Don't Want to Go Home

This film (drama)Also known as不想回家，is aMainland ChinaProducerbeauty live，At2005Released in year 。The dialogue language isMandarin，Current Douban rating7.7(For reference only)。

At the age of forty, one should be unperturbed, yet fate plays tricks. He Jiafu, a dull, honest, and principled middle-aged man, moves anxiously under the wheel of fate. A sudden windfall plunges him into an awkward situation beyond his control, leading him to endure both great joys and great sorrows, and he gradually loses his direction amid various emotional entanglements. Home becomes a heavy and fragile symbol... Ultimately, in what seems like a happy and comfortable life, He Jiafu wanders for a long time but chooses to face it all, chooses to return...He Jiafu is an accountant at a state-owned food factory, now facing forty. He has a family that couldn't be more ordinary; his son, Xiaolong, is in a soccer school. He is kind-hearted and principled but somewhat timid and cowardly. Although He Jiafu performs well at work, due to his lack of social skills, he has been stuck in the position of cost group leader for twenty years, often bullied by the clueless deputy section chief, Ma Jianguo.In the eyes of colleagues and friends, He Jiafu is like a superfluous blade of grass, while his wife, Qin Guiyun, has always regarded him as a brilliant treasure, eagerly awaiting the day her university-educated husband achieves great success and improves their living conditions.Qin Guiyun has always wanted to buy a private car because she knows her husband loves cars. Therefore, she keeps a close eye on the car market and often drags her husband to browse. Although He Jiafu, like his wife, is eager to own a car, he tries to cut short her idea of buying one. The reason is simple: he lent the family’s long-saved forty thousand yuan to his sister for infertility treatment, and the money is gone without her being cured. Therefore, he cannot explain to his wife and has to lie, saying the money was lent to his sister for stock trading, and it got trapped in the stock market. Faced with Qin Guiyun’s enthusiasm for buying a car, He Jiafu is filled with anxiety.He Jiafu's sister, He Jiahuan, lives a hard life, and her relationship with her husband is strained due to infertility. Seeing his sister's pain, He Jiafu finds it unbearable to ask her for money (since their father has long passed away, he, as the eldest son, has always taken care of his younger brother and sister).With worries, He Jiafu goes to work and heads to an abandoned factory building to smoke in silence. By chance, he discovers that the factory’s original equipment has disappeared and goes to check the financial records, but is seen by the finance section chief, Gong Mingfang, who becomes nervous.The next day, He Jiafu experiences a stroke of good luck for the first time in his life. Gong Mingfang suddenly finds him, hands him sixty thousand yuan in cash as a special award from the factory, and mentions he will soon promote him to deputy section chief of finance! He Jiafu is overjoyed and momentarily dazed. When he regains his senses, his first reaction is to take the money to his wife, Qin Guiyun, to validate his earlier lie. Qin Guiyun is thrilled with the sixty thousand yuan and immediately thinks of buying a car for her husband.He Jiafu's classmate, Ji Yu, returns to the country, and a class reunion is held. Tian Lei, who has been waiting for Ji Yu for many years, is excited and happy, hoping to marry Ji Yu soon. However, Ji Yu seems somewhat distracted. During the meal, when everyone talks about corruption, He Jiafu becomes alert and starts secretly checking the accounts for the old equipment the next day. The truth becomes clear: the equipment was sold off privately without being recorded! He feels extremely uneasy and decides to return the money. Late at night, after calming down, he confesses to his wife the true origin of the money and discusses the repayment.Unexpectedly, Gong Mingfang flatly refuses to take back the money, and the sixty thousand yuan suddenly becomes a hot potato, clenched tightly in He Jiafu's trembling hands. At this moment, his son Xiaolong tells He Jiafu's mother about his father receiving a considerable bonus. His mother, who is troubled about his younger brother He Jiale’s wedding house, is overjoyed when she hears about the money, and they set up a family gathering, hoping He Jiafu will use the money to buy a house for his brother. During the gathering, his sister accidentally reveals the truth about the original savings, and Qin Guiyun realizes that she has been kept in the dark like a fool, leading to a big fight with He. In her anger, Qin Guiyun thinks that since this money can't be kept anyway, why not use it to buy a car instead!Ji Yu and Tian Lei discuss marriage. Ji Yu is evasive, citing his lack of career achievements as an excuse, which displeases Tian Lei, and the two fall silent. At this moment, Qin calls Tian Lei, excitedly telling her about buying the car and casually asking about their marriage. Tian Lei feels momentarily sad but politely calls He to congratulate him. He then learns that Qin used the sixty thousand yuan to buy a car, becoming very anxious and angry, insisting on returning the car, while Qin adamantly refuses. Ultimately, Qin's words soften him. Especially seeing his wife's excitement over the new car, He becomes conflicted about whether to return the car. Yet, when he enters his workplace to face Section Chief Gong, he cannot face it, and the thought of returning the car and repaying the debt becomes stronger.News of the car purchase quickly reaches Ji Yu and Li Jun, who suddenly believe that He is quite good at enjoying life and can manage his affairs well, which makes He even more embarrassed. To showcase her husband’s capability and to create a fait accompli, Qin Guiyun soon tells colleagues Xu Gang and his girlfriend Liu Xiaoting about the car purchase.Facing the delight of his wife, son, and friends, He fondles the beautiful new car, feeling trapped. A small car has now become tightly intertwined with He’s fate.He Jiafu is troubled by the car issue and discusses returning it and repaying with Qin Guiyun again. Qin is angry and ultimately says helplessly, “You do what you want!” In order to put pressure on Ji Yu regarding their marriage, Tian Lei invites He Jiafu and his wife, along with Li Jun, to celebrate the purchase of the car. Qin Guiyun angrily refuses to attend.During the gathering, Tian Lei deliberately shows her closeness with Ji Yu. He and Li naturally inquire about their marriage, and Tian Lei eagerly awaits Ji Yu’s answer, but Ji Yu dodges the topic and shifts it back to He’s car purchase. He feels dejected and awkwardly smiles. But he is determined to return the car and repay the debt the next day. Feeling down, He gets drunk. On his way home, he unfortunately collides with a BMW. He drunkenly leaves the car and takes a taxi home.The next day, He wakes up but cannot remember where he parked the car last night. He anxiously searches for the car but cannot find it anywhere. Since he didn't have time to register it yet, the police have no leads. In desperation, He seeks help from the radio station.After learning that her husband lost the new car overnight, Qin becomes furious and anxious. Their marital relationship sharply declines.The plea for help from the radio station not only fails to help He find his car, but it also leads to a series of bizarre phone calls, encounters with strange people, and catches the attention of the BMW's owner, Bai Yun.Amidst this internal and external turmoil, changes occur at his workplace, as higher authorities come to inspect the accounts, and Gong, who had previously supported He, urges him to return the money. He is stunned; how can he fill the massive gap of sixty thousand yuan without a car and money?At this point, Qin also realizes the gravity of the situation: her husband could face imprisonment over the sixty thousand yuan. She stands by He and discusses how they can avoid this disaster. The two urgently try to raise money. Qin borrows money from Xu Gang and his girlfriend Liu Xiaoting, while He approaches Tian Lei for help.Unexpectedly, just when the two finally manage to gather the money, another major change occurs: Section Chief Gong suddenly suffers a stroke. He Jiafu is left bewildered about where to return the sixty thousand yuan.Ji Yu finally agrees to marry Tian Lei. They go to register their marriage with Qin; however, they receive a call from a Japanese woman, causing them to flee the marriage registration office. Tian Lei is heartbroken.Just as He Jiafu is in a state of extreme fear, Gong's stroke unexpectedly alleviates his predicament: the loss of the equipment is entirely blamed on Gong Mingfang, while He benefits from the disaster and is promoted to deputy section chief of finance.Just as He Jiafu is about to breathe a sigh of relief, another incident occurs: Bai Yun finds He Jiafu, demanding compensation for the car accident, totaling eighty thousand yuan! He is stunned.Bai Yun, a young and beautiful girl, wanders the city alone to escape a materially prosperous yet spiritually desolate life. A car accident brings her and He Jiafu together.He’s first reaction is to refuse to repay the money. He begins to avoid Bai Yun. The two engage in a cat-and-mouse game. During one capture, when He attempts to escape, Bai Yun playfully pretends to faint. He’s kind nature compels him to return and take her to the hospital. Bai Yun grows curious about He, seeing in him the adorably honest and simple qualities of an everyman, and proposes a chat-for-repayment scheme to offset her financial loss. He Jiafu reluctantly agrees to be at her beck and call.From then on, He Jiafu's life is pulled in various directions, running between family, workplace, friends, and Bai Yun, leaving him exhausted.Newly appointed Ma Jianguo gets arrested for soliciting in another province. In just a few months, He Jiafu becomes the section chief of finance. Before he can enjoy his success, a series of events unfolds: classmate Li Jun wants He Jiafu's help to find Bai Yun to facilitate the approval of a project at a large entertainment venue in Southwest China, but Bai Yun refuses to get involved, scolding He instead; in order to help Ji Yu open his supermarket, He privately lends Ji Yu two hundred thousand yuan from the factory, yet Ji Yu's supermarket eventually goes bankrupt. Although Ji Yu issued a check to He before being arrested, the funds in the check have already been frozen. To make matters worse, the factory is about to be merged, and if he doesn't repay the money, He Jiafu will end up in prison. Moreover, due to the chatting agreement with Bai Yun, he cannot even rush to the hospital when his son breaks his leg. His wife, Qin Guiyun, grows convinced he has taken a mistress, and their marital relationship reaches freezing point. Eventually, He is taken by Bai Yun to the suburbs, but their car breaks down midway, causing him to go missing overnight. Qin can no longer tolerate her husband, sparking a cold war. He Jiafu wanders outside his doorstep, unable to muster the courage to enter that cold home.He Jiafu suffers silently, overwhelmed, and runs around daily but doesn't know his true direction. The once timid and gentle man finally loses his temper with Bai Yun.At the age of forty, He Jiafu should be free of doubts, yet he feels bewildered and confused. Just as he is engulfed in despair, Li Jun finds him and says that with Bai Yun’s help, the entertainment venue in Southwest China has gotten approved! And they want to hire him as the financial director. They are about to make a fortune!He Jiafu feels as if he’s dreaming, momentarily speechless.Bai Yun sees hope in life through He Jiafu and finally stops wandering, returning to her parents abroad to seek her own happy life.A year later, He Jiafu's younger brother, He Jiale, gets married. After attending his brother’s wedding, He Jiafu, now the financial director of the entertainment venue in Southwest China, discovers that his newly bought Hongqi car has disappeared without a trace. The police don’t find the Hongqi, but surprisingly, they locate the Chery car that went missing a year ago. The peculiar twist of fate leaves He Jiafu shaking his head and smiling bitterly.Ji Yu is released from prison, and the three old classmates reunite. He Jiafu tells Ji Yu that Tian Lei has married and is now very happy.Just when life appears to be on track again, the prosecutor's office contacts He Jiafu, informing him that the director of Hongmin Food Factory, where he used to work, has been detained due to the case of selling equipment, and they wish to look into the matter with He Jiafu.After heavy contemplation, He Jiafu decides to turn himself in. He knows that only by doing so can he truly face himself and others. Previously, he had been pulled by fate and others; now he decides to choose his own fate. Ultimately, He Jiafu drives the recovered car peacefully towards the prosecutor's office.