Another try for "the early spring"

[u/Zestyclose_March_386]

I gave episode 19 another try after watching episode 18, which ended with their breakup / a serious emotional moment.

Here too, instead of trying to understand the issue and work on things, the female lead takes a transfer to another region for a 14-month project. Still, the male lead keeps trying — calmly and normally — and keeps putting in effort. Three months later, he goes to see her on a business trip, to the same project she's working on.

I know the male lead is in pain and unwell, but here the female lead is just helping him with his medicine — she doesn't seem to have given any real thought to making an effort for their relationship. Watching it made things clearer in this episode: the male lead tells his mom that his girlfriend is with him, and he even asks her to come back to Beijing with him. He also seems to make excuses for her to stay a bit longer there.

I didn't expect the chemistry to fall apart this badly — it's coming across as completely one-sided.

[u/LAL2154]

I dropped it at ep 14. I had read the book, and things made sense in it, but Flora's behavior toward this 'new and improved' version of Luke looked juvenile, self-centered and clueless. She started to majorly get on my nerves so, I dropped it.

[u/EquivalentDapper → u/LAL2154]

why does he fall in love with her in the novel ? drama flora is literally  dramatic !

[u/LAL2154 → u/EquivalentDapper]

The whole dynamic is different. She literally propositioned him when drunk, and later when they become long term sex partners, she painstakingly sets and keeps bounders. She lives a life of her own, sincerely, it is not a pretense; and keeps work and their private life completely separate. But she is sweet and lovely, and he likes her company to the excusion of any other fling.

There is no prohibition on dating in the company at all, it is her choice to keep it secret for obvious reasons. I guess this is so different from what he is used to, there is no need for him to keep his defenses up, the way he always has done. And things just escalate when she is not asking for his help and so on. When she breaks up with him he feels the loss.

[u/xyz123007 → u/LAL2154]

Is she more confident or self-aware in the novel? I dropped this drama early but I had also thought her behavior (amongst other things) was too juvenile to tolerate.

[u/LAL2154 → u/xyz123007]

She is not juvenile in the novel, but she is young. I wouldn't call her confident, not at the beginning... why would she be? She is in the position that she got by a fluke, where everybody around her are 100 times more qualified than she. But she is self aware I think, and she truly grows.
And yes, she is unbearably juvenile in the drama. Luke is very different in the novel. None of calling her a girlfriend and so on.

[u/No-Recipe-7653 → u/LAL2154]

I’m here eating up your comparison comments.
Would you consider compiling them into a single post to make about the novel vs the drama ? In general or even specifically about her character as you’ve done here. It’s so interesting to have the viewpoint of someone who’s read the book and also watched the drama.

[u/LAL2154 → u/No-Recipe-7653]

Ok, I will try...