The Early Spring Episode 1 begins by introducing Shang Zhitao, a young graduate who has arrived in Beijing determined to build a career for herself. Carrying her luggage into Lime Advertising, one of the city's prestigious advertising agencies, she crosses paths with the company's highly regarded creative director, Luan Nian. Their first encounter is brief, but it immediately establishes the sharp contrast between Zhitao's earnest personality and Luan Nian's distant, intimidating presence. During her job interview, Shang Zhitao quickly discovers that Luan Nian is far from an easy interviewer. Watching the interview remotely, he examines her background and becomes unimpressed by her lack of major practical experience and elite academic credentials. Before Zhitao can fully explain her project experience, Luan Nian effectively rejects her, leaving her discouraged after barely getting the opportunity to present herself. HR manager Liang Xin, however, believes Zhitao deserves a proper chance and reminds Luan Nian that candidates should at least be allowed to finish speaking. After leaving Lime, Zhitao calls her senior Yao Bei and admits that the interview went badly. Yao Bei reassures her that failing to impress a top advertising company is nothing unusual. Zhitao then returns to the apartment she has recently rented in Beijing. Instead of giving up, she gathers additional information about her previous projects and sends the supplementary materials to Liang Xin. When her mother checks on her through messages, Zhitao hides her disappointment and pretends that everything is going smoothly. Life in her new apartment soon becomes unexpectedly chaotic. Zhitao hears a heated argument between a couple and another roommate, Sun Yu, who is accused of taking their belongings. When the confrontation becomes aggressive, Zhitao steps in and suggests calling the police. She protects Sun Yu from the escalating conflict and helps her retreat into the room while the authorities are contacted. The confrontation eventually ends without serious consequences, but Sun Yu is deeply grateful for Zhitao's courage. The two women later go out for dinner, where they begin getting to know each other and form the foundation of a new friendship. Meanwhile, Liang Xin continues reviewing Lime's recruitment candidates and argues that Zhitao's determination and practical attitude make her worth hiring. After seeing the additional project information Zhitao submitted and considering her background, Liang Xin manages to convince Luan Nian to approve her appointment. Although Luan Nian remains skeptical, he agrees to sign the paperwork while making it clear that he expects strict professional boundaries inside the company. Zhitao is thrilled when she finally receives her official offer. Sun Yu gives her a protective charm from Yonghe Temple as a good-luck gift for her new career. On her first day at Lime, Zhitao encounters Luan Nian again in the elevator. Believing that he played a role in getting her hired, she politely thanks him. Luan Nian immediately makes it clear that she should not misunderstand the situation. He criticizes her qualifications and warns that she may not last long if she cannot meet Lime's standards. Rather than quitting, Zhitao quietly decides to learn everything she can and prove that she belongs there. Liang Xin introduces the new employees to Lime's three-month rotational system, and Zhitao is placed under the guidance of Lumi. Lumi gives her a tour of the office and warns her about Luan Nian's difficult personality. As part of the company's tradition, Zhitao must also conduct an interview with the creative director. When she finally enters Luan Nian's office, he deliberately makes the encounter uncomfortable, questioning her understanding of advertising concepts and pointing out her lack of connections, elite credentials and large-scale project experience. The interview becomes even more disastrous when Zhitao accidentally knocks over Luan Nian's treasured antique typewriter. Shocked by the damage and frightened by his reaction, she offers to pay for it, even though the price is far beyond what she can easily afford. Luan Nian dismisses her and tells her to leave. Later, when a colleague asks Zhitao to get coffee, she tries to be helpful by asking others what they want as well. Luan Nian overhears the situation and sarcastically assigns her the task of bringing coffee for the entire conference room. Lumi quickly warns Zhitao not to allow coworkers to take advantage of her willingness to help. Late that night, Zhitao finishes documenting her interview with Luan Nian. Following HR's instructions to record everything honestly, she writes down his blunt answers and submits the report to Liang Xin. The transcript makes Luan Nian's unprofessional remarks obvious, and Liang Xin confronts him about them. Luan Nian, however, simply regards Zhitao as inexperienced and naive. After leaving work around eleven at night, Zhitao misses the last bus and is approached by an illegal taxi driver who demands an unreasonable fare. Before the situation can become worse, Luan Nian arrives in his car. He notices that the driver's license plate has been tampered with and tells Zhitao to get into his vehicle instead. During the drive back toward Tiantongyuan, he questions why she recorded his comments about quitting. Zhitao explains that she was only following HR's instructions and remains firm that she has no intention of resigning. Zhitao also tells Luan Nian that she will repay the cost of his damaged typewriter through monthly installments. Her determination surprises him, and after she walks away, he appears amused by the stubbornness hidden beneath her seemingly modest personality. As Zhitao enters the dim corridor toward her apartment, she suddenly senses someone following her. She hurries toward her door and calls for Sun Yu, but receives no response. With the footsteps getting closer behind her, Zhitao struggles to unlock the door and desperately cries for help, bringing Episode 1 to a tense close.