The Early Spring (2026)

You don't have to be perfect to be worthy of love..

Oh man, the moral puzzle.. A lot of people are viewing the drama in very black and white terms.. All they seem to focus on is the intimacy, the toxic words exchanged and he is wrong, she is wrong, things like that.. While overlooking that the story itself is far more complex than that.. I understand that it is easier to just slot them into ' he is toxic, she is the victim ' or vice versa, but come on, the writing doesn't allow us to do that.. The writing, the script, honestly that is the backbone here.. Luan Nian and Shang Zhi Tao are not the perfect couple nor are they without their own issues.. One was arrogant and the other was insecure.. Both of them were not perfect.. And I think that is the entire point that keeps getting missed in the noise around this show..

The writing is so good that every argument between them feels so well written that I feel they have pulled off something even better than an actual villain.. Because there is no real villain here.. Just two people with their own flaws, insecurities and baggage, slowly bringing out the worst in each other..

Calling the ML a red flag would actually be being nice to him.. He was such an arrogant prick.. In any other drama, this exact character would be the second lead who gets rejected by episode 14.. If he had just kept his mouth shut whenever he got angry or upset, half of their problems would have never existed..

I found that quite a lot of people are blaming the ML and rightly so.. He deserves all the criticism.. I am just surprised that people have already decided that he is the bad guy and she is the pure white angel.. But that’s not really the case is it?? As the relationship goes deeper, she gets so lost in her insecurities.. She too contributes heavily to the outcome of their relationship..

Look at their relationship.. 6 years?? She won't stay over, won't move in, meets only on weekends.. Keeps him at arm's length from her flatmates who are clearly like her family in every way that matters.. While he is just the boyfriend, contained to a very specific box in her life.. She doesn't tell him what's going on in her life, hides almost everything, lies and lies.. Alright, you don't want him in the same room as your friends and flatmates, but why would you not introduce him as your BF to your Ex?? She doesn't tell her Ex that she has moved on or that she has a BF.. If she had told him she had a BF, would he have stayed the night in her room?? She could have avoided that whole embarrassing situation..

The ML introduced her to his friends and I guess he expected her to do the same.. You can see that in all those years of being in a relationship, she never really considered him family.. I am not saying she didn't love him but for her, her flatmates were family, but not him.. That was pretty clear..

Why didn't she tell him about that Dony guy incident?? She had already planned to make it public and take him down, so why didn't she tell her BF, who was also her boss?? He could have helped her.. At the very least, why keep something that serious completely hidden from him when he literally asked her??

More importantly, why didn't she tell him about her friend's death?? Honestly, I can't think of a single reason for her not to tell him.. Not one..

These are not script issues, because the character writing here is peak.. It's showing you someone who loves someone but has never once let him all the way in.. Simply put, she never made room for him.. All the frustration and anger we feel is the script doing its job..

She says ' If the other person doesn't trust you, nothing you say will matter.. ' Girl, the irony is that you are the same too.. You never gave him a reason to trust you blindly.. You just do things, hide things, lie and expect him to be okay with it.. Like, she goes out with her ex for lunch, reminisces about their old times, hugs him, but when she hears that the ML is having dinner with his Ex (which he just made up) she is pissed..

And then, all of a sudden she goes to him and starts talking about marriage.. Not because she actually wants to get married or anything but because her friend is getting married.. And the idea of marriage sounded good to her.. How does that work?? You both are literally having problems, a cold war is going on and there are so many things you need to talk about.. Instead of actually having a conversation about what is going on between you two or resolving the issues you already have, you jump straight to marriage?? Again, she just expects him to like it, accept it and go along with whatever she wants.. You didn't even agree to live with him or introduce him to your ex or anyone for that matter and you expect him to just rush into marriage with you??

"I thought our fourth year being together would mean something deeper than when we first dated."

How can it be deeper when after all this time, he is still just a BF who exists within those four walls.. If you had introduced him to your ex that day, this whole thing might have been different.. The ML stated his concerns and wanted her to think it through, because all he sees is someone who loves him but for whatever reason, doesn't want to involve him in any other part of her life..

The ML here is much softer compared to the original novel.. Like they toned him down on purpose to make him more acceptable.. If they wanted the same effect as the novel, they shouldn't have done it, because here we are forced to look at her flaws too now.. Luke was always trying to be there for her.. There are a lot of things he did that showed us the effort he put in for her.. But when you look back, you don't really see her doing much for him.. The effort she put in and the effort he put in were entirely one sided.. Don't tell me that's the bare minimum, because that's not.. And even if it is, we don't see the bare minimum from her side, at all.. She never made him her priority..

The drama simply deserved more episodes.. 28-30 would have been perfect.. The Harbin arc was so rushed.. If there were more episodes, we could have seen quite a lot more.. I would have loved it even more if they hadn't cut his smoking scenes, it fits the character so well.. I also wish they had kept the part from the novel where she travels from Harbin to Beijing for him.. Now that was her effort and several of the things she did for him in the relationship were just cut.. That's disappointing..

I am not going to talk about anything else.. I don't want to make this any longer than it already is.. Here's the thing people keep missing when they try to crown one of them the villain.. Luke and Flora were never a perfect couple.. They both came in with their own baggage, their own insecurities and their own trust issues and there are entire stretches of this drama where both of them handle things badly.. They hurt each other.. They say things they shouldn't.. They make bad situations worse instead of better.. But that's also what makes this story so exciting.. Watching them navigate this not so perfect relationship, with all their flaws, mistakes and everything that comes with it..

I rated this 8.5.. 8 for the story and Jing Bo Ran and Sun Qian.. 0.5 for Luke, the Dog...

P.S. Let's not pretend that Luke would actually stand a chance with her without all this drama and Flora with a green flag?? Yeah, no.. Not her cup of tea..

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Losing Control to _ove: Finding the Missing Key

🍑🌸❄️"After that day, it feels he has put a spell on me. He unlocked the secret of my desire....And all those years he made me long for more... He drove me crazy in my mind...I spent 6 years in this shameful, hidden relationship."🍑🌸❄️

The drama begins with Shang Zhitao's point of view with the quote above, and then it flashes back to the beginning when she met Luan Nian. I have to admit, I am completely captivated by Luan Nian. He is everything. He is seductive. He is tough, but he is soft.

🌸As you watch the drama, you will notice the director uses repetition to highlight key points. For example, the leads pass each other, going in opposite directions, several times. The first time is when the FL goes to her job interview. In the first scene, she is a rookie. Her hair is in a ponytail. There is a bounce in her step. As she passes the ML, she looks at him, and she looks back. In one of the later episodes, when she went in to turn in her resignation, her hair is in a ponytail, but she is no longer a rookie. Her steps are not bouncy. They are determined. She passes the ML; she doesn't look at him. This shows a change in dynamics.


🌸The title, THE EARLY SPRING, brings to mind thawing ice and tulips growing from bulbs that have been dormant during the cold winter months. Think of the male lead, Luan Nian, as the thawing ice and the female lead, Shang Zhitao, as a blooming tulip fresh out of college. Even her English name, Flora, correlates with the theme.It takes time and endurance for love and ambition to reach their full bloom. The early Spring is a time of new beginnings and growth. It is also a time of rebirth and relates to the second chance at love for the leads after a time of separation. Just like the tulips remain dormant only to bloom again in the early Spring, Luan Nian and Shang Zhitao will have their second chance.



🌸Main Characters🌸

💗🧊💗 Luan Nian is a highly successful and brilliant marketing director with confidence in his own ability to control and manage those around him, as well as his self-control. He thinks through problems logically and strategically. His character is complex. His actions show he has an emotional attachment to Tao, but he will not admit it to himself. He represents the illusion of emotional control. His logical mind didn't account for the missing key and the concept that love has no rules. But I love his character. He is my favorite in this drama. His words can be harsh, but he shows his affection for Zhitao more easily than she does. He is tough on the outside, appearing detached and stoic, but at times, so tender and caring to Zhitao. I would say he fell first. The problem is that he wants to be in control. He asks the question, "Can you control your feelings of love?" While he thinks he has self-control, he comes to realize that Zhitao shatters his control. When he falls in love with Zhitao, he doesn't want to admit it because he doesn't know how to deal with the vulnerability that comes with emotional love.


NOTE: Even though his character is sophisticated and controlled, it is Luan Nian who makes me laugh out loud at his unexpected and spontaneous actions. He is blunt! He is shocking! He is bold! He is daring! He is petty 😂 And he is addictive!

🌷🍑🌷Shang Zhitao is the female lead who first appeared as a fresh graduate with average academic standards. Luan Nian rejects her as an employee, but due to circumstances, she is nevertheless hired by the company. On her first day at the prestigious firm, her boss, Luan Nian, bluntly tells her she is not suitable and will not survive in the field. Instead of backing down, she works hard with determination to achieve her goals. Shang Zhitao represents women striving for independence and career goals. She is cautious not to jeopardize her career for her relationship with Luan Nian. However, she does not share her problems with Luan Nian and tries to work things out herself. He helps her when he does find out, but it also bothers him that she doesn't call him for help. Zhitao is a character to be admired for her resilience and perseverance. She is brave. She pushes forward even though she feels vulnerable and inadequate. She becomes someone respected and admired in the workplace and even impresses Luan Nian. Shang Zhitao's vulnerability was that she never felt she was good enough.



🌸The Metaphor of the Antique Typewriter🌸

The minute I saw Luan Nian meticulously dusting off his antique typewriter. I knew it was special. Not just to him, but to the theme of this drama. My parents had one of these, and I know the keys of the manual or antique typewriters work differently than the keyboards we use today. The keys need to be pressed with some control. If you press too hard, they stick or will not bounce back smoothly. If you don't press enough, nothing will print. The typewriter represents Luan Nian and his control. He operates his business deals with the same mechanical precision, and he believes in managing with a system of rules. It also mirrors the way he approaches Zhi Tao. He knows not to pressure her too much, and he knows when to back off when she resists him.

In episode 1, Zhi Tao accidentally knocks the typewriter off the pedestal at the end of Luan Nian's desk, and it shatters on the ground. It was shocking! The pieces went everywhere. On the pedestal, it represented his controlled world, but shattered on the floor, it became a visual symbol that he does not have the control he thinks he has. He reassembles the typewriter, minus the broken L key, and puts it back on the edge of his desk, where it sits precariously, waiting to be knocked off again 😱 Zhi Tao notices the L key is missing and finds a replacement key for him. The key is not a perfect fit, and he types. "You don't have to be perfect to be worthy love." I think it's the fact that she helped him that made him accept the key as is. The question is, what does the L represent? It could be "love" as it is missing from their relationship, and it could also be for "Luan" once he accepts that love is a necessary part of a relationship.

In a nutshell, the antique typewriter represents Luan Nian's controlled, ordered life . He prides himself on his control. But his well-ordered life sits precariously on a pedestal just like his typewriter.

🎶FAVORITE OST🎵

💗 Her ( Liu Yuning)
💗 Lady Snow(Jingfei)
💗 Peacheyblossom's playlist with English lyrics https://kisskh.at/761231-zao-chun-qing-lang/discussions/154870-the-early-spring-full-ost-with-eng-subs-lyrics (copy and paste the link)


💗The Relationship 💗 "Can You Control Your Feelings of Love?"💗

The attraction is undeniable. Luan Nian wants a relationship with Zhi Tao, but he doesn't want the complications of emotional attachment. She wants to be with him. She doesn't want her career affected, as he is her boss. It is important to her to succeed without the stigma of taking shortcuts. But she is also unsure about being in a relationship with him. She resists. He pursues.

He challenges her with the question, "Can you control your feelings of Love?" At first, I thought there was an error and the meaning was lost in translation because why would a man who doesn't want emotional ties use the word love? The translation to the Mandarin word, xi huan, is like. Perhaps he really means "like" in the romantic sense, and maybe that is why it was translated as "love." He feels he has control over his emotions, and he knows she has feelings for him. She tells him she can control her feelings. The irony of it all is that Luan Nian already has feelings for Zhitao. It becomes obvious quite early in the drama even if he doesn't say it.


Luan Nian and Zhitao agree to an exclusive relationship. Can we say "friends with benefits?"

And then there were 3. Around episode 15, the addition of Luke🐾💗 became a symbol of unity and almost immediately softened the barriers between Luan Nian and Zhitao. They became a little family.


🌸Significant Quotes🌸

Tan Mian: You are a typical case of wanting something but being scared.
You didn't want her to cling to you,
yet you are afraid that she doesn't care about you.
Mr. Luan, you lost it.

Luan Nian: You don’t have to be perfect to be worthy of love.

Shang Zhitao: As much as I longed for love, I was still struggling with reality.


💗The Reconciliation💗

I will not go into the events that led to the separation. The journey had challenges but was filled with many beautiful moments and character development. The reconciliation spanned from episode 22 to 24. Luan Nian patiently waits for Zhitao to accept him back into her life. The conversations, the emotions, and the love that shone through their eyes when they looked at each other made this a beautiful part of the drama. I will not go into the details of the proposal, as the surprise will leave you smiling.
As for the typewriter that fascinated me from episode 1, I was thrilled to see a part of it make its appearance at the end. It was all so perfect!
"Their love survived the bitter winter, and finally welcomed the early spring.
From there through the blazing summer, they entered the brightest season of their lives.
And that warmth will never fade."


💗🌷💗The Early Spring is a powerful portrayal of love and relationships. It shows how two flawed people can hurt each other, evolve through years of separation, and finally stand as equals, proving that while we will never be perfect, we can always choose to be better.

We don't have to be perfect to be loved.

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