Inside the building, it was dimly lit with the windows closed.
The amber glow from the candles and lanterns made it feel like it was always nighttime.
Smoke from lit incense filled the air, giving a misty feel.
The atmosphere from the lighting and incense made the men and women bold, displaying their lust in public.
Lin Xuan Qi saw many men and women teasing and some behaving intimately with each other at the tables inside the building.
And the tables with the patrons surrounded a stage at the center.
On the stage was a woman dressed in a revealing white dress, dancing with a long red silk scarf.
Her seductive dance moves hooked the patrons seated near the stage.
When the dancer lifted her legs, the red silk scarf would block the view from the patrons, making them groan out in agony.
Lin Xuan Qi gasped at the lust and indulgence he was witnessing.
It was the first time for him to witness such a scene in his life.
Lucky for him, most of these women wouldn't be considered pretty where he came from.
His idea of a beautiful woman was so different from theirs.
"Come with me, Master Lin." Lee He Song saw someone sitting alone at a table, and he led Lin Xuan Qi over.
Lee He Song sat down at the table without asking and announced his arrival, "I thought you might be here. Guess I was right."
The person at the table who was focused on the dancer on the stage glanced over at Lee He Song.
Lin Xuan Qi saw that the person was dressed like a young master, in fine cloth and expensive-looking accessories.
But something about the person struck him as odd.
The eyes were round with long eyelashes, and the face was delicate, with fair and smooth skin.
And on the throat, there wasn't much of an Adam's apple visible.
Lin Xuan Qi pondered, and his curiosity was piqued.
His eyes slowly moved down to the person's chest.
There were two small protruding mounds on the chest.
Lin Xuan Qi frowned and he quickly glanced away.
His hunch was confirmed when he heard the person speak.
"Old man Lee, what brings you here? I thought you weren't into this." The person said and gave Lee He Song a grin.
Contrary to the appearance of a young master, the person's voice was sweet, like a woman's.
"I'm not here for this," Lee He Song glanced at the dancer and said.
He glanced back at the person and said, "I'm here for you."
"Here for me?" The person frowned and asked.
"Liu Shi Shi, this is Master Lin.
"I'm working for him now as the head of security in his mansion.
"He is looking for someone to help him in the mansion and I think that you are a suitable candidate to help with security and teaching."
Liu Shi Shi scanned Lin Xuan Qi from head to toe, trying to figure out who he was.
She came up blank.
There was no one like Lin Xuan Qi in her memory and she had seen almost all of the young masters in Hong Feng City.
She figured that he must have been from out of the city.
Lin Xuan Qi gave her a polite nod, and he glanced over at Lee He Song.
He had so many queries in his mind.
Lee He Song chuckled and said, "Pardon me, Master Lin.
"How could I forget.
"Liu Shi Shi is a Martial Arts fighter like me, but she is also well versed in studies, having read all the classics.
"She likes to come to these places in search of someone with a talent for writing poems.
"Apparently, beating those arrogant young masters is her favorite pastime."
Lin Xuan Qi nodded and gave Liu Shi Shi a polite smile.
Who wouldn't like to give those arrogant young masters a thrashing? He thought silently to himself.
"Pastime? I'm passionate about it. Look, there's another one of those arrogant young masters as we speak." Liu Shi Shi said and pointed at the stage.
A plump young master, with his face flushed red by the alcohol, came up to the stage with a bottle of wine in his hand, and a folding fan in the other.
"Such a glorious occasion, how can we not have a great poem to go with it." The plump young master said and took a mouthful of the wine from the wine bottle.
The other patrons gave out a loud cheer and the dancer moved away from the plump young master.
Lin Xuan Qi saw their reaction and figured it must have been a frequent occurrence for such a thing to happen.
These pesky young masters, he thought silently to himself.
Liu Shi Shi narrowed her eyes, and she glanced back and forth between Lin Xuan Qi and the plump young master.
An idea came into her mind.
"I will work for Master Lin if..." She said and pointed at the plump young master, "...if Master Lin is able to come up with a better poem than that plump guy."
"Shi Shi, you..." Lee He Song knew that Liu Shi Shi was eccentric, but he didn't expect her to be so eccentric, coming up with such a request out of nowhere.
He glanced over at Lin Xuan Qi warily.
Lee He Song didn't know how well-versed Lin Xuan Qi was with poems.
To his surprise, Lin Xuan Qi seemed to be unfazed by the challenge.
Even though Lin Xuan Qi didn't study humanities and the arts, he was still knowledgeable about the poems of the greats.
And to his knowledge, the poems of the greats weren't available here in Da Qian Dynasty.
After all, this wasn't Earth.
And with this, Lin Xuan Qi was spoiled for choice if it came down to poems.
From Tang Dynasty, there was Li Bai, the immortal poet.
In addition to Li Bai, there was also Du Fu, the sage of poetry.
And if Tang Dynasty wasn't enough, there were also the greats from the Song Dynasty.
Xin Qi Ji, the Dragon among poets, was one.
Another would be Su Shi, Hero among poets.
Lin Xuan Qi was more than confident he could win.
"I accept the challenge." He said to Liu Shi Shi.