Subtropical evergreen broadleaf forests play an important role in carbon storage within forest ecosystems in China. It is crucial to elucidate the underlying mechanisms of litter decomposition in order to better understand and predict the dynamics of nutrient cycling and carbon storage in subtropical forest ecosystems. This study was conducted in a typical subtropical evergreen broadleaf forest in the Gutianshan National Nature Reserve. The fallen leaves of two dominant arboreal species, Pinus massoniana and Lithocarpus glaber, were used for litter decomposition. Here, we aimed to test the home field advantage (HFA) in litter decomposition, nutrient release patterns, and the role of soil microbial communities by examining the correlations among the rate of litter decomposition, litter nutrient release, soil microbial community structure, soil extracellular enzyme activity, and soil physicochemical properties. The results showed that (1) Leaf litter of P. massoniana had no HFA, while L. glaber, to some extent, exhibited HFA. The HFA of L. glaber was time-dependent, with a pronounced HFA apparent at the later stage of decomposition. This suggests that litters with lower initial organic carbon content may lead to a more significantly positive HFA. (2) Leaf litters of both P. massoniana and L. glaber showed a net C enrichment, with P. massoniana leaf litter showing a N release at the later stage of decomposition, and a net N enrichment for L. glaber. (3) Litter decompositions of both P. massoniana and L. glabers in the subtropical forest were mainly associated with the remained nutrient in litters, soil microbial community structure such as the ratio of fungi to bacteria, the ratio of Gram-positive to Gram-negative bacteria and soil pH. These findings provide insight into the discrepancy in HFA of P. massoniana and L. glaber, and the time-dependent HFA of L. glaber, thereby enhancing our understanding of the mechanisms of litter decomposition in subtropical forest ecosystems.