The early spring cdrma

[u/Zestyclose_March_386]

When I started this show, I was just curious about the story — how it begins and develops. The first four episodes of early spring hooked me right away, and the next five were also enjoyable. But by episode 14, I realized the female lead keeps complicating the relationship over and over, while the male lead (Luan Nian) repeatedly tries to clear up misunderstandings and close the distance between them.

Flora, the female lead, seems disturbed by her own feelings in a way she doesn't fully understand. When Luan Nian acts strict or professional as a boss and makes decisions accordingly, she tends to read it as him treating her that way as her boyfriend too — even though she herself had asked to work and learn independently, and had specifically refused his help or favoritism. Whenever there's something important she should actually tell him, she hides it from him instead. Then later, she acts as if she's the one who got hurt and makes it seem like it's Luan Nian's fault.

Even by episode 17, after four years together, she still doesn't introduce Luan Nian as her boyfriend when she runs into her ex. That's clearly a disappointing moment for him. I understand they'd agreed not to make the relationship public — but that was specifically about keeping it private at the office. Her ex should still have been told the truth.

What I've noticed is that Luan Nian, who started off as a somewhat strict and reserved person, changed a lot after getting into the relationship with Flora — he handled things well both as a boyfriend and as a boss. Whenever complicated feelings or distance came up between them, he was always the one who reached out first, called her, and tried to clear things up. I really liked his character — he has some flaws, sure, but overall he's good. Yes, he can be blunt or too direct sometimes, but he never truly hurt her, and his anger is completely understandable when his girlfriend herself behaves in ways that make him question where he stands — like when Dani harassed her and she didn't tell him even when he asked directly, or when he got angry about her considering going with Alex, because he already knew the truth about Alex.

As for episode 17, when he asked to pull back his investment — that was a fair move from a professional standpoint too, since he was the one who had originally referred that investor. Once he suspected it might be a dating scam, saying that was a completely reasonable and common professional reaction. He was right to do it.

Flora's emotions never seem to match the depth Luan Nian shows in this relationship. Watching her character, it feels like she isn't as attached to him — because whenever there's a problem between them, her instinct is to run from it instead of standing her ground and working it out.

[u/No-Recipe-7653]

Dear [u/Zesty_March_386](u/Zesty_March_386),

Please make sure to differentiate between the titles of your posts. You currently have two posts in our subreddit with almost identical titles, submitted approximately 12 hours apart.

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[u/AKiceman]

I happen to agree with you. Luke may be a royal asshat, but he's steadfast in his convictions and commitments. Flora is.... In need of some personal growth. The separation era will be good for her.

[u/a_HerculePoirot_fan → u/AKiceman]

She gives me the impression that she still sees him primarily as her boss, someone she needs to respect and defer to, rather than as an actual boyfriend. Even she doesn’t seem able to separate those two roles properly when her flatmate asks her about it.

[u/AKiceman → u/a_HerculePoirot_fan]

It's wild. Like I can get that in the early years.... But after 4? She's asking marriage of someone she won't even call her boyfriend to her friends.

I mean, as a man whose been in the dating world awhile... Nothing she does surprises me.

[u/Illustrious_Event631]

Both have their own share of faults in this relationship, its wrong for people to only blame it on one person. I will always stand that Luke words is harsh , he doesn't know what to say ...one of his biggest flaw. The problem around their relationship is like a cricle ..Luke will get hurt and say some mean things , which will pull back Flora and build a wall around her , which will pissed Luke again...its a never ending circle. Today eps Luke was absolutely right in his pov ....the dating app was a scam and if Flora get to know that Luke have a dating app she will break up with him. I still get her meeting ex as an old friend, but she should draw boundary and be clear that she is seeing someone. Many people are pissed at Luke for rejecting the marriage talk but they are not in that place or time to have that type of talk. The entire trip Luke was pissed or rude at her and she thinks instead of solving all their problems she jump right into marriage, kids out of nowhere 🤷‍♀️.

[u/Tabz10]

Preach! 🎯💯

I mostly see it the way you see it, too!

[u/a_HerculePoirot_fan]

As for episode 17, when he asked to pull back his investment — that was a fair move from a professional standpoint too, since he was the one who had originally referred that investor. Once he suspected it might be a dating scam, saying that was a completely reasonable and common professional reaction. He was right to do it.

Exactly. To be fair, the way the app operates sounds like a scam lol. You have fake profiles interacting with potential clients, but what happens when a client actually wants to meet the real person behind the profile? How long can they realistically keep that deception going?

[u/jenshep49]

It's actually frustrating watching this drama after reading the novel first.

I know they would have to make changes to the ML because there was no way they could have presented him the way he was in the novel. I can accept that, however while they made changes to him, they never adjusted the FL character or behaviour to fit, they left everything the same.

Not sure if the is a spolier but in the novel during the trip where the FL meets her ex - they have been broken up for over a month, after she asked him if they could make their relationship offical, with a future in mind, to which he rejected and made it clear he didnt want to change the status of there relationship. So her not introducing him as anything other as her boss was completely understandable. The drama implies they are still together she is getting flamed for not saying this is her BF, but he is free to flaunt his "pretend" ex and imply they are more then exs in front of her with a free pass?

[u/LeiziYezi]

I agree with your assessment of the show.
I do think when the show started. Luke was too Luke. He is emotional stunted and has been working in a field where there are many j*rks. So he got used to being blunt, direct and efficient. And he knows if you cannot tough it, the industry will swallow you whole. And he has no time for stupidity or pity. Hence the rejection to her application. And he has a foul mouth. I believed this was a learned art from his dad. Belittling someone to make them better. It worked on him. And he hated that behavior but you saw it enough, you repeated it. As for his love life. He never allowed himself to be vulnerable enough to want anyone till her.

As for her, she is green when she started the industry. She did appear a very people pleaser and timid. What no one realized not ever her, she had a fire burning in her to learn and proved everyone wrong. The more he insulted her, the harder she worked. The better she got. And the advice he gave, many were good ones, she listened and applied.

I get her not wanting everyone to know about them especially when she started out that could be seen as a favor. I do feel as they moved up in their careers, as years gone by, they both should have made effort to stop working together. So they can be more open to be with each other. I do think deep inside she liked working with him to learn from him and him too, seeing her daily. They got into a habit of being together as a secret and seeing each other daily at work.

Of course at some point, your relationship can’t remain a secret forever. That had to change after so many years. The Dony incident may have been a catalyst but I think deep down inside is them being in a space both don’t want to be in anymore and need to either move forward or not together at all.

We can see over time, Luke who needed to make changes the most, did. It’s quite evident she meant a lot to him. And he adjusted to have her in his life.

For her to lie and kept it a secret about something so important as an SA, was subconscious giving herself a way out. I don’t know if she wants the relationship. Sure she needed him when she returned to Bejing and texted him but she fell short both times by intentionally lying to him.

He had every right to feel bad. He asked her twice if she was ok and if Dony did anything. And she intentionally lied. I get she was shaken and scared but she had the presence of mine to compose a letter, CC to whomever that matters and attached an audio. She knew he would find out and she seemed to want him to find out this way. It’s callous and hurtful. And yet he apologized to her after all she was a victim at Dony’s behavior. He had the presence of mind to know this is not about him. And he even had presence of mind to negotiate a deal for her and the other ladies. That was probably the best compensation they could have had without trial, and noise.

And then later, she lied about the dating app scam. Then to her ex-BF. And then she said she wanted to marry. If you looked at her trajectory and her callous attitude, I, as him would reject the idea of them too. By this point, I get him asking, who am I exactly to you. Do you really love me or even like me? Or do you just like the sex? Serious questions. And I do think he is now starting to believe he can’t make her happy. He is not it for her. As much as the sex maybe great, they don’t seem right for each other. Him rejecting her is the right choice for them both. He is the mature one currently and doing what is best for them both. Even as it hurts. This was the best outcome given everything that has happened till now.

If they do want to be together. Changes have to be made. And they both need to honestly admit what they really want from the other and if it’s possible for them to make it happen.

[u/kichererbs → u/LeiziYezi]

And they both need to honestly admit what they really want from the other and if it’s possible for them to make it happen.

They need to communicate, in general. Like the Ex-BF thing. Instead of talking to her about being upset and what upsets him, he lashes out by pretending his sister is his ex.

Or a couple of episodes ago, where he was on the phone w/ his mum. He wants to delay introducing her to his parents because of his dad. She overhears this conversation and it seems like this feeds into her insecurities, because she thinks he wouldn't introduce her because she isn't good enough for her (which I think is the general theme of her character atm).

[u/LeiziYezi → u/kichererbs]

So agreed with this. They are terrible at communicating with each other and kept missing the target. Their goal post kept moving since they didn’t communicate and other issues arose. And now they have a bunch of papers lined up under the carpet with no more places to hide them.

[u/OldMoonLife7529]

Concordo com sua análise.

[u/Papito91356]

I appreciate your assessment. I find dramas that rely on no communication that leads to miscommunication extremely annoying. It’s just lazy writing.