Looking for Stories That Put the Male Lead Through the Wringer, Not the Usual Groveling-after-the-breakup Trope 虐男主的，不是追妻火葬场的虐

1. 1 重 Reborn, the Aloof Immortal Lord Is Willingly Becoming a Cultivation Furnace 重生后，清冷仙君竟甘为炉鼎 An An An An桉安安桉Ancient Romance379k WordsOngoing The rating was just added, so it'll go up later. A few warnings: 1. This is the most traditional kind of boy-girl romance. It's not a gender-bender romance or a four-way relationship. The author genuinely doesn't know how to write those. If that's a dealbreaker, readers can just imagine it as a gender-bender romance themselves. I really can't write that, sorry (T⌓T). 2. The male lead is strong, but the female lead is even stronger. Although the story is told from the male lead's perspective, man 1.3kReads8.7Score11614d adds

   Reader note

   He fed the male protagonist poison and slapped him repeatedly.

2. 2 拉 Take Her to Register the Marriage! The Abstinent CEO Begs Her for Affection, Eyes Red 拉她领证！禁欲霸总红着眼求她宠 The Hardworking Little Slacker奋斗小趴菜Modern Romance1.1M WordsCompleted [Male lead gets hurt + angst + reunion after years apart + rekindled love + love grows over time + painful romance + happy ending] A deeply devoted, self-effacing, love-struck male lead vs. a cold, stubborn, fiercely independent female lead Young Master Qi, a famous CEO in the business world, was strikingly handsome and came from a distinguished family. Five years ago, he knelt humbly for love, causing a sensation across the city. On the day of his engagement, he was cruelly dumped. She joined f 480Reads5.3Score—14d adds

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   Torture the male lead! Torture the male lead! If you have a hard heart, go watch it; it's torture from beginning to end. The male lead is very devoted and loves the female lead deeply. The female lead likes the second male lead and keeps hurting the male lead until she slowly falls in love with him at the very end.

3. 3 穿 Three Years After I Transmigrated, the City Lord Became My Prisoner 穿越3年后，城主成我阶下囚 Ziyushi紫语石Ancient Romance812k WordsCompleted Content warning: This is a revenge story with a tragic romance. The male lead seeks redemption. It includes injury, imprisonment, and whipping, so proceed with caution. The leads are bitter enemies bound by fate, in both this life and their past lives. Angst and heartbreak, both leads are strong and devoted to each other, happy ending Proud, aloof Emperor Star VS revenge-driven Seven Killings queen In her first life, Yun Shuyue fell blindly in love with Huo Chenfeng. Little did she know the ma 1.1kReads8.1Score10314d adds

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   You should check it out; the male lead suffers almost the entire time! He's aloof and powerful, not delicate at all—a tragic and beautiful character! He falls in love with the female lead after her death. She travels back in time to seek revenge, using her own body to force him to follow in her footsteps! He knows from the beginning that she's there to kill him and cooperates throughout!

4. 4 她 She Lures Him In, and He Loses Himself on a Spring Night 她钓，春夜妄动 Jiu Ran1995久冉1995Modern Romance919k WordsOngoing [Capital’s young heir × alluring temptress | Rekindled Romance | Unhinged, love-struck male lead, one-on-one romance, both leads are chaste] She spent two years drawing him in, then dumped him for five. When they met again, Zhou Sinian was a self-disciplined, proper director of the Zhou bureau, with a well-matched fiancée by his side. When they first met five years ago, Zhou Wang had an unlit cigarette between his lips. “I hear you’re expensive.” Su Jin tilted her head and smiled. “Young Master 33.8kReads8.8Score2.9k14d adds

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   [Beijing's elite heir x a charming, seductive beauty | Reconciliation after a broken relationship | Crazy, love-struck male lead, 1v1, both virgins, sweet and satisfying] She seduced him for two years, then dumped him for five. When they met again, Zhou Sinian was the self-disciplined and refined Zhou X Director, with a well-matched fiancée by his side. Five years ago, at their first meeting, Zhou Wang, with an unlit cigarette dangling from his lips, said, "I heard you're quite expensive." Su Jin tilted her head and smiled, "Young Master Zhou, you're not cheap either." "Playing with me? Can you afford it?" Later, he squatted down in front of her, looking up at her, his peach blossom eyes reddening, "Do you think I can't live without you?" She smiled, looking down, "If I'm not your first choice, then I'll never be." He kissed the back of her hand in front of his brothers, "Woof." The most precious heir in Beijing was tamed by her like a dog. But she didn't know that he willingly let himself be ensnared. Five years later, the faded red string on her wrist was tied by him while she was asleep. He gripped her wrist, his knuckles turning white: "What exactly do you want?" She pulled her hand away and stood up: "Director Zhou, don't flatter yourself. I only came back for money." Thirty-year-old Su Jin didn't date or rely on men; she held connections in half of Beijing and a business worth two hundred million. She had planned how to escape unscathed, planned to make him hate her to the bone, but she hadn't planned that five years later, those peach blossom eyes still looked at her with a mixture of hatred and love, unable to do anything about her. Later, Zhou Sinian pinned her against the French windows, his eyes reddening: "You didn't look back when you left, and you shouldn't look back when you come back, but why did you let me see you?" She pushed his face away: "Your fiancée is waiting for you downstairs." He laughed, a laugh that was both mad and broken. She had been playing him for seven years. He willingly took the bait—because it was her. He hated her to the core, but loved her to the point of risking his life. [Beijing socialite prince × woman with a hook-up mentality | broken mirror mended | crazy love-obsessed male lead, 1v1, both virgins, sweet and satisfying] She played him for two years, then dumped him for five. When they met again, Zhou Sinian was the self-disciplined and courteous Director Zhou, with his well-matched fiancée standing beside him. Five years earlier, at their first meeting, Zhou Wang, a cigarette dangling from his lips, said, "I heard you're quite expensive." Su Jin tilted her head and smiled, "Young Master Zhou, you're not cheap either." "Playing with me? Can you afford it?" Later, he squatted down in front of her, his peach blossom eyes reddening, "Do you think I can't live without you?" She smiled, looking down, "If I'm not your first choice, then I'll never be." He kissed the back of her hand in front of his brothers, "Woof." The most precious young master of the capital was tamed by her like a dog. But she didn't know that he willingly allowed himself to be bound. Five years later, the faded red string on her wrist was tied by him while she slept. He gripped her wrist, his knuckles turning white: "What exactly do you want?" She pulled her hand away and stood up: "Director Zhou, don't flatter yourself. I only came back for money." Thirty-year-old Su Jin didn't date or rely on men; she held connections in half of Beijing and a business worth two hundred million. She had planned how to escape unscathed, planned to make him hate her to the bone, but she hadn't planned that five years later, those peach blossom eyes still looked at her with a mixture of hatred and love, unable to do anything about her. Later, Zhou Sinian pinned her against the French windows, his eyes reddening: "You didn't look back when you left, and you shouldn't look back when you come back, but why did you let me see you?" She pushed his face away: "Your fiancée is waiting for you downstairs." He laughed, a laugh that was both mad and broken. She had been playing him for seven years. He willingly took the bait—because it was her. He hated her to the core, but loved her to the point of risking his life. [Beijing socialite prince × woman with a hook-up mentality | broken mirror mended | crazy love-obsessed male lead, 1v1, both virgins, sweet and satisfying] She played him for two years, then dumped him for five. When they met again, Zhou Sinian was the self-disciplined and courteous Director Zhou, with his well-matched fiancée standing beside him. Five years earlier, at their first meeting, Zhou Wang, a cigarette dangling from his lips, said, "I heard you're quite expensive." Su Jin tilted her head and smiled, "Young Master Zhou, you're not cheap either." "Playing with me? Can you afford it?" Later, he squatted down in front of her, his peach blossom eyes reddening, "Do you think I can't live without you?" She smiled, looking down, "If I'm not your first choice, then I'll never be." He kissed the back of her hand in front of his brothers, "Woof." The most precious young master of the capital was tamed by her like a dog. But she didn't know that he willingly allowed himself to be bound. Five years later, the faded red string on her wrist was tied by him while she slept. He gripped her wrist, his knuckles turning white: "What exactly do you want?" She pulled her hand away and stood up: "Director Zhou, don't flatter yourself. I only came back for money." Thirty-year-old Su Jin didn't date or rely on men; she held connections in half of Beijing and a business worth two hundred million. She had planned how to escape unscathed, planned to make him hate her to the bone, but she hadn't planned that five years later, those peach blossom eyes still looked at her with a mixture of hatred and love, unable to do anything about her. Later, Zhou Sinian pinned her against the French windows, his eyes reddening: "You didn't look back when you left, and you shouldn't look back when you come back, but why did you let me see you?" She pushed his face away: "Your fiancée is waiting for you downstairs." He laughed, a laugh that was both mad and broken. She had been playing him for seven years. He willingly took the bait—because it was her. He hated her to the core, but loved her to the point of risking his life. [Beijing socialite prince × woman with a hook-up mentality | broken mirror mended | crazy love-obsessed male lead, 1v1, both virgins, sweet and satisfying] She played him for two years, then dumped him for five. When they met again, Zhou Sinian was the self-disciplined and courteous Director Zhou, with his well-matched fiancée standing beside him. Five years earlier, at their first meeting, Zhou Wang, a cigarette dangling from his lips, said, "I heard you're quite expensive." Su Jin tilted her head and smiled, "Young Master Zhou, you're not cheap either." "Playing with me? Can you afford it?" Later, he squatted down in front of her, his peach blossom eyes reddening, "Do you think I can't live without you?" She smiled, looking down, "If I'm not your first choice, then I'll never be." He kissed the back of her hand in front of his brothers, "Woof." The most precious young master of the capital was tamed by her like a dog. But she didn't know that he willingly allowed himself to be bound. Five years later, the faded red string on her wrist was tied by him while she slept. He gripped her wrist, his knuckles turning white: "What exactly do you want?" She pulled her hand away and stood up: "Director Zhou, don't flatter yourself. I only came back for money." Thirty-year-old Su Jin didn't date or rely on men; she held connections in half of Beijing and a business worth two hundred million. She had planned how to escape unscathed, planned to make him hate her to the bone, but she hadn't planned that five years later, those peach blossom eyes still looked at her with a mixture of hatred and love, unable to do anything about her. Later, Zhou Sinian pinned her against the French windows, his eyes reddening: "You didn't look back when you left, and you shouldn't look back when you come back, but why did you let me see you?" She pushed his face away: "Your fiancée is waiting for you downstairs." He laughed, a laugh that was both mad and broken. She had been playing him for seven years. He willingly took the bait—because it was her. He hated her to the core, but loved her to the point of risking his life. [Beijing socialite prince × woman with a hook-up mentality | broken mirror mended | crazy love-obsessed male lead, 1v1, both virgins, sweet and satisfying] She played him for two years, then dumped him for five. When they met again, Zhou Sinian was the self-disciplined and courteous Director Zhou, with his well-matched fiancée standing beside him. Five years earlier, at their first meeting, Zhou Wang, a cigarette dangling from his lips, said, "I heard you're quite expensive." Su Jin tilted her head and smiled, "Young Master Zhou, you're not cheap either." "Playing with me? Can you afford it?" Later, he squatted down in front of her, his peach blossom eyes reddening, "Do you think I can't live without you?" She smiled, looking down, "If I'm not your first choice, then I'll never be." He kissed the back of her hand in front of his brothers, "Woof." The most precious young master of the capital was tamed by her like a dog. But she didn't know that he willingly allowed himself to be bound. Five years later, the faded red string on her wrist was tied by him while she slept. He gripped her wrist, his knuckles turning white: "What exactly do you want?" She pulled her hand away and stood up: "Director Zhou, don't flatter yourself. I only came back for money." Thirty-year-old Su Jin didn't date or rely on men; she held connections across half of Beijing and a business worth two hundred million. She had calculated how to escape unscathed, calculated how to make him hate her to the bone, but she hadn't calculated that five years later, those peach blossom eyes still held a mixture of hatred and love, unable to do anything about her. Later, Zhou Sinian pinned her against the French windows, his eyes reddening: "You didn't look back when you left, and you shouldn't look back when you come back, but why did you let me see you?" She pushed his face away: "Your fiancée is waiting for you downstairs." He laughed, a laugh that was both mad and broken. She had been playing him for seven years. He willingly took the bait—because of her. He hated her to the core, yet loved her to the point of risking his life.

5. 5 痴 A Lovesick Playboy Meets a Heartless Good Girl 痴情浪子遇见绝情乖乖女 Hello Soda哈喽汽水6k WordsCompleted A Lovestruck Rogue Meets an Ice-Cold Good Girl 3.9kReads—Score7914d adds

   Reader note

   A completed short story that torments the male lead. The female lead simply disapproves of the male lead's past playboy behavior, but he can't live without her, so she can only hurt him.

6. 6 季 Mr. Ji’s Guide to Being Reborn 季先生重生指南 Translation Is Hard to Put into Words译曲难诉Modern Romance507k WordsCompleted [A steadfast artist who never abandons her husband x a devoted, wheelchair-bound CEO who dotes on his wife] [Mutual devotion, a slow and steady romance, sweetness and angst intertwined, with the male lead suffering most] “Let’s get divorced.” Just as Wei Xi and Ji Wenhan’s marriage began to blossom, a fatal car accident crushed all their happiness. When Ji Wenhan woke, his legs were paralyzed. His first words were the cold declaration, “Let’s get divorced.” But Wei Xi saw through his act and st 759Reads—Score—14d adds

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   After becoming paralyzed from the waist down, he felt like a burden, unable to even hold onto his most basic dignity. But she never let go of his hand, gently wiping his body, patiently guiding his emotions, and even confronting her stepmother who came to take her inheritance, telling him, "You will always be my support."

7. 7 把 After Training My Brothers to Heel, He Gradually Became Obsessed 把哥哥兄弟训成狗后，他逐渐痴迷 Loves Green Pears爱吃青梨子Modern Romance310k WordsCompleted The ratings just opened, so they'll rise later. A cunning, scheming young master from the capital X A beautiful, innocent little princess from Hong Kong [Sweet Romance + Love Rival Drama + Rekindled Romance + Winning Her Back + Some Ensemble Cast] Zhou Yujian, a refined young gentleman back from studying in the United States, has a face that's nothing short of perfect. His family is influential, and women chasing him could form a line stretching from the United States to the capital. Yet for fiv 8.9kReads8.0Score73414d adds

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   The story is a brutal one. A wealthy young man from a prominent Beijing social circle willingly becomes a backup option and a mistress. Three days after his brother's death, his wife of nine years abandons him to marry someone else. On her wedding day, he suffers an emotional breakdown and attempts suicide by overdosing on pills. This is the storyline of the male leads' brothers. The male lead's relationship is also tragic. Because of his father, he is forced to break up with the female lead and is imprisoned by his father for two years, suffering mental and physical torment, even going insane for half a year. He relies entirely on a portrait of the female lead to sustain him. Despite his illness and disability, he travels to England to pursue her, only to find she is already with the second male lead. Even more heartbreaking, he witnesses her kissing the second male lead passionately in the streets of London, causing him to vomit blood and faint. Later, he tries to win her back by stealing her boyfriend, leading to her breaking up with the second male lead, who then agrees to marry her. That night, unable to bear the pain, he cuts his wrists. Both the male lead and the second male lead deeply love the female lead.

8. 8 落 Falling Blossoms Sink into the Starry River: A Song of the Nine Heavens’ Endless Night 落红沉星河：九重天阙长夜歌 Xuehen Loves Stir-Fried Banana Flowers爱吃素炒芭蕉花的雪恨Fantastical Romance590k WordsCompleted [Xianxia romance with angst + a husband-chasing-after-the-funeral story] Immortals and demons cannot coexist, yet the one the Heavenly Queen Yun Zhao has always loved is the Demon Lord Mo Zhuo. As long as she is by his side, he is willing to do anything for her, and considers it a joy. But when he risks death to bear her daughter, Yun Zhao is at another man’s side. Holding their daughter, Su Yan keeps watch beside the iron tree that has not bloomed in ten thousand years. At last, he understands 1.3kReads—Score10214d adds

   Reader note

   The male lead is incredibly angsty and the story is super good.

9. 9 东 Snow over Donglin: The Phoenix's Lingering Dream 东临雪·凤仪遗梦 Xuehen Loves Stir-Fried Banana Flowers爱吃素炒芭蕉花的雪恨Historical34k WordsCompleted Snow over Donglin: The Lost Dream of Fengyi 1.6kReads—Score2114d adds
10. 10 月 The Moon Sinks into the River 月亮沉江 Jiang Nanjiang降南姜Modern Romance107k WordsCompleted [A Childhood Friend Appears Out of Nowhere + Stealing Someone's Partner + Scheming CEO (A Proud “Bastard”)] [A Cunning, Ambitious Heir × A Clear-Eyed, Decisive Heiress] When she was young, at eighteen and in love, Qin Wenzhi wrote these words: “May every year be like today, and may the prodigal return to find me waiting.” But over the many years that followed, she watched the prodigal change girlfriends again and again. Even he couldn't remember how many there had been. Her all-or-nothing final 13.8kReads9.2Score1.3k14d adds

    Reader note

    I prefer the male lead's arrow to be thicker.

11. 11 共 The Birds That Die Together 共死鸟 Chu Yunxiu, Whose Heart Deserves Punishment其心可诛的楚云秀Modern Romance814k WordsOngoing High-IQ villainess + aloof older man + obsessive, lovesick crown prince He Tingwan wants revenge and a place at the top. She plans every step carefully and stops at nothing, using everyone as a stepping stone. To achieve her goals, He Tingwan doesn't care whether she lives or dies, or whether anyone else does. As for love... He Tingwan went to every length to win Shen Zhaoxu's heart, only to turn around and get engaged to another man. After the engagement, He Tingwan tells Shen Zhaoxu to be 2.1kReads—Score19114d adds
12. 12 星 The Loyal Hound Among the Stars: A Collection of Sweet and Angsty Historical Fantasies 星河忠犬录：古言幻想甜虐集 Harvester of the Milky Way星河拾穗者Ancient Romance503k WordsCompleted Classic historical fantasy | Devoted male leads | Angst for him, sweetness for you | A happy ending in every story Across a boundless sea of stars, only the devoted never fail to return your love. There is no mundane world here, only immortals, demons, gods, and devils, along with power struggles, fated destinies, and the most intense romance. He is the White Snake Immortal Lord, who bears the lightning tribulation for her and endures a thousand years without regret; He is the Fox Sovereign of 86Reads—Score—14d adds

    Reader note

    Torture the male lead, torture all kinds of male leads.

13. 13 寒 A Cold Crow Nests in Your Heart 寒鸦栖君心 Wind and Sunset风夕阳Ancient Romance1.1M WordsCompleted Everyone envies the Prince of Beian for loving his wife beyond all measure, with a love as deep as the sea. No one knows he won this perfect life by risking everything. Yan Junjue clawed his way out of a mountain of corpses in the Cold Palace. He was bloodthirsty and ruthless, a possessive, obsessive madman whose jealousy was carved into his bones. Everyone in the world feared him. Only Cui Yunqi was a little warmth in his endless darkness. She was the proud and steadfast lord of Hanya City, dev 8.4kReads8.8Score81814d adds

    Reader note

    Tortures the male lead, yet remains pure in body and mind; a bittersweet human being.

14. 14 老 Don't Be Afraid, Honey. I Have a Redemption System to Help Me Win You Back 老婆别怕，我有赎罪系统换我追你 One Bored Rich Lady无聊富婆一枚Modern Romance203k WordsCompleted “Runaway Heiress x Possessive New Money Peacock” “Mind Reading + Both Reborn + Wife-Chasing System” * In her previous life, Song Yi was an untouchable heiress who treated Jiang Lin like a plaything. She took him by force, abandoned him, then left the country without a second thought. Later, when the Song family went bankrupt, he was the only person who could save her. He trapped her in a five-year marriage, holding her captive. Everyone said Jiang Lin was a distant, untouchable flower: cold, ele 3.1kReads—Score12614d adds

    Reader note

    🔥Help! A ruthless and domineering figure in public, but secretly his mind is full of "wife-loving" thoughts? This mind-reading ability is amazing, the contrast is incredible!

15. 15 傅 President Fu, Your Wife Has Signed the Divorce Agreement 傅总，夫人已签离婚协议 Yunduan Qiqi云端七七Modern Romance359k WordsCompleted [Heartbreakingly tragic + intensely satisfying + stand-in + contract marriage + groveling pursuit of his wife] Powerful CEO of a wealthy family × coldhearted designer who has shut her heart away After three years of marriage, Lin Xi is Fu Hanzhou's most dutiful ornament and his beloved's personal blood bank. On the night she miscarries, he coldly signs the papers. “You're not worthy of bearing my child.” The day her heart dies, she leaves a blood-written note saying, “May we never meet again,” 5.7kReads—Score27914d adds

    Reader note

    This one! It's torture for the male lead! First he suffers, then it's satisfying and cathartic! A classic "wife-chasing-after-the-cremation" story, a female-centric, satisfying novel. The female lead is relentlessly tortured at the beginning, then the male lead is relentlessly tortured later, leaving him filled with regret. The writing is concise and fast-paced, the torture is brutal, and it's incredibly satisfying. Hope you like it!

16. 16 顶 Top-Tier Compulsion: He Loses Control First [Quick Transmigration] 顶级强制，他先失控【快穿】 Hua Chu Yi花初一177k WordsCompleted [Quick transmigration + stunning, universally adored female lead + obsessive, dangerous, yandere male lead + love at first sight + coercive romance] Shen Yan is a bad woman: an angel’s face with a heart of pure darkness. After doing countless evil deeds, she is finally killed by a car. A pure-evil System binds itself to her, tasking her with maxing out the male lead’s affection so she can earn life points. 1. Tragic heroine from an angsty romance x obsessive male lead: In her previous life, he f 150Reads—Score13514d adds
17. 17 豪 The Abandoned Heir of a Powerful Family: He Is Xingyu, She Is Qiu 豪门弃子之：他是星宇，她是秋 Clear and Shallow, Clear and Shallow清清浅浅清清浅Modern Romance544k WordsOngoing This story is entirely fictional. Any resemblance to real people or events is purely coincidental. Pei Xingyu is the illegitimate son of Pei Changqing and a foreign model. His mother took the money and returned to her home country as soon as she gave birth, never appearing again. His father never took responsibility for him, leaving him to be raised by a nanny. He grew up facing discrimination and humiliation. His life was always surrounded by malice. The label “illegitimate son” clung to him li 54Reads8.8Score—14d adds

    Reader note

    Born into loneliness, life tormented him a thousand times, but he used madness to forge a path to survival!

18. 18 威 After Threatening Them, I Got Hypnotized Instead 威胁她们之后反被催眠 I Like the Son of Heaven Best最喜欢天子了Urban470k WordsOngoing Jiang Qi has a face nobody can forget, but no one knows that it’s his only asset. His father is a gambling addict, and his mother remarried long ago. Since childhood, he has had to navigate his way among wealthy girls just to scrape together enough for tuition and meals. Jiang Qi hates himself for living this way, but he has no choice. Until his father sold their only home. Qin Zhaoyue, who bought the house, joked that Jiang Qi could pay the rent with his body. With nowhere else to go, Jiang 2kReads6.4Score10214d adds

    Reader note

    Here it comes! [Making a face][Making a face][Making a face]

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