickly put down the apple she was peeling into a lunchbox, wiped her hands, and stood up to greet Lin Yan.
"It's no trouble, Sister Li. How is Man Man's condition?" Lin Yan walked towards the hospital bed.
"It's the same, all the check-ups are normal, it's just the fever. We can only try physical cooling; medication is of no use at all," Li Xiu Mei said, looking worriedly at the sleeping girl on the bed. "She's asleep now, but she's very uncomfortable when she's awake."
Lin Yan went to the bedside and placed her fingers on the girl's wrist.
"Has anything happened in your family recently, Sister Li?" Lin Yan asked, observing the spiritual energy that was almost overflowing from Man Man's body. She found it very strange.
Although Man Man was the protagonist with great talent, she shouldn't have accumulated such potent spiritual energy at just over a year old.
"Nothing out of the ordinary. Ever since you sealed Man Man's eyes, and with the jade pendant the Abbot gave her, Man Man hasn't even gotten sick. She's been very easy to care for, and I was even planning to take her to find my husband."
Suddenly, she seemed to remember something. "When I took Man Man to the county hospital, a man struck up a conversation with me and asked about the jade pendant on Man Man's neck."
"What kind of person?" Lin Yan had already confirmed that Man Man had no physical problems. The fever was merely due to an excess of spiritual energy blocking her meridians.
Li Xiu Mei described the man's attire and appearance in detail to Lin Yan. "What's wrong? Did someone do something harmful to Man Man?"
"The spiritual energy in Man Man's body is indeed a bit unusual. I'm not sure if it was intentionally done. Logically, Man Man shouldn't be experiencing this," Lin Yan carefully smoothed out the spiritual energy within Man Man's body.
Before long, Man Man's small furrowed brow relaxed. Her flushed little face didn't seem as red anymore.
Seeing her daughter's visible recovery, Li Xiu Mei felt her heart settle.
Lin Yan spent half an hour clearing Man Man's internal spiritual energy. By the time she finished, Man Man's fever had also subsided.
Li Xiu Mei looked at the reduced temperature with surprise and repeatedly thanked Lin Yan.
Coming to Lin Yan was indeed the right decision; her daughter's fever had been brought down!
"Sister Li, you need to be mentally prepared."
Lin Yan said somewhat seriously as she looked at the happy Li Xiu Mei.
"Wh-what is it?" Li Xiu Mei asked, flustered. Were there more problems with Man Man, or...?
"I told you before that when Man Man turns five, we can completely seal her spiritual energy and make her an ordinary person. But now that Man Man's spiritual energy has suddenly surged, I'm afraid we won't be able to seal it."
Lin Yan suspected this might be the influence of the plot, or perhaps an action by someone from the male protagonist's faction. Fortunately, the protagonist's mother trusted her and brought Man Man to her.
"If it can't be sealed, then let it be. It's not bad to be like you."
Li Xiu Mei was truly grateful to Lin Yan. At the same time, she felt that if her daughter could be like this child before her, it would be wonderful.
"The path of metaphysics isn't as dangerous as you might imagine. If Man Man truly wants to learn, I can recommend a reliable master for her."
"Can't you teach her?" Li Xiu Mei looked at Lin Yan with hopeful eyes.
"Me?" Lin Yan wondered why Li Xiu Mei thought of her. Normally, no one would trust such a young, underage girl.
"Yes, in the world of metaphysics, I only know you and the Abbot. The Abbot said he's not permitted to take female disciples, so if Man Man really wants to learn, I think it's best to entrust her to you."
Li Xiu Mei looked at her daughter and then at Lin Yan, still feeling more at ease entrusting her daughter to Lin Yan.
"You should discuss it with Brother Shi again. I haven't even fully graduated yet, how can I be qualified to take on a disciple!"
Lin Yan didn't completely shut down the possibility. Becoming the protagonist's master wouldn't be bad, after all. Although masters in such stories often become cannon fodder, this identity could be quite useful.
"No need to discuss it further, Brother Shi feels the same way. Besides, Man Man is still young, and it will be quite some time before she formally becomes a disciple. I believe you'll definitely be qualified by then," Li Xiu Mei had more confidence in Lin Yan than Lin Yan had in herself.
"Let's discuss it again. I also need to talk to my family."
Sensing Lin Yan's softened stance, Li Xiu Mei became even happier. She quickly agreed to discuss it with her husband.
After Man Man's fever subsided, she was observed for another day and then discharged from the hospital.
Lin Yan didn't let the mother and daughter go back home. After all, there was someone, an unknown ally or foe, waiting for them, so it was better to stay put.
Li Xiu Mei and Man Man moved into Lin Yan's house. It was then she learned that Lin Yan had skipped grades and was now in her final year of high school.
This made her feel even more guilty, thinking she was disturbing Lin Yan's studies. Lin Yan was at such a crucial stage, yet she and her daughter were causing so much trouble.
Lin Yan, however, told her to relax and feel at home. Aunt Zhou also welcomed them warmly. Man Man was a very well-behaved and lovable child.
Li Xiu Mei felt she had struck gold by meeting Lin Yan.
"What have you been busy with lately? Saving the world again?" Zeng Xuan Ming hadn't walked home from school with Lin Yan for several days, and he hadn't even managed to ask her out during the short holiday.
"I might be taking on a disciple," Lin Yan said, putting away her books, and turning to Zeng Xuan Ming.
"A disciple? You're starting to take on disciples already?" He was surprised. Was it possible his classmate was this capable?
Lin Yan briefly explained her connection with the Shi family.
"That's how it is. They trust me more, which is why they entrusted their daughter to me."
"But she's so young, is she going to study with you now?"
"Certainly not now. Besides, I still have to take my college entrance exams. It's just about establishing the position for now."
Lin Yan contacted her family. Her father happened to be in the city as well. Although he didn't live in Lin Yan's house, visiting was easy.
After testing Shi Man's aptitude, her father agreed to let her take Shi Man as a disciple.
The Lin family didn't mind taking in people with other surnames, and Shi Man's talent was exceptional. It was better to accept her as part of their own family rather than let her talent benefit others.
Lin Yan was the most capable person of her generation, and her disciple would undoubtedly be the strongest of the next generation.
Lin father had his own selfish motives. If Lin Yan and her disciple could consistently maintain their top positions, even if Lin Yan wasn't the family head, her status within the Lin family wouldn't diminish.