Chapter 412 Please Behave Yourself

**Chapter 412: Please Have Some Self-Respect**

"No, Comrade Zhou," Zhang Jingan said. "Please have some self-respect."

Su Taotao: "...” Was this something she was supposed to hear? Should she wait a moment before going out?

Zhou Weining pursed her lips. *Self-respect?* So he thought her behavior was improper?

She gritted her teeth. “Comrade Zhang, I like you. I know you’re not seeing anyone—I don’t want to give up.”

Zhang Jingan narrowed his eyes slightly, spat out the cigarette butt in his mouth, and crushed it under his shoe.

“I’m not looking for a relationship, and you’re not my type.”

He’d been burned too badly by a woman in his past life.

Zhang Jingan wasn’t entirely lying. He had finally escaped that woman in this life—fresh out of one mess, he had no intention of jumping into another.

He truly had no plans to pursue anything romantic.

He wasn’t even sure if he’d stay in the country long-term—at least for now, there was no such plan.

Zhou Weining’s last heartbreak had been over Fu Zhengtu. It wasn’t that she gave up easily—it was because she knew Fu Zhengtu already belonged to Su Taotao. No matter how strong her feelings, she couldn’t bring herself to chase a married man.

Zhang Jingan was someone she genuinely liked, aside from Fu Zhengtu. Zhou Weining understood what real affection was—and how rare it was to find someone you truly liked. Just as she knew she didn’t like Mo Jiazhe. That’s why this time, she didn’t want to let go so easily.

“Take your time. I’ll be here.”

With that, Zhou Weining turned and left.

Su Taotao didn’t have time to slip away and ended up face-to-face with her.

Zhou Weining’s face went pale—then she relaxed a little when she saw it was Su Taotao. Wordlessly, she grabbed Su Taotao’s wrist and dragged her off.

Only when they reached an empty, secluded spot did she let go.

Zhou Weining gave a bitter laugh. “You heard everything, didn’t you? Do you think I’m shameless? Are you just dying to laugh at me?”

Su Taotao shook her head. “You’re both unattached. How is liking someone something to be ashamed of? It’s brave—you put yourself out there and tried. Whether it works out or not, you won’t have regrets. Why would I laugh at you?”

Zhou Weining was usually flighty and a little odd, but at her core, she was one of the rare vibrant souls of this era.

Her privileged background gave her immense confidence. She had no insecurities—she loved and hated with her whole chest. She wanted for nothing and wouldn’t compromise. She only wanted to be with someone she truly liked. Plenty of people envied her for it. How could anyone laugh at her?

Zhou Weining hadn’t expected Su Taotao to say such things.

Her lips twisted. “But what’s the use? It feels like my feelings are always one-sided. The ones who like me, I don’t like back. The ones I like don’t like me. It’s always like this. Sigh!”

Su Taotao was at a loss for words. Zhou Weining’s last crush had been her husband, and the one who liked her but whom she didn’t like was today’s groom…

“Love has to go both ways. You can’t make it happen—it’s no good if only one person’s invested.” Given their friendship, saying this much was already more than enough. For Fu Zhengtu and Zhou Zheng’s sake, she shouldn’t push further.

“I’ve got things to do. I’d better get going.”

Zhou Weining nodded sincerely. “Thank you.”

She wasn’t ready to give up just yet. If it didn’t pan out, she’d walk away with dignity.

Su Taotao walked back to the parking spot. Zhang Jing’an was still there, smoking, with a few more cigarette butts littered on the ground.

"Mind giving me a ride?" he asked casually.

"Get in," Su Taotao said, climbing into the driver’s seat.

"Thanks." Zhang Jing’an got into the car, closed his eyes wearily, and said little.

Su Taotao didn’t push for small talk either.

Once they cleared the checkpoint, Zhang Jing’an suddenly opened his eyes and rasped, "You heard everything, didn’t you?"

Su Taotao glanced at the rearview mirror and blatantly lied, "I didn’t hear anything. I don’t care about anything beyond work."

She was no love guru—those extra words she’d exchanged with Zhou Weining were only for Zhou Zheng’s sake.

Zhang Jing’an gave her weird vibes. They weren’t that close, and she had no intention of getting involved in this mess.

He let out a mirthless laugh, muttering, "You’re different now. Like you’re someone else."

That weird feeling resurfaced again. From the original host’s memories, they hadn’t been familiar with each other. According to the original storyline, “Su Taotao” left her husband and kid to return to the city and marry Xu Jiadong, while Zhang Jing’an married Xu Jialian. They only crossed paths more after that.

Before then, they shouldn’t have interacted much.

Yet every time Zhang Jing’an acted like they’d once been close. His prying made her uneasy—maybe not malicious, but unsettling all the same.

"People change. We weren’t that close before, so it’s normal if I seem different now. Even if God himself said otherwise, I’m still Su Taotao. Doubt me all you want—it won’t change anything."

Zhang Jing’an rarely showed emotion. By the time he realized what he'd said, he regretted it. "Sorry, I didn’t mean it like that. Anyway, there’s a minor issue with the land deed—someone disagrees..."

He smoothly pivoted to work.

Su Taotao naturally played along. They talked until reaching the factory. After Zhang Jing’an got out, something she’d overlooked finally occurred to her:

She hadn’t abandoned her family and returned to the city to remarry Xu Jiadong because “Su Taotao” had changed inside.

But what about Zhang Jing’an?

Why hadn’t he married Xu Jialian? Why had he given up his promising post as Secretary of the Public Security Bureau to become a mere secretary at her rundown little factory?

What was going on?

Did her arrival change the story? If “Su Taotao” hadn’t married Xu Jiadong, she wouldn’t have become Xu Jialian’s sister-in-law, which might’ve prevented Xu Jialian and Zhang Jing’an from marrying.

But “Su Taotao’s” plotline didn’t seem directly connected to Zhang Jing’an. The original novel barely touched on his arc, and she couldn’t recall it clearly.

In the original story, Zhang Jing’an was the Public Security Bureau Secretary and had married Xu Jialian. Even if they later divorced, he shouldn’t have had any romantic connection with Zhou Weining, right?

Since she couldn’t figure it out, she decided not to dwell. Not her problem anyway.

She’d faced her family without slipping up, so she had no lingering worries. Living well now was all that counted.

Even if Zhang Jing’an had been reborn, it had nothing to do with her.

Reborn?

The idea hit her out of nowhere, sending a jolt through her.

It was actually quite possible. Otherwise, how could he—who had grown up with Xu Jialian, practically on the verge of marriage—end up unmarried to her?

It's highly possible that he already knew what kind of person Xu Jialian was, which is why he didn't jump into that mess.

That would also justify his skepticism and investigation of "Su Taotao."

Because Su Taotao's life path is completely different from her previous life.

His decision to leave behind the position of Secretary at the Public Security Bureau and come to be her secretary can finally make sense.

Because the difference between her and *that* "Su Taotao" is just too vast. He must have been driven to understand what was going on.

The worldliness and calm Zhang Jingan possesses, which seem beyond his years, now make sense too.

Su Taotao was nearly convinced—he must have been reborn.

His last life had clearly been unsatisfactory, and he might have longed for a different existence. That’s probably why he came to her, this “anomaly,” hoping to find a new way to live.

What the hell is this?

Su Taotao rubbed her aching temples.

Looks like she’d been careless. From now on, she’d have to keep her guard up around him, making sure he couldn’t catch her in any mistakes, or else she’d be inviting unnecessary trouble.