The Early Spring Episode 17 — English Subtitles

The Early Spring Episode 17 becomes one of the most intense turning points in Shang Zhitao and Luan Nian's relationship as the conflict surrounding new general manager Dony finally reaches a breaking point. After becoming increasingly suspicious of Dony's behavior in Hangzhou, Shang Zhitao asks Sun Yuanzhu to investigate his background and previous employment history. The information he uncovers is deeply disturbing. Dony has a history involving the misuse of company funds as well as serious misconduct toward female employees. Sun Yuanzhu immediately warns Zhitao that the situation is dangerous and urges her to put her personal safety first. Around the same time, Lumi unexpectedly arrives at Shang Zhitao's hotel in Hangzhou. Zhitao quickly realizes that Luan Nian must have sent her. Lumi cannot reveal the details of the confidential investigation into Dony's financial activities, but she makes it clear that she has come to support Zhitao and that Luan Nian is quietly protecting her from behind the scenes. Her unexpected appearance also confirms to Zhitao that Luan Nian has realized something is wrong with Dony. Dony soon invites Zhitao to dinner under the pretext of discussing the Hangzhou project. During the meal, he repeatedly asks about Lumi's sudden visit and tries to determine whether Luan Nian ordered the investigation. Zhitao carefully avoids revealing what she knows and tells Dony that she does not know the details. Dony then threatens her position, warning that if the Hangzhou project fails, she will be the first employee removed from the company. Zhitao refuses to be intimidated and calmly tells him that her future at Lime is not something he can decide by himself. As the confrontation becomes more aggressive, Dony corners Zhitao and attempts to intimidate and sexually harass her. Zhitao struggles to free herself and manages to push him away before escaping from the room. In the process, she loses one of her shoes while desperately trying to get away. She reaches the hotel lobby shaken and frightened, but the incident is not simply an accident. Zhitao had deliberately prepared for the possibility that Dony might expose his true behavior. Earlier, Kitty had already confided in Zhitao about what Dony had done to her. Kitty revealed that Dony had drugged her, taken inappropriate photographs of her and attempted to use the material to blackmail and control her. Zhitao realizes that Dony's behavior toward her is part of a much larger pattern. Rather than allowing him to continue targeting other women, she decides to take the risk of confronting him while secretly recording their conversation as evidence. Zhitao also coordinates a safety plan with Kitty and the other female employees. During the dinner with Dony, she keeps her phone recording while allowing him to reveal his threats and coercive behavior. When the situation becomes dangerous, she activates the agreed distress signal. Kitty and several other women arrive in time to block Dony and help Zhitao escape safely. Their intervention prevents the situation from becoming even more serious. After escaping, Zhitao immediately calls Luan Nian in Beijing. She tells him that she misses him, but she does not tell him what actually happened. Luan Nian quickly notices that something is wrong from her voice and asks whether Dony has harassed her. Zhitao tearfully denies it because she is afraid that if Luan Nian learns the truth, he will confront Dony directly and put his own career and safety at risk. Zhitao returns to Beijing that night. When she reaches Luan Nian's home, he is still asleep. The moment she sees him, she rushes into his arms and asks for a hug. Luan Nian immediately senses that something is wrong. He feels her body trembling in his arms and realizes that the woman who usually tries to remain strong is genuinely frightened. Instead of forcing her to explain, he simply holds her tightly and comforts her. The next morning, Luan Nian attends an executive meeting where he proposes recalling the Hangzhou project team and bringing the work back under tighter supervision in Beijing. Dony strongly opposes the proposal, arguing that the Hangzhou project must continue. The disagreement exposes the growing struggle for control within the company. During the meeting, an email suddenly arrives from Shang Zhitao. She has formally submitted a real-name complaint against Dony for workplace sexual harassment and attached the audio recordings she secretly obtained. The complaint immediately changes the atmosphere of the meeting. Luan Nian realizes that the fear he sensed when Zhitao returned home was connected to Dony's actions. Outside the meeting room, Lumi confronts Dony and angrily demands an explanation. Luan Nian hears the argument and rushes into the corridor. Overwhelmed by anger after realizing what Zhitao endured, he grabs Dony by the throat and nearly loses control. Tu Ming intervenes before Luan Nian can seriously hurt him. The confrontation makes clear that Luan Nian is no longer willing to tolerate Dony's behavior simply as an internal workplace dispute. Liang Xin then moves to report the matter to the police. She is deeply affected by the accounts of the female employees and refuses to treat the incident as something that can be quietly settled inside the company. She privately reassures Zhitao that Lime will stand behind her and that she is proud of having hired her. Despite Dony's powerful connections, Liang Xin and Luan Nian are determined to ensure that the victims receive justice. However, headquarters becomes concerned about the potential damage to Lime's reputation and share price. Company representatives attempt to persuade Zhitao to accept a private financial settlement rather than pursuing a public investigation. Zhitao refuses. She makes it clear that she does not want money in exchange for silence and insists that Dony should face the consequences of his actions. At the same time, Lumi and Tu Ming continue investigating Dony's financial activities. Their audit reveals that Dony had been using apparently legitimate tea purchases and supplier transactions to conceal the movement of embezzled company funds. Money was being routed through local businesses and entities before ultimately reaching an overseas private account. The financial evidence strengthens the sexual-harassment complaint by demonstrating that Dony's misconduct extends far beyond a single workplace incident. Luan Nian later confronts Zhitao privately. His anger is no longer directed only at Dony; he is deeply hurt that Zhitao lied to him when he asked whether she had been harassed. He tells her that as her boyfriend, he should have been someone she could trust with the truth. Zhitao explains that she was trying to protect him and did not want him to risk everything by confronting Dony. Luan Nian understands her intention but remains upset that she put herself in danger without telling him. During the company's formal investigation, headquarters criticizes Luan Nian for using company resources to investigate Dony's personal history while the company was already dealing with internal competition and political tensions. Luan Nian realizes that headquarters does not trust his judgment and that the company's leadership is more concerned with protecting its own interests than protecting its employees. Luan Nian therefore announces his resignation from his positions at Lime. His decision shocks the company. Liang Xin later calls to tell him that the business division wants him to attend an emergency meeting because the scandal is causing the company's share price to fall rapidly. Some executives initially assume that Luan Nian is simply using his resignation as leverage, but he makes it clear that he genuinely intends to leave and tells them to begin looking for his replacement. After leaving the meeting, Luan Nian repeatedly rereads Zhitao's complaint email. The fear visible in her words and the fact that she had been trembling in his arms weigh heavily on him. He blames himself for not protecting her sooner and drives to see her. When Zhitao learns that Luan Nian has arrived, she immediately runs downstairs. Luan Nian gently but firmly tells her that she should have trusted him as her boyfriend. Zhitao holds his hand and promises that she will not hide something this serious from him again. When she learns that he has resigned, she becomes emotional and begs him not to leave. She tells him that she loves working with him, respects him and wants to continue building her career beside him. Luan Nian finally embraces her without saying much, showing that her words have reached him. Soon afterward, representatives from headquarters travel to meet Luan Nian and ask him to return to manage Lime China. Luan Nian agrees only after establishing strict conditions. He demands compensation in the form of company stock for Zhitao and the other female employees who were harmed, insists that the company guarantee a genuinely safe working environment, and requires headquarters to allow the victims to continue with the police prosecution without pressure to withdraw their complaints. The company's leadership initially hesitates, but the rapidly falling share price leaves them little choice. To protect the business and restore confidence, headquarters accepts Luan Nian's conditions. The affected employees receive the promised stock compensation, while the company commits to improving workplace protections and supporting the legal proceedings against Dony. Liang Xin later informs Luan Nian that Dony has been convicted for his crimes and sentenced to eleven years in prison. The news finally brings some relief after the turmoil that has consumed the company. Luan Nian returns home and spends time with Luke, allowing himself a rare moment of peace after everything that has happened. By the end of the episode, Liang Xin calls Luan Nian to confirm that he can return to work the following week. Luan Nian smiles and agrees. At the same time, Sun Yu is struggling with the opposite problem: her dating-app startup is running out of money and user registrations have reached a low point. Zhitao and Sun Yuanzhu encourage her not to give up, download the application themselves and promise to help promote it. Episode 17 closes with the characters facing very different challenges, but with their friendships and relationships becoming stronger through adversity.