Responding in Kind
It’s easy to respond in kind to negative people, but it doesn’t have to be that way. And in fact, you should avoid it if at all possible.
Don’t respond in kind. Respond kindly. You may just find the person isn’t a negative person, but rather they were just having a bad day. Then when it comes time for that person to reciprocate, they will be more inclined to respond in kind. Which ‘in kind’ to you prefer?