Download The Early Spring Episode 14

The Early Spring Episode 14 begins at Lime, where Luan Nian and Tracy discuss the vacancies created by Alex's departure. Annie and Ethan have already decided to leave with Alex, while Shang Zhitao has still not made her final decision. Tracy teases Luan Nian about his sudden determination to retain an employee he once repeatedly considered dismissing. Luan Nian openly admits that Shang Zhitao is highly capable and that he wants her to remain at Lime. He asks Tracy to begin the company's formal employee-retention process and find out what would convince Shang Zhitao to stay. While the company tries to retain her, Shang Zhitao's personal life becomes increasingly complicated. Sun Yuanzhu suddenly collapses from hypoglycemia and exhaustion and is taken to the hospital. The doctor advises him to rest and eat properly, but Sun Yu is so worried about him that she asks the doctor to exaggerate his condition so that he will remain in the hospital and stop overworking himself. When Shang Zhitao visits, Sun Yuanzhu tries to make light of the situation and claims that he simply fainted because he had skipped a meal. After Shang Zhitao leaves, Sun Yu stays behind with food for her brother. She accidentally overhears a painful conversation between Sun Yuanzhu and his mother. She learns that despite the financial support Yuanzhu has been sending home, their father continues gambling and abusing his mother. Yuanzhu desperately urges his mother to leave and promises to send more money so that she can escape the situation. Sun Yu is devastated by what she hears and becomes even more determined to protect her brother. At Lime, Tracy and Luan Nian formally interview Shang Zhitao as part of the employee-retention process. Tracy asks about her career satisfaction and whether there is anything the company could change to make her stay. She even jokingly offers to introduce Shang Zhitao to a wealthy younger man who has recently returned from abroad. Luan Nian immediately interrupts the matchmaking attempt with a pointed cough, clearly uncomfortable with the idea of another man being introduced to his girlfriend. Luan Nian then speaks directly to Shang Zhitao. Instead of criticizing her, he sincerely acknowledges how much she has grown since joining Lime. He praises her dedication, learning ability and performance, noting that her 360-degree evaluation has been extremely positive. His words make Shang Zhitao realize that despite his harsh management style, he genuinely recognizes her professional abilities. Moved by his honesty and encouragement, she decides to remain at Lime rather than accept Alex's offer from Chuangyu. After the interview, Tracy tells Shang Zhitao something she had not known about Luan Nian. During the earlier scandal involving Zhang Xin, Luan Nian had chosen not to pursue the person who leaked the information because the investigation could have implicated members of Alex's team. Tracy advises Shang Zhitao to think carefully not only about salary and position but also about the character of the leaders she chooses to follow. Her words reinforce Shang Zhitao's decision to remain at Lime. That evening, Luan Nian finds Shang Zhitao waiting at a bus stop. The two begin walking together. Luan Nian finally apologizes for the cruel things he said about her professional abilities during their previous argument. He admits that he was angry and allowed his emotions to influence his words. Shang Zhitao accepts the apology and admits that she reflected on some of his criticism and found that there was a degree of truth in it. However, she asks him to encourage and praise her more often instead of always focusing on her weaknesses. Their reconciliation quickly becomes playful. Shang Zhitao tells Luan Nian that she wants to celebrate and have a drink with him. She jokes that she will unblock his phone number only if he buys her drinks first. Luan Nian agrees, and the two begin rebuilding their relationship after the painful conflict over Alex's offer. Just as their relationship begins to settle down, another crisis develops at Shang Zhitao's apartment. A real-estate agent arrives on behalf of Zhang Lei's ex-wife and informs Shang Zhitao and her roommates that the property is being sold. They are ordered to vacate the apartment within two days. Shang Zhitao is shocked because she has nowhere prepared to go, while Sun Yu and the others try to understand what legal rights they have. Sun Yuanzhu initially reassures them that Zhang Lei is handling the situation and that they will not immediately have to move. However, the situation becomes much more serious later that night. When Shang Zhitao and Sun Yu return to the apartment, they discover that the windows have been smashed and the electricity has been cut off. The damage makes it clear that someone is trying to force them out rather than simply completing a normal property sale. The roommates suspect that the real-estate agency is responsible. Together with Zhang Lei, they check the building's security footage and discover evidence connecting the agency's people to the destruction. Sun Yuanzhu and Zhang Lei confront the agents and demand an explanation. The confrontation quickly becomes aggressive when the men threaten the girls and refuse to accept responsibility. A physical fight breaks out. Shang Zhitao and Sun Yu attempt to intervene but are pushed and injured in the chaos. The police eventually arrive and arrest the people involved. Back at the apartment, Sun Yuanzhu tends to Sun Yu's bruised arm while Zhang Lei apologizes and promises to pay for the damage and help them find another place to live. The group becomes emotional as they realize that the home where they have shared so many memories may no longer be available to them. The next morning, Shang Zhitao arrives at Lime with visible bruises on her face. Lumi immediately notices the injuries and demands to know what happened. Shang Zhitao tries to downplay the incident and insists that the police are already handling it. Lumi refuses to accept that answer and begins contacting her own connections to retaliate against the real-estate agency. Luan Nian also notices Shang Zhitao's injuries. When she claims that she simply fell, he immediately knows that she is lying. He contacts Lumi and learns the truth about the apartment attack. Luan Nian becomes furious, not because Shang Zhitao failed to tell him for professional reasons, but because she did not turn to him when she was in danger. Instead of allowing Lumi and her friends to retaliate illegally, Luan Nian decides to handle the situation through the law. He investigates the real-estate agency and reports several regulatory violations, including fire-safety problems and tax irregularities. He personally places his name on the complaint so that the agency knows exactly who is challenging them. Luan Nian then drives to the agency and arrives just as Lumi and her friends are preparing to damage the business in retaliation. He orders Lumi to leave immediately. He warns her that he does not want to spend his time getting her out of jail because of an impulsive act. He tells her that he will deal with the agency himself and that she should allow the legal process to work. Once Lumi leaves, Luan Nian deliberately approaches the agents and tells them that he was the person who reported their business. The men become aggressive and attack him. Luan Nian fights back but then deliberately allows himself to be beaten when the police arrive. By making himself appear to be the victim, he ensures that the agents are the ones arrested rather than allowing the situation to become another complicated fight. On the drive home, Luan Nian remains furious with Shang Zhitao. He scolds her for hiding the incident and asks why she did not call him immediately when she was threatened. Shang Zhitao explains that she did not want to involve him or make him responsible for every problem in her life. Luan Nian tells her that she is his girlfriend and that asking him for help when she is in danger is not the same as depending on him for everything. His anger soon gives way to concern. He gently examines the injuries on Shang Zhitao's face and checks whether she has any other wounds. His sudden tenderness deeply moves her. She realizes that beneath his harsh words is genuine fear for her safety. At Luan Nian's apartment, he insists that Shang Zhitao memorize his phone number. He jokingly traces the digits across her back while she sits on his lap, trying to make sure she will never again have an excuse for not contacting him. The tension between them disappears and Shang Zhitao kisses him. Still shaken by the apartment situation, Shang Zhitao shyly asks whether she can stay at Luan Nian's apartment for five days while she searches for a new home. She also asks if she can borrow his car to move her belongings. Luan Nian immediately refuses to let her drive because he knows how poor her driving skills are. Instead, he agrees to help transport her belongings himself. Shang Zhitao then playfully tells him that she will not be moving in alone. She has another roommate who needs a place to stay. Luan Nian assumes that she means one of her human roommates and is visibly surprised when he learns the truth. The following day, Lumi happily tells Shang Zhitao that the corrupt real-estate agency has been shut down and that the men responsible for the harassment have been detained. Shang Zhitao is relieved that the situation has finally been resolved without Lumi or her friends getting into legal trouble. Luan Nian drives Shang Zhitao back to the apartment so she can collect her remaining belongings. She begins carrying boxes out of the building while Luan Nian waits nearby. Among her belongings is an unexpected addition: a small Samoyed puppy she had rescued months earlier from a pet store. Luan Nian is surprised when Shang Zhitao introduces the dog as her new roommate. She then reveals that she has already given the puppy a name: Luke. The name immediately catches Luan Nian off guard because Luke is his own English name. Shang Zhitao smiles mischievously and explains that she chose the name because she likes it. Luan Nian initially objects to the idea of sharing his home with a dog named Luke. Shang Zhitao argues that the puppy is small, adorable and completely harmless. She also promises that she will take full responsibility for caring for him. Luan Nian reluctantly agrees, although his expression makes it clear that he is not entirely happy about sharing his home and his name with a mischievous puppy. As they carry the final boxes into Luan Nian's apartment, Shang Zhitao begins realizing that this temporary living arrangement could become much more intimate than she originally planned. Luan Nian also understands that having Shang Zhitao and her new puppy living under the same roof will make it much harder for either of them to maintain emotional distance. Episode 14 marks a major shift in Shang Zhitao and Luan Nian's relationship. After their painful argument over Alex, Luan Nian sincerely apologizes and Shang Zhitao chooses to remain at Lime. Their reconciliation is followed by the serious crisis at Shang Zhitao's apartment, forcing Luan Nian to demonstrate just how protective he is of her. Instead of allowing revenge, he uses legal methods to shut down the corrupt agency and personally takes responsibility for protecting her. By the end of the episode, Shang Zhitao moves temporarily into his apartment with her rescued Samoyed, Luke, bringing the couple into an entirely new stage of their relationship.