The Early Spring

by Gu Niang Bie Ku

Genres: Romance, China, Fiction, Contemporary Romance, Contemporary

2338 pages, ebook

Reviews

[lucialeelibros · Rating 5 out of 5]

I never thought I could read a really hot, toxic and delicious Chinese story

[mel · Rating 5 out of 5]

biggest and reddest red flag turning into a hubby

[Poojitha Uppalapati · Rating 3 out of 5]

there’s only so much toxicity i can take before wishing the ml dies alone ☺️

[Onyinye · Rating 5 out of 5]

What can I even say?? Firstly just started it because waiting 2 episodes per day for the movie was killing me but I loved this book soo much
Yes Luke was a hot headed man with a bad mouth and she was so insecure at the beginning but what I loved the most about this book is the gradual character development

And sue me but I love a good ole miscommunication trope done right🫣 and even though in real life, this wouldn’t fly because I hate that they literally wasted 10 years and their relationship was toxic at first, I love how he was able to take advice from his friends and implement them immediately, love their family, love his friends and loveeee the son dog luke😂

[Shweta · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book 8: Women in Translation Month 2026

Given how abrupt I found the translations of two other Chinese novels I read, this one was almost perfectly translated. If I didn't know better, I would've thought it was originally written in English.

Where do I start with this one?

When the early previews of the show were doing rounds, I almost dismissed it. Then I saw one clip, then another, and another and I was hooked. I started watching and then Netflix did me the dirty of releasing one episode a day. Ofc I couldn't wait, so I hunted the English translation down.

I finished the book in two sittings. 900 pages. 2 evenings. Panda eyes, missed workout, no regrets.

So, let me start by saying the drama is doing us dirty. So dirty!

Luan Nian and Shang Zhitao are train wreck of characters. One is harsh, foul tempered, and foul mouthed while the other is young, naive, incredibly insecure and most of the time, foolish. Watching them fall in love was like watching a train wreck. Both of them have issues: lack of communication being no:1. The book does this so well. The show? Well, I think it does its viewers the discredit of not appreciating a less than flawless romance.

There were times I was SO frustrated with the FL. Yes, I get it, she's young and naive and insecure but that does not give her the right to say the outright mean things she does or act the way she does. The ML had my sympathy at times ( I say this as someone who cannot always convey her feelings, ends up acting rashly, and then regrets her actions )

But the story had me. I could not stop reading. I felt so much. And now that its over, I do not know what to do with myself. That for me is the biggest win of this second-chances, dramatic romance.

A note of appreciation for the author's foreword wherein she warns readers off. Not a TW but setting expectations for the readers. Respect.

Do I recommend it? Only if you can view it from the cultural lens and the emotional maturity it demands.

[richa ⋆.˚★ · Rating 2 out of 5]

2/5

For all the emotional stress I had to bear, the book deserves an applause. I had previously dnfed it but I kept thinking about tao and how she'll eventually face nian. Hence, I skipped their rs and directly read their break up and post chapters.
The author is seriously so nuanced, she expressed all the little actions and thoughts of a early 20s to early 30s characters with care and she does displays their growth. It's more an issue for me as a reader, as I find personalites like the ML & FL a bit difficult. I cannot bear misunderstandings and I avoid reading between lines.
For a while, some of their moments reminded me of normal people. The constant push & pull had me stressed.

[Farah Farooq · Rating 2 out of 5]

my first translated from chinese book and only because i’m somehow on this dramas twitter and i have no patience to commit to a show but i will read an entire book just to be in the know!

[✿ Axa ✿ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Had to read this book because the drama only releases one episode a day. My impatient ass simply couldn’t wait, so here we are, reading the book instead.

Also, saying this book is “300 pages” in the description is a fucking lie. A PENIPUAN. I read a whole-ass 1000-something-page book. 😭 Thank God it wasn’t a boring one.

The main core conflict of this book is basically misunderstanding, miscommunication, and the classic toxic-but-handsome-and-rich male lead trope. And somehow, I ate it all up.

I love how the author end their love story. The growth of both main lead characters are also beautiful.

[faye ✮ (ia) · Rating 3 out of 5]

𖤐.ᐟ pre-read:
before the drama ends, let me read the novel version first!

[alesya · Rating 5 out of 5]

never have i ever been tempted to read the novel just from watching a drama adaptation and im glad i did for this one. a 10/10. two flawed people learning to communicate and grow while still staying true to themselves, even the side stories are perfect. this book and its characters will definitely stay in my mind for a long time 🥹

[Mae (bookishpremed) · Rating 5 out of 5]

what a freaking rollercoaster of emotions 😭 this man groveled so much and i was so here for it. as he should!!!!

[Viola · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5/5
There’s really no going back once you discover Chinese webnovels, huh? XD

I usually stick to wuxia/xianxia or danmei, so this was my first contemporary webnovel, and… yeah, it was pretty much exactly what I expected lol.

That being said, however, I was expecting the breakup to happen much earlier so we could get a proper, long-suffering chasing-and-redemption arc, but nope. "The Big Breakup" happens right at the very end, leaving us with about 10 chapters for little to no character growth, grovelling or redemption. And honestly, for this kind of novel, that period is the whole point! You need time to let these people suffer, reflect, grow and, preferably, grovel spectacularly. Instead, we got the literary equivalent of “Oops! time’s up.”

Both main characters irritated me to my core because they were so incredibly flat, with very little meaningful character development. The drama adaptation does a better job of making the male MC considerably more palatable, but unfortunately, it does so at the expense of sanding down the female MC’s personality. So… improvement? Debatable.

The only character who was genuinely a breath of fresh air was Lumi. She had more personality than both leads combined, which is honestly a little embarrassing for them. I’ll definitely be checking out her novel because of this.

Shoutout to lov****ea for the great translation, too. One of the very few Chinese translation teams out there that actually makes reading a translated webnovel feel effortless, so thank you for your service.🫡

[SenyoriitaReads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Luan Nian is definitely a red flag at first—arrogant, emotionally unavailable, overly critical, and absolutely terrible at communicating his feelings. 😭 He can be frustrating because he cares deeply but has the worst way of showing it, often letting his pride and rationality get in the way. BUT what makes him so lovable is seeing how much he grows. He learns to communicate, becomes more considerate, puts in genuine effort, and slowly learns that loving someone isn’t just about how you feel—it’s about how you make them feel. 🚩➡️💚 His character development and the effort he puts into becoming better are honestly what make him so easy to forgive and root for. My heart goes to him! Highly recommended.

[Douce · Rating 4 out of 5]

With four months to go before the end of the year this might yet be my best read of the year and that is despite the racist remarks at the begining.

Like so many others last month , i picked up this book because i was curious when i started watching the streaming adaptation.

This is my first coming of age book that is not in the realm of high fantasy.

While reading i laughed, cried, felt Shang Zithao' fears and perpetual anxiety and cursed at Luan Nian, yet not once did i consider putting it down.

The realistic portrayal of a tumultuous relationship is one of the many things i love about it, but i also loved how this book made me reflect on my life. In my 20's i would've done the same as Zithao, and knowing myself i somehow would've come out worse than her.

I read this in my early 30's so i have the advantage of experience which is perhaps why i could see the pitfalls of this relationship the moment they agreed on an exclusive sexual relationship, when one of them is already emotionaly invested. I could also see the canyon wide cracks when they decided to be in an actual relationship.

[Nina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I never thought that i would like this book so much. I don’t particularly like this kind of stories, with so many red flags and toxicity in it but this story kept me interested till the end. I liked how the characters developed over the years and how they let love transform them.
It was a really nice reading and, to be in line with the last words in the ending, may you all read it and may i reread it, in the future.

[Lia◇ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Me obsesioné tanto con la serie que no pude evitar leer el libro. Esperar a que saliera un solo capítulo al día se me hacía eternony necesitaba saber qué iba a pasar aunque más o menos ya lo sabía por la cantidad de spoilers que me he comido.

¿Qué puedo decir? Nunca esperé que un libro con un protagonista así, que normalmente no me gusta, pudiera gustarme tanto como lo ha hecho. Y sin duda ha merecido completamente la pena por que es completamente adictivo me pasé casi toda la noche sin dormir porque quería acabarlo.

[Suraya (thesuraya) · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars, all around.

it truly felt like i was along in that 10+ years wildly turbulent relationship of Luan Nian and Shang Zhitao.

"If Luan Nian could do it again, he would stand by her side at many important moments and say to her: "You're amazing. Keep going."

Keep going, Shang Zhitao.

And, don't be ashamed of how we began anymore—I fell in love with you first."

[xxmoonagestardustxxx · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's Friday again and yet there's no Luan Nian for me

[Jessica Haryanto · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my first encounter to Chinese novel bcs the drama is airing in netflix. After a long reading slump, it ignited my spark back! I pulled all nighter 2 days in a row just to finish this book & I was so satisfied with the whole story.

I learned new business terms, tactics, strategies as well as struggles, resilient, perseverance. I went through emotional roller coaster. The character development of the characters are spotless.

Sang Zhitao "Goddess of War" is full of insecurities at first but her hard work, perseverance & determination finally took off at the end. I kept thinking that I've wasted my early 20s, I should be more relentless like Zhitao back then.

As for Luan Nian, he was so non chalant. He should take a training class on how to manage his words. Luckily Zhitao gave him the harshest lesson until he changed his demeanor.

The loss of Sun Yuanzhu saddened me the most😢

All the advices & quotes deeply ingrained in my heart & it’s ended very beautifully…

[Iyun Na · Rating 4 out of 5]

Novel yang kubaca 2 kali karena greget sama dramanya yang on-going 👀

Sejujurnya, selama baca novel ini aku lebih banyak memaki ML-nya, Luan Nian aka Luke 🤣. Sepantas itu emang beliau di maki di Novel ini 😌

IMO dia tuh gak worth it buat seorang Shang Zhitao aka Flora. Temperamennya buruk, gengsian, mulutnya tajam, pendendam, kurang empati, dan arogan selangit. Selama menjalin hubungan dengan Flora, rasanya hampir nggak ada tuh kata-kata baik yang keluar dari mulutnya (tapi menariknya keberadaan Flora justru jadi pemicu dia bisa jadi perlahan-lahan tampak manusiawi) Tapi ya, beliau ini memang paket lengkap kalau cuma dilihat dari CV. Kaya raya karena berasal dari keluarga old money, sukses di usia muda, pintar, kompeten, dan cakep pula. Jadi mungkin itu salah satu alasan kenapa Flora masih bisa bertahan selama itu🤣

Salut sih sama Flora yang bisa bertahan dengan hubungan gak jelas mereka selama 6 tahun (4 tahun fwb, 2 tahun pacaran diam-diam).

Enam tahun, guys. ENAM TAHUN.

Mereka selama 6 tahun jg banyak putus nyambungnya, gegara sikap Luke yang emang bikin kesel. Hubungan mereka setoxic itu.

Yang menarik buatku tuh, konflik mereka yang sebenarnya lebih banyak di batin dan miskomunikasi, karena dua manusia ini komunikasinya memang buruk banget (berasa mau jadi orang ketiga dan bilang ke mereka langsung: Ini tuh masalah kalian, si Flora cemburu, lo harus coba juga memahami, secara lo yang ngajak anak orang ke hubungan gak jelas).

Hubungan mereka sejak awal sudah dibangun di atas fondasi yang nggak sehat. Flora merasa gak punya ruang bebas untuk bereskpresi di dalam hubungan mereka, selain karena memang sejak awal mereka memang gak mau libatin perasaan just fun-fun gitu, si Luke juga mah gak jelas banget.

Dan Flora juga tahu kalau dia mengungkapkan perasaannya, si Luke kemungkinan besar malah akan membalas dengan kata-kata yang menyakitkan. Jadi akhirnya dia memilih diam.

Luke pun sebenarnya sama-sama nggak bisa mengomunikasikan kecemburuannya.

Dia tahu Flora punya lingkaran pertemanan yang luas dan sangat supportif. Beberapa kali dia cemburu lihat interaksi Flora sama temen serumahnya yg cowok, si Sun Yuanzhu. Tapi dia gengsinya gede banget, dan ngerasa gak perlu ngomong gitu ke Flora. Dia juga gak mau Flora bergantung ke dia dan Flora menyetujui kesepakatan itu (dan ini sih yang bikin Luke bakalan banyak keselnya sama sikap Flora hahaha).

Sementara Luke sendiri bisa dibilang hanya punya beberapa orang yang benar-benar dekat dengannya, ada Tan Mian, Chen Kuannian, Song Qiuhan, dan Zang Yao si cewe yang hobinya mengembara itu juga naksir si Luke😂

Ditambah lagi ada perbedaan status sosial yang membuat Flora kadang merasa dirinya nggak benar-benar bisa menjangkau Luke. Masalahnya, Luke ini minim empati dan nggak terlalu peka terhadap hal-hal semacam itu.

Sedangkan Flora?

Nggak ngomong.

Karena dia merasa hal-hal tersebut mungkin nggak berarti buat Luke.

Jadilah dua orang ini sama-sama punya perasaan, sama-sama cemburu, sama-sama terluka, tapi nggak ada yang benar-benar ngomong. Ini jujur bikin gregetan amatt 👺

Beberapa alasan aku ngasih novel ini rating 4/5 ⭐

1. Storyline-nya bagus dan nggak bikin bingung.
Walaupun konfliknya cukup banyak, alurnya masih gampang diikuti dan menurutku setiap kejadian punya kontribusi terhadap perkembangan hubungan maupun karakter mereka.

2. Flora adalah karakter favoritku.
Dia tuh definisi cewek rantau yang tangki cintanya sudah penuh. Anaknya sopan, rendah hati, ceria, optimis, tapi juga ambisius dan independen. Menariknya, sejak awal merantau dia bertemu teman-teman serumah seperti Sun Yu, Sun Yuanzhu, dan Zhang Lei yang sayang banget sama dia. Flora memang tipe orang yang nggak sulit untuk disukai karena dia humble dan pandai bergaul. Aku juga suka bagaimana novel ini menunjukkan bahwa Flora punya support system di luar hubungan romantisnya. Ketika banyak cobaan datang, dia memang kadang menangis, tetapi dia tetap berusaha bertahan dan memperbaiki hidupnya. Termasuk menghadapi hubungan nggak jelas dengan Luke selama enam tahun (Kuat banget Mba. Aku sih dah run dari awal😭)

3. Aku suka banget interaksi Flora dengan circle-nya.
Ini salah satu bagian yang paling aku nikmati. Ada banyak interaksi kecil dengan teman-temannya yang terasa hangat, ditambah beberapa kutipan yang menurutku menarik. Novel ini juga cukup berhasil menggambarkan realita kehidupan anak rantau (kebetulan aku sendiri juga merantau, walaupun sekarang masih mahasiswa dan belum bekerja) jadi ada beberapa bagian yang terasa cukup relatable.

4. Aku PUAS banget ketika Flora akhirnya berani meninggalkan Luke demi dirinya sendiri.
Ini mungkin salah satu perkembangan Flora yang paling aku apresiasi. Bukan cuma karena dia akhirnya meninggalkan hubungan yang nggak sehat, tetapi karena dia mulai menyadari bahwa memilih dirinya sendiri bukan berarti dia berhenti mencintai Luke. Dan menurutku ini penting bgt

5. Payoff menuju ending menurutku worth it.
Luke memang red flag berjalan hampir sepanjang cerita👺 Tapi perlahan dia berkembang menjadi pribadi yang lebih baik. Yang kusuka sih, perubahannya nggak tiba-tiba kek bangun tidur lalu “Oh, sekarang aku orang baik!”

Ada prosesnya. Dan sebagai pembaca, aku sampai ikut merasakan: “Finally, bro is becoming a human being.” 😭🤣

6. Banyak tanda tanya yang akhirnya dibayar tuntas lewat extra chapter dan side story.
Salah satunya: Kenapa sih Luan Nian temperamennya buruk banget dan mulutnya nggak bisa ngomong baik-baik?
Ternyata hal tersebut dijelaskan lewat extra chapter dan side story tentang orang tua Luke. Buatku, tambahan cerita ini cukup membantu memahami latar belakang Luke dan membuat beberapa bagian dari karakternya terasa lebih masuk akal. Bukan berarti jadi pembenaran atas perilakunya, tapi setidaknya pembaca diberi konteks mengenai kenapa dia menjadi seperti itu.

7. Dan tentu saja... aku beberapa kali notice Pak Sekuriti perumahan Luke. 🤣

Beliau adalah salah satu saksi sejarah hubungan Luke dan Flora (dari dia ngiranya si Flora mba2 LC, sampe dah tau dia cewenya si Luke yg sering nginap di rumah Luke, terus after 3 tahun kemudian Flora nongol lagi setelah Luke berhasil memulai hubungan yg sehat dgn Flora, mungkin total 10 tahunan lah beliau ini menjadi saksi🤣)

Pak, Anda telah melihat terlalu banyak😭

And... overall

Aku sebenarnya masih punya banyak banget yang ingin dibicarakan tentang novel ini. Khususnya karena aku juga ngikutin versi dramanya, jadi mau nggak mau aku sering membandingkan keduanya. Dan jujur, dramanya cukup bikin kecewa (aku dah nonton sampe END). Bukan berarti dramanya jelek (menurutku masih bagus dan tetap worth to watch, apalagi chemistry Jing Bao dan Sun Qian👀) tapi ada beberapa hal yang menurutku terasa kurang dibandingkan versi novelnya (mungkin karena awalnya ada 32 eps tapi jadi 24 eps, wah punten banyak bgt cut scenenya. Sama endingnya sih untuk scene museum Flora bikin aku agak kecewa, i hope it dibuat sedetail di novel, but not).

Sedangkan novelnya sendiri punya sesuatu yang membuatku tetap menikmati perjalanan mereka (karena emang lebih detail novel, apalagi ini lebih fokus ke sudut pandang Flora sih. Kalo drama mah karakter Luke dah dismoothin) meskipun berkali-kali ingin meneriaki Luke: “BRO, LO TUH SEBENARNYA BISA NGOMONG BAIK-BAIK NGGAK SIH?” 😭

Pada akhirnya, buatku novel ini bukan cuma tentang hubungan Luke dan Flora, tetapi juga tentang dua orang yang sama-sama punya perasaan namun terlalu lama gagal mengomunikasikannya, sampai akhirnya salah satu dari mereka harus memilih untuk pergi demi dirinya sendiri.

Dan mungkin itu juga yang membuat payoff di bagian akhir terasa cukup memuaskan. Ketika akhirnya si Luke ngejar Flora dgn cara yang lebih sehat dan dia jadi pribadi yang lebih manusiawi.

[Mina · Rating 4 out of 5]

.
Leer este libro se sintió realmente como ver un C-drama.Venía con muy pocas expectativas. Quería saber qué pasa en la serie porque no podía esperar para descubrirlo mientras se transmitía. El libro es muy largo y, aun así, lo acabé lo más rápido que pude.

Debo empezar hablando de la construcción de los personajes. Flora, como protagonista, al comienzo puede parecer cliché —chica buena y pura—; sin embargo, mientras avanza la historia, puedes ver cómo cada circunstancia de su vida la hace crecer y formar una personalidad madura y encantadora. Aunque al inicio puede parecer que la relación que mantiene con Luke es una distorsión de poder entre empleada y jefe, el autor de la novela hace algo más interesante que solo contar una historia de romance en donde no hay consecuencias por un romance prohibido.

Cada malentendido entre la pareja, cada falta de comunicación, cada escena de celos y cada silencio hicieron que, a lo largo de seis años, un romance que parece funcionar principalmente por la pasión se fuera perdiendo en una nube de ego por parte de Luke y de resentimiento por parte de Flora, generando una desconfianza que termina por romper la relación con palabras hirientes.

Por otro lado, tenemos a Luke. Me parece un personaje tan interesante porque es un personaje literario, y podemos verlo crecer, cambiar y ser mejor. Pero es bastante difícil admirar algo así cuando en la novela es un adulto de 26 años que ha vivido muchas cosas diferentes a Flora. Y una de las cosas que más me molesta es eso: para mí, a pesar de que ambos hayan sido adultos, tenían etapas de vida muy distintas en el momento en que iniciaron la relación. Sí había una relación de poder. Y sí me molesta porque, al final, aunque el libro sea muy bueno y te enganche, también trae a colación las microviolencias que sí existen en la novela. Luke sí es un muy mal “novio” y muchas veces es ofensivo con Flora. Él sabía qué cosas decirle para lastimarla y no dudaba en usarlas; nunca le tembló la boca. Por eso me da mucha risa que en la serie los fans hagan edits diciendo que Luke es perfecto si no hablara. 100% de acuerdo.

Algo más de lo que quiero hablar es de la diferencia de este personaje en la serie y en el libro. Aunque Flora es totalmente igual al libro, salvo algunos cambios interesantes en la serie para hacer notar que ella también contribuye a que la relación se arruine, al personaje de Luke en la serie lo suavizaron muchísimo. Y, aun así, tanto en el libro como en la serie sigue siendo muy RED FLAG.

A todo esto quiero llegar: el libro nos cuenta una historia que toca muchos temas interesantes, pero el que más resalta es el de una relación tóxica camuflada en una relación basada solamente en la pasión y en verse los viernes. Poco a poco van interviniendo sentimientos que terminan cambiando la relación y, cuando las cosas cambian, se establecen nuevas reglas, lo cual nunca pasa realmente en esta relación. Y eso hace que, después de seis años, termine de la peor manera.

Ahora, lo que pasa después de esos seis años es interesante. Flora lo deja, trabaja en sí misma, establece un negocio y se hace un nombre como empresaria. Si me preguntan a mí, me hubiera encantado que terminara así.

Ahora, para las románticas, tenemos romance en donde el RED FLAG cambia por la chica que ama, la espera y la busca hasta que ella cumpla sus sueños. Me gustó ver el cambio de Luke y sus explicaciones sobre momentos en los que actuó mal en el pasado. El final fue su arco de redención y, miren, yo lo compro. Nada mejor que ver a un hombre arrastrándose por el amor que perdió por sus propias acciones.

En fin, la ambientación, los personajes y la trama me parecen muy buenos e interesantes.

En verdad, es un libro muy interesante de analizar, y para mí, un libro que te dé tanto de qué hablar ya es, de por sí, muy bueno.Mantuve expresiones tuyas como “RED FLAG”, “yo lo compro”, “para las románticas” y “si me preguntan a mí”, porque son precisamente las que hacen que la reseña suene a ti y no a una reseña demasiado formal.

[Nana · Rating 5 out of 5]

First off, like the author’s note said, this story is not a love story at all. It is so much more than that. In my opinion, it was more about growth, finding value into oneself, evolving in a system that seems rigged against you, working hard to achieve one’s goals. Moreover it showed the importance of accepting help from others, knowing when to bow down and when to speak up.

Throughout my reading I really felt like I grew up with the main characters. Noticing that I shared many flaws with both Shang Zhitao(Flora) and Luan Nian (Luke). I adored the fact that their relationship wasn’t the sole focus of the novel.

The author ingeniously explored the hardships of fresh 20-something new graduates going through life trying to make something of themselves in a cut-throat environnement. I wish we could have known more about Sun Yuanzhu. But ultimately understood that not everything needed to be completely explained or needs to make sense. Perhaps the author made that decision to teach the readers the importance of checking in on our loved ones, recognizing the patterns of depression and never taking someone for granted.

I have to admit that even though I didn’t understand what the main characters’s job was, ( nor was I particularly interested in any of their lingo or workplace drama) I still learned valuable lessons with Luan Nian’s teaching that I could apply to my own life which happily surprised me.

Now for the love story itself..

Usually love is shown in such a beautiful, almost utopian kind of way in certain novels. But in this one, theirs felt grounded. Their emotions, the way they spoke to one another, every miscommunication felt real. I could see myself in a lot of their bickering and a lot of their heartaches and could see people in my surrounding in them as well. Yes it wasn’t perfect, not even close. But the way they blossomed together and slowly begin letting their resentment, prejudice and lack of trust for one another fall down, was truly marvellous.

I can’t say Luan Nian didn’t piss me off for about 80% of the entire novel but at the same time I could see him trying and was warmed by him the same way Shang Zhitao was. But honestly Kudos to her for being able to endure him. I probably am not mature enough to be as accepting as that woman 😂

All in all, even though it felt toxic at times, even though I despise the miscommunication trope, even though I couldn’t understand a thing about high end workplaces, even though I don’t know a thing about China’s geography, even with the blatant bias against foreigners ( for lack of a better word) depicted though the book, even though certain character needed more developing in my opinion ( Lumi, Will, Sun Yuanzhu, etc…) I still ate it all up.

[Joeny Mae · Rating 5 out of 5]

WARNING: I'm blind, I appreciate red flags!

I'm definitely a sucker for both of them and the kind of relationship they have. I live for a toxic-to-healthy relationship trope (as long as there's no cheating, I will survive!).

If the series felt incomplete and like something was missing, then you must read the book because everything was laid down perfectly on the page. You get to understand them so much better and finally see the real reasons behind their decisions. Book Nian is different from Series Nian (the show version is definitely toned down), but regardless, you can still see his slips, cracks, and character shifts. The series is just milder, but you understand his true depth in the book.

I learned a lot from them professionally—their attitude toward work is worth admiring, and we get to see Nian in the best light possible in a workplace setting. But their relationship? Good Lord, I was so frustrated! Tao struggled with feeling deeply inferior, while Nian had built up a thick, impenetrable wall. Together? THEY FAILED TO COMMUNICATE.

It is genuinely so messed up how they completely failed to communicate throughout their entire 6-year history—stretching across 4 years of being friends with benefits and 2 years of an actual secret relationship.

Tao knew exactly what was waiting for her at the end of their arrangement, and what she said during the breakup was so well-delivered. It perfectly captured the reality of their situation. The breakup angst was honestly needed for them to see things clearly, face their flaws, and grow up. Still, I really admire Tao because she has her own career; her entire world doesn't revolve around him.

On another note, I loveee lovee Lumi! Her personality is an absolute winner, and her non-stop, ride-or-die support for both Nian and Tao honestly needs to be studied.

Overall, I absolutely love how their relationship changed from toxic to healthy over time. It was a long, messy journey, but the growth felt incredibly well-deserved.

[Sana · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Early Spring — Gu Niang Bie Ku 🌱

I watched the drama first, so I thought I knew what I was getting into with this book but I was so wrong.
(Forgive me if i go easy on Luan Nian 😅)

If you thought Luan Nian was problematic in the drama… the man in the book is on another level. And honestly, Shang Zhitao isn't exactly innocent either. Both of them are much more flawed, impulsive and frustrating here, which somehow made their relationship even more complicated.

Luan Nian is arrogant, controlling, sharp-tongued, possessive and absolutely terrible at communicating. There were MANY moments when I wanted to tell him to just shut up and leave.

And Shang Zhitao? I couldn't believe some of the things she did either. There were moments when I genuinely disliked both of them.

But here's the embarrassing part: I still found myself defending them. 😂

I would be discussing them with my friends, fully aware of how terrible their behaviour was, and STILL somehow arguing their side 😭
I think that's what made them so compelling to me. They aren't perfect. They aren't even particularly easy to like at times. They're messy, flawed people who make genuinely bad choices but they're also human.

❤️The biggest hook for me was the idea that was reflected during the drama and stayed with me while reading the book "You don't have to be perfect to be worthy of love"❤️

These aren't two flawless people who magically become deserving of each other. They're messy people who make mistakes, hurt each other, grow, and still find their way back to love.

The book actually makes both of them MUCH worse than their drama versions 😂 — which is why I think I prefer the drama's portrayal of them. But the book gives you a deeper look into their minds, and that made their flaws impossible to ignore.

Was Luan Nian a problematic?
Absolutely.

Was Shang Zhitao frustrating?
Absolutely.

Did I still defend both of them to my friends like my life depended on it?
Unfortunately, absolutely. 😂

[Louise · Rating 4 out of 5]

English translation

4/5

Overall solid read. Somehow I found myself learning a lot from Luan Nian teaching Tao Tao about business.

Reading this book I understand the break up needed for both leads. Though if not for his support network I don’t think Luan Nian would have ever been able to chase her back. He says to Tao Tao she forgot her brain, but it’s Luan Nian who forgot to bring his heart.

I like the premise that both are flawed. One in security and the other one in arrogance. And that if one lifts themselves up a bit, and the other one bows down a bit, they can stand as equals.

An exhilarating love story of ups and downs over a 10 year timeline.

‘Love requires permeation.
Like sunlight peeking through the gaps in a curtain, slowly filling an entire room.
Permeating each other's lives, sharing friends, secrets, and hobbies. Traveling across mountains and rivers together, while also making the most of their quiet life as a pair.'

[임서린 · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5
I love this novel so much! I got hooked. The quirks of the main characters and even the side characters are interesting enough for me. It was a corporate slice-of-life for the most part, filled with steamy scenes in between.

However, there is one thing I didn't like in the novel. As I found myself getting immersed in the story, there would be a sudden force that would pull me out of the momentum. There are occasional moments where the narration will bring us back to the future. I felt that it was unnecessary especially if the story started entirely from scratch. The random throwbacks enrich the experience, but talks about the future ruins the experience at times.

Nonetheless, I enjoyed following Taotao and Niannian's journey as individuals and as a couple. I'm currently rereading because I can't get enough of it~

[Utn · Rating 5 out of 5]

How did they manage to redeem the biggest red flag on earth so well I still don't know. I started reading this book after watching the drama (mostly because luke in the drama is so hot) but also because I wanted more context to their story. The way the drama reaaranged their story made the relationship's inital falling out look way more like an issue from both sides whereas luke from this story was super red flag - not that flora didn't have any flaws but she is very much a victim too. Since the fwb relationship aspect was censored in the drama, I felt like many of floras actions made no sense and were much better explained here. I cried at so many scenes in the end it was a rlly satisfying second-chance romance.

[Gigrey Gigrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow, how do I start. Karakter Nian itu sangat hijau sekali seperti hutan. Hanya saja mulutnya Ya Allah. Tidak bisa berkata-kata.

Taotao terlalu penyabar tapi aku sukanya walaupun dia bisa sabar, tao tao masih bisa mempertahankan harga dirinya. Luan Nian juga aku suka, karakter dia stay to the true hingga akhir. Ga ada dinerf mulutnya demi pengembangan karakter. Cuma sekarang dia bisa lebih baik membaca perasaan orang lain.

Konfliknya tipikal cerita ftv tapi aku betah baca hingga akhir. Kubaca cuma dalam 2 hari sambil melupakan tugas.

But overall love it. Sekarang mau nonton dramanya dulu.

[parizad · Rating 5 out of 5]

If this book had been written by an American author, I swear it would’ve gotten SO much more attention and been read by so many more people. I absolutely loved it.
I’m such a sucker for the grumpy man x sunshine girl trope, and I genuinely enjoyed every single moment of this book. Even their toxic relationship had me completely hooked. 😂 The chemistry between the two of them was, without a doubt, my favorite thing about this book. They just had something that made every interaction between them so much fun to read.
Also, Luan Nian’s parents and their whole story were honestly so funny and adorable. I loved them.

[dionne · Rating 5 out of 5]

5⭐️

luan nian and shang zhitao’s relationship is far from being perfect. it was filled with so much rough patches and frustrations. luan nian isn’t an ideal ML; he’s no green flag, but his complexity and flaws and his desire to change for zhitao made him so lovable. i love how love changes people even if they’re not aware of it. zhitao is kind, earnest and very hardworking- she’s not difficult to love.

i highly recommend you guys watch the cdrama adaptation first. jing boran & sun qian did really well with their portrayals of the main characters. they brought colors and added layers to each character. the chemistry is fiery, i want to rewatch it again.