The second reason is confidence," Wang Wei explained. "I am so confident that I will survive this ordeal that you could say I'm arrogant, maybe even delusional."
"Really? But I never felt this way about you."
"Vulnerability is a weapon, and I know how to use it."
"Even against your…ally?" she asked.
Wang Wei did not answer directly. "Tell me, if I were too confident: would you have easily trusted me?"
"No, I would have thought you were unreliable; that you had allowed your intelligence and small success to get to your head."
"What if you were my enemy?"
"An opponent that is too confident is someone who has something to rely on — something I must be wary of."
"And how would you deal with such an opponent?"
"Crush them as swiftly as possible or be extra careful in whatever I'm doing."
Wang Wei smiled, "Now, do you understand why I can't appear too confident?"
The Erudite Duchess paused briefly, "Be honest with me: do you really have something to rely on?"
