Episode Summary

Eldest son Dong Dalin returns to his rural village to promote green farming, sparking rivalry with his brother Erlin’s job-brokering business. Family tensions erupt over their father’s land, while rebellious kids and financial secrets add chaos.

Spoiler Alert

"Green Hills Are Home" Episode 1: Return of the Prodigal Son (and the Family Drama He Brings)

Let’s just say the Dong family reunion isn’t exactly serving up warm dumplings and happy tears. In the premiere of Green Hills Are Home, rural China gets a fresh coat of green dreams, sibling rivalry, and enough family squabbles to fuel a village gossip chain. Buckle up.

The Prodigal Son Returns

After years working in the city, eldest son Dong Dalin (the poster child for hometown pride) ditches factory life to study agricultural science. His mission? Revive his backwater village, Yagou, with green farming. But before he can board the train home, he pulls a classic hero move—saving a stranger from getting pancaked by a car. Subtle foreshadowing? Maybe. A sign Dalin’s got Main Character Syndrome? Absolutely.

Meanwhile, back in Yagou, brother #2 Dong Erlin (the village’s resident job-broker) watches his cash cow crumble. His business? Selling villagers on sketchy city gigs. But when news spreads that Dalin’s bringing ~sCiEnTiFiC sEeDs~ and a farming co-op dream, the whole village dumps Erlin faster than expired fertilizer. Even his wife, the razor-tongued Chen Ling (the queen of side hustles), barely salvages the situation with some "trust me, bro" energy.

Land Wars: Dong Edition

Here’s the tea: Dalin’s green utopia hits a snag. His dad’s 10-acre plot sits smack in the middle of everyone’s farmland, blocking the co-op’s tractor parade. Cue the family scheming!

Dalin and wife Feng Qiulan (exhausted but optimistic) try buttering up Dad over dumplings. But Chen Ling, smelling profit loss, swoops in with a "bid higher, get the land" scheme. Grandpa Dong, ever the capitalist, plays coy. Why pick a favorite son when you can auction off parental guilt?

Teenage Wasteland

While the adults battle over dirt, the kids…well, they’re worse. Dalin’s son Dong Peng gets stuck running errands (typical). Erlin’s wild child Dong Xin picks a fight with local tough guy He Chao and promptly eats pavement. Chen Ling storms off to defend her son’s honor, but her Karen act backfires—potential clients nope out, doubting her "village influencer" cred.

Drama Side Quests

  • Feng Qiulan’s brother Feng Gousheng drops his daughter Xiao Ying at a fancy city school (¥20k tuition, baby!), while their sick mom gets…crickets. Qiulan rage-vents about the hypocrisy.
  • After Chen Ling’s meltdown, Grandma Dong collapses (stress + existing conditions = classic soap opera move). The family fakes a heart attack scare to hustle her to the hospital—conveniently leaving Dalin’s crew home to stew.

The Verdict

Episode 1 serves up rural ambition with a side of family chaos. Will Dalin’s green revolution survive Chen Ling’s shady plots? Can Grandpa Dong’s land become anything besides a metaphor for fractured family bonds? And will anyone remember to water the actual crops? Stay tuned.

Spoiler Snacks:

• Grandpa’s land auction is 100% happening. Place your bets!

• Chen Ling’s "villain era" has only just begun.

• That random car crash save? Probably not so random. (This is Chinese TV, folks.)