Chapter 261

Zhang Meng furrowed his brow, clearly still puzzled by Zheng Yang's earlier reasoning about being "half a gentleman and half a villain." "I still don't get it," Zhang Meng scratched his head and said bluntly. "What does it mean to be half a gentleman and half a villain? Doesn't that mean we have to live contradictory lives—acting like gentlemen one minute and villains the next?" Zheng Yang smiled faintly, shook his head, took a sip of tea, and said slowly, "Mengzi, you've misunderstood. Being half a gentleman and half a villain doesn't mean we should suffer a split personality. It means that when dealing with others, we should respond flexibly based on their character and conduct. If we treat gentlemen like gentlemen, we earn respect and friendship; if we treat villains like villains, we can protect ourselves from harm."