Download The Early Spring Episode 12

The Early Spring Episode 12 begins with Luan Nian arriving at Shang Zhitao's apartment after learning that she has a high fever. Shang Zhitao is surprised to see him standing outside her door, but she is too weak to hide how sick she feels. Luan Nian immediately insists that she go to the hospital. She stubbornly refuses and tries to convince him that she only has a normal fever and needs to sleep. When she pulls away from him, Luan Nian becomes angry and threatens to contact her parents through the emergency information available at the company. He makes it clear that if something happens to her while she refuses medical treatment, neither he nor Lingmei will be responsible. Eventually, Shang Zhitao gives in and allows him to take her to the hospital. At the hospital, Shang Zhitao is examined by a doctor and diagnosed with mild mycoplasma pneumonia. Luan Nian becomes concerned about her condition and quietly calls his mother, Dr. Liang, for advice. He pretends that he is asking about a friend so that he does not have to explain the complicated relationship between himself and Shang Zhitao. His mother advises him about suitable food for a pneumonia patient, and Luan Nian decides to take Shang Zhitao back to his apartment so that he can look after her personally. At home, Luan Nian prepares congee for Shang Zhitao. He carefully follows his mother's advice and tries to make the food as easy as possible for her to eat. When he hears Shang Zhitao coughing from the other room, he becomes distracted and accidentally burns his hand while cooking. He immediately ignores the injury and continues preparing her meal. When Shang Zhitao wakes up, she notices the burn on Luan Nian's hand and asks whether he has treated it. He brushes off her concern and tells her to eat first. Shang Zhitao feels guilty about causing him so much trouble and begins thinking that their relationship has become too complicated. She tells Luan Nian that she wants to return home and suggests that they should end their relationship. Luan Nian does not argue with her decision. Instead, he calmly agrees that they can end the relationship, but he refuses to let her leave while she is still sick. He tells her that she must stay at his apartment until she has fully recovered. Shang Zhitao turns her back toward him and tries to maintain an emotionally distant attitude, insisting that she does not want to understand him or the complicated world surrounding him anymore. While Luan Nian goes out to buy groceries and medicine, Shang Zhitao receives a call from Sun Yu. Sun Yu immediately asks about her health and whether she is being taken care of properly. Shang Zhitao admits that Luan Nian is actually treating her very well, but she still cannot bring herself to ask Sun Yu about Zang Yao. The question continues to bother her because she remains uncertain about Luan Nian's history with his childhood friend. When Luan Nian returns, the doorbell suddenly rings. Shang Zhitao assumes that he has returned again, but when she opens the door, she finds Zang Yao standing there drunk with a bottle of alcohol. Shang Zhitao immediately becomes uncomfortable. She offers to leave the apartment and give the two childhood friends some privacy, but Luan Nian stops her. He tells Shang Zhitao that she does not need to leave and makes it clear that Zang Yao is the person who should leave if anyone needs to go. Zang Yao, already drunk, notices Luan Nian's fish tank and begins talking about his childhood. She remembers how he used to speak to his favorite red fish, Hongqi, because he rarely talked to other people when he was young. Her stories reveal a side of Luan Nian that Shang Zhitao has never seen before and make her realize how long Zang Yao has known him. Zang Yao then suggests that the three of them play an old childhood game involving rock-paper-scissors. The loser must either answer a personal question honestly or receive a flick on the forehead. The game begins awkwardly, but gradually becomes a way for Zang Yao and Shang Zhitao to compare their memories of Luan Nian. When Shang Zhitao loses a round, Luan Nian flicks her forehead hard enough to make her wince. Zang Yao laughs and explains that he has always been like that since childhood and has never been particularly gentle when playing the game. When Luan Nian later loses, Shang Zhitao lightly touches his forehead instead of flicking him with force. Luan Nian notices the difference immediately. He smiles at her gentleness and begins to feel guilty about how hard he had flicked her earlier, eventually rubbing her forehead where he hurt her. The game reveals several details about Luan Nian's childhood that Shang Zhitao did not know. Zang Yao remembers a crescent-shaped scar on his leg that he received as a child after climbing a tree to steal a bird's nest. She also remembers how serious and difficult to please he was even when he was young. Shang Zhitao listens carefully, realizing that Zang Yao possesses years of memories with him that she can never recreate. Zang Yao eventually asks the question that makes Shang Zhitao nervous: when are Luan Nian and Shang Zhitao planning to get married? Luan Nian immediately warns her not to spread rumors to his mother. The question makes the relationship between him and Shang Zhitao suddenly feel much more serious. Zang Yao realizes that she is intruding on their private time and finally prepares to leave. Outside the apartment, Zang Yao begins crying. She remembers Luan Nian's rejection in Switzerland and understands that he has chosen Shang Zhitao. Although she still has feelings for him, she knows that he only wants to remain her friend. Her emotional reaction makes it clear that her connection with Luan Nian was genuine, but it is now something she must let go of. After Zang Yao leaves, Luan Nian brings Shang Zhitao her medicine. He notices that she is still thinking about her and becomes slightly jealous when Shang Zhitao mentions her previous boyfriend. He asks whether her ex-boyfriend treated her more gently than he does. Shang Zhitao admits that part of her insecurity comes from knowing that she does not share as many childhood memories with Luan Nian as Zang Yao does. Shang Zhitao asks to see the scar Zang Yao described. Instead of answering directly, Luan Nian kisses her. The kiss becomes his way of reassuring her that what matters is not how long someone has known him, but who he chooses to be with now. They continue talking about their past experiences. Luan Nian asks Shang Zhitao whether her trip to Mount Tai was more enjoyable than spending time with him. She laughs at his jealousy. Luan Nian admits that he is not naturally cheerful or emotionally expressive and that he has never been good at showing empathy. Shang Zhitao disagrees and points out that beneath his harsh personality he actually has a very gentle side. When Shang Zhitao brings up Zang Yao again, Luan Nian finally explains their history. Zang Yao's family has been close to his mother for many years. Dr. Liang often treated Zang Yao when she was young, and Luan Nian frequently stayed at Zang Yao's house whenever his own parents were away on business. Their families became close because of this history, which explains why Zang Yao knows so much about his childhood. Luan Nian makes it clear that their connection is based on family-like familiarity rather than romantic love. The explanation finally allows Shang Zhitao to let go of much of her jealousy. She realizes that she has misunderstood the relationship between Luan Nian and Zang Yao. Luan Nian then asks her to change the way she addresses him after the holiday. Instead of calling him by his English name or treating him like her distant boss, he asks her to call him simply Luan Nian. Shang Zhitao softly repeats his name. The simple change creates a much more intimate feeling between them. They spend the evening together quietly on the sofa, comfortable with each other in a way that was impossible only a short time earlier. As the Chinese New Year approaches, Shang Zhitao receives a generous year-end bonus from Lingmei. Lumi also gives her a red envelope as her mentor and announces that the company will hold its next team retreat in Phuket. Shang Zhitao is deeply grateful for how far she has come since arriving in Beijing. She recognizes that Luan Nian's strict guidance, although often painful, has helped her become more capable and confident in her career. Shang Zhitao then returns to Harbin to spend the New Year holiday with her parents. Her family home is warm and lively, and her mother immediately begins asking about her romantic life. She even attempts to arrange a match with a neighbor's nephew. Shang Zhitao politely refuses and insists that she wants to focus on her career rather than rushing into marriage. As fireworks light up the sky outside, Shang Zhitao thinks about Luan Nian and sends him a New Year message wishing him happiness and success. In Beijing, Luan Nian reads the message and smiles. His mother, Dr. Liang, immediately notices his unusual happiness and starts questioning him about whether he has finally found someone he likes. Luan Nian finally admits that he is dating someone. He describes his girlfriend as an ordinary employee with a pleasant personality, carefully avoiding revealing Shang Zhitao's identity. His father responds by telling him that he should choose a quiet, steady woman rather than someone too strong or ambitious. He warns that if Luan Nian chooses someone too independent, their relationship may eventually fall apart. Luan Nian is irritated by his father's attitude and sarcastically points out that his father's own temper has never driven Dr. Liang away. The father and son immediately begin arguing. Dr. Liang steps in to calm them down and defends Luan Nian, saying that her son is already successful and that his father should stop demanding so much from him. Dr. Liang then asks Luan Nian to send her a photograph of his girlfriend. Luan Nian refuses to reveal Shang Zhitao's identity and jokingly sends a photograph of himself instead. His parents are left confused, while Luan Nian quietly enjoys keeping the relationship private. Later, Luan Nian returns to his room and calls Shang Zhitao. She answers briefly but is pulled away by her father, who wants her to join the family outside for fireworks. She apologizes and ends the call quickly. Luan Nian looks out of his window and then sends her another message, telling her that he hopes she can return to Beijing soon. Back at Shang Zhitao's home, she enjoys the rest of the New Year celebration with her parents. Although she misses Luan Nian, she feels increasingly secure in their relationship now that the misunderstanding surrounding Zang Yao has finally been resolved. Meanwhile, preparations begin for Lingmei's company retreat to Phuket. The employees gather at the airport, excited about having several days away from the office. Lumi is relieved that the trip should provide an opportunity to relax and openly complains that she hopes Luan Nian will not appear and turn the holiday into another work trip. Her hopes disappear when Luan Nian arrives at the airport. Lumi immediately complains under her breath that his presence will ruin everyone's vacation and make the retreat feel like overtime. Luan Nian overhears her but calmly reminds her that he is the company's boss and is free to travel wherever he wants. Rather than using the first-class lounge, Luan Nian chooses to wait in the main airport area with the rest of the employees. When Lumi continues complaining, he sarcastically tells her that she does not have to attend the trip if she cannot enjoy herself and even offers to upgrade her seat to business class. The retreat marks the beginning of a new phase in the relationship between Shang Zhitao and Luan Nian. Their misunderstandings have been cleared up, their relationship has become more emotionally secure, and Luan Nian is no longer hiding the fact that he has a girlfriend from his own family. At the same time, the Phuket trip brings their secret romance into a new environment where maintaining their professional distance may become much more difficult. Episode 12 is an important reconciliation chapter. Shang Zhitao finally understands the truth about Zang Yao, while Luan Nian makes it clear that his childhood connection with her is not romantic. Their relationship becomes softer and more intimate as Shang Zhitao begins calling him by his real name. The New Year celebrations also show that Luan Nian has begun acknowledging their relationship to his family, even though he still protects Shang Zhitao's identity. The episode closes with the entire Lingmei team heading to Phuket, setting up the next stage of their story.