Always Home (2025) 樹下有片紅房子
Directed by Zhang Xiao'an, starring Zhai Xiaowen as Jing Xichi, Yang Xizi as Chen Huan'er, Zhou Keyu (also known as Daniel Zhou) as Song Cong, He Qiu as Qi Qi, Zhao Fanshu as Liao Xinyan, and Sui Yuan as Du Man.
Watched 6 - 11 July 2026 — 30 episodes (KISSKH/VIKI PASS)
*Absolutely adore this coming-of-age, slice-of-life series, similar to When I Fly Towards You, and I binged it in less than a week. I read somewhere it's called the Reply 1988 of Chinese drama because of the family community vibe. I still haven't seen Reply 1988 yet, but I prefer this to When I Fly Towards You. There's more story here and more drama, and I love the characters better. It's actually less cute than When I Fly Towards You (which derives its cuteness mainly from its female lead Zhang Miaoyi as Su Zaizai) but it shares the same wholesomeness I love.
*I loved the main characters right away. Yang Xizi as Chen Huan'er is a cheerful high school student moving from her small hometown to the big city due to her mother's job transfer. Living at the hospital staff residential compound, Huan'er's mother reconnects with her two girlfriends, the mothers of Jing Xichi and Song Cong. I love the housing arrangement and the developing bond between the three families and the three main characters.
*I immediately fell in love with the male lead Jing Xichi, already with the meet-cute (and the bird dropping!) between him and Huan'er. I loved Xichi in the scene in episode 1 where he defends Huan'er when class 6 students are badmouthing her at the washroom facilities.
*I can safely say Xichi is my fave character of this show. He is optimistic, outgoing, mischievous and funny, but also affectionate and caring. I love how he teases Huan'er all the time and how playful they are together. Zhai Xiaowen embodies his character very well and is totally convincing in his role. He also looks good, especially while being more serious. It's funny how his looks can change from moment to moment. He can look like a school kid, and then, when his facial expression changes to serious, looks more mature in an instant. In the scenes where he is working on his rehabilitation after his accident, he looks very good, and I liked him at the end of the series wearing a suit jacket.
*The second male lead Song Cong is also very likeable. He is more silent and serious, the studying type, but towards the end of the series he loosens up a little. He likes Huan'er, and though I normally don't like love triangles, I didn't mind here because everyone was liking somebody else anyway. Zhou Keyu portrays Song Cong really well.
*I didn't like the 2nd female lead, He Qiu as Qi Qi, all the time. Since it was immediately clear she liked Song and she was billed as the 2nd lead, I was hoping for a romance between her and Song, but I actually liked the other two girls Liao Xinyan and Du Man better. I was feeling sorry for Qi Qi, for having a horrible, cold mother and for not totally fitting in because of her rich background. Then I read somewhere online that Qi Qi and Song weren't going to end up together, and to be honest, I was actually okay with that because I thought Song was much too nice for her. And then I saw a photo online of Du Man looking pretty without glasses, and she's also in the end compilation clip with Song. So when Song bumped into Du Man at the university in episode 18, I was rooting for Du Man. Well, Qi Qi is not out of the picture yet, and her character returns and is more likeable, and Song notices this too. So the romance I was initially hoping for still happened but in the end, it wasn't meant to be.
*The earrings scene in episode 24 was a big Qi Qi turn-off for me! Song was so sweet to make Qi Qi earrings by hand for Valentine's Day. At a dinner date with Qi Qi and her posh friends, Qi Qi wears Song's earrings, but then her friend gifts her a set of expensive glittering ones in front of Song. Qi Qi immediately replaces Song's handmade earrings with her friend's earrings, right there at the dinner table. How insensitive and cruel is that! I could punch her. And the nerve to turn around and show them to poor Song. She also gifted him an expensive designer shirt, costing around a 1000 euros. Song looked up the price online, and I used the currency conversion. No wonder he didn't want to accept it. After that, I just wanted them to break up.
*I love episode 23 with Xichi visiting Song at his parents' place, and Song's dad coming into Song's room to give his son some fatherly advice about being in a relationship. The advice is also applicable to Xichi, and the scene is extra poignant since Xichi's dad can't give him paternal guidance anymore and he realises that. We don't see much of Xichi's grief but it's small moments like this that make his hurt palpable, and the moment he walks into his own house, seeing his dad's portrait, made me teary-eyed.
*I love how Jing Xichi silently observes. In the scene from ep. 25, Qi Qi tells Song she wants to make the return journey on the train with him but she has booked a business seat. She offers to exchange her ticket to second-class so they can sit together. Song feels uncomfortable and doesn't want her to do this, and you can sense Xichi's concern for his best friend in the way he observes them.
*So many nice moments between our OTP with high proximity and heartfluttering gazes. Here are a couple: (ep. 10) the scene at the football field where Huan'er lists famous football players who made a comeback after their injuries, with a cheat sheet in her pocket, and Xichi is clearly touched; I also loved that Huan'er let him borrow her lucky bracelet, a piece of string; the scene where Huan'er is frantically looking for Xichi, him having left his phone behind, buying fireworks for her, and the subsequent firework scene at their secret place (ep.15); Xichi surprising Huan'er with a piece of the expensive cake (ep.13); the flour scene in episode 16 (did Huan'er not sneeze in the bowl with dough, the dough she's using to make the cookies???!!); (ep. 21) Huan'er finding Xichi alone at the football field on his deceased dad's birthday, then eating old and new snacks together, with Xichi saying 'But, some things just can't be replaced. Right?' with a meaningful look. The friends-to-lovers trope is well done here, and it was great to witness how they slowly realised their feelings for each other went beyond friendship. Their chemistry is great.
*Love episode 24 with the scene where the belated wedding pictures of Huan'er's parents are being taken, with the three families together minus Xichi's dad, and Xichi putting a comforting arm around his mum and giving her purple roses later, which hold the meaning of 'eternal love'. This episode also has the OTP's first kiss. I was eagerly waiting for it and was happy the moment didn't disappoint.
*Ultimately, Song and Du Man's potential romantic relationship stays a possibility. The show hints at romance and their friends tease them with it, but it never gets confirmed. It's a fact that Song feels so much more relaxed with Du Man than he felt with Qi Qi. They share the same interests (studying medicine and doing their internship at the same hospital, are even neighbours) and Du Man doesn't come from a well-to-do family, her father running the convenience store during their high school days (and giving away more than he sells), and she likes eating in simple restaurants. I still love that we get a kissing scene between them (Du Man initiating the kiss at her place, both shaken up after seeing a patient dying in front of their eyes for the first time), though it wasn't a romantic kiss. I love the happy scene where Du Man finally gets lucky and catches a plush toy while playing the claw machine, with Song by her side and using his coin. See .. they're meant to be!
*Though I like the university period and seeing the characters grow up and pursue their careers, still my favourite part of the show are the high school days, and I was a bit sad when they were over.
*I felt for the characters when they were going through difficult times, also when it concerned their parents, and I did my fair share of crying.
*The final episode is satisfying, with the group of high school friends reuniting and Xichi showing the video messages. I also loved the intimate moment with Xichi and Huan'er on the couch with Xichi explaining to Huan'er the meaning of his name. I appreciated the fact that the drama didn't shower us with lovey-dovey filler moments.
*Love the OST and especially the song with the end credits.
*I want to conclude this long post with the old video message of Xichi in the final scene of the final episode, a very fitting ending: "They always say that change is a constant in life. So houses get torn down, friends get separated, and even the closest people leave. But I always think that even if that day comes, the traces of those people and things will follow me, and accompany me all the way to a faraway place. Even if I've already forgotten this afternoon many years from now. Anyway, some things will change and some things wil never change."
*I already miss this show and the characters and feel like watching it again.
(Screenshot taken by me.)