Angsty Novels That Put the Male Lead Through the Wringer 虐文虐男主

1. 101 孟 Meng Yancheng, We Can Have Fun, but Don't Get Serious 孟宴臣，玩玩可以别认真 Gou Keai苟可爱Female-Channel Fanfiction409k WordsOngoing He falls first, an on-again, off-again push and pull, and a two-faced maid with a gift for acting Qin Xiao: “Meng Yanchen, I’m here to use you, not save you.” Meng Yanchen: “Why not try using me for the rest of your life?” # On the day they got together, Qin Xiao said, “You can keep loving her.” Meng Yanchen thought she at least loved him. Only after they broke up did he truly understand. Hah. That wasn’t love. It was simply that she didn’t love him, so she didn’t care who he loved. # One day af 346Reads8.0Score—14d adds

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   A couple on opposite sides, constantly pulling and tugging at each other, Meng Yanchen, seemingly innocent but actually cunning, a two-faced girl with a seductive acting style. Song Yan and Xu Qin have little screen time but lots of new plot developments, starting from Meng Yanchen's university days || 343!??

2. 102 花 Flower Demon 花妖 Cotton Flower棉花花Ancient Romance337k WordsCompleted [Past and Present Lives + One True Love + Palace Intrigue and Power Struggles] A thousand years of longing will not go unanswered; a lifetime of devotion will never bring regret! A brilliant, resilient surgeon versus a suspicious, ruthless God of War general! Meeting him was the bond of fate from her past life, and the tribulation of this one. A tearjerking tale of a white plum blossom in the immortal realm of Qilian, a true dragon, and a snowflake reincarnated to endure a trial. The white plum 6.4kReads9.5Score97014d adds

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   Millions of years ago, the white plum blossoms of the Qilian Mountains, touched by the grace of a true dragon, developed feelings for each other, thus beginning a forbidden love. Heavenly punishment forced them to descend to the mortal realm to undergo tribulations, preventing them from meeting for a thousand years. Now, the thousand-year promise has arrived; how will their destinies intertwine?

3. 103 母 My Mother Is in the ER Waiting for Me to Borrow Money, While My First Love's Father Tells Me to Let Go 母亲正在抢救室等我借钱，白月光父亲劝我放手 Tangerine Sand桔沙12k WordsCompleted My Mother Is Waiting for Me to Borrow Money in the Emergency Room, While My First Love’s Father Urges Me to Let Her Go 66Reads—Score—14d adds

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   This is a tragic story about the male protagonist. He's educated but forced to work as a delivery driver to care for his seriously ill mother. By chance, he reunites with his "white moonlight" (his first love/ideal love), only to find himself unable to afford cigarettes, resorting to smoking cigarette butts. He can't even pay his medical bills and tries to borrow money from her, which she readily gives him. However, her father objects, leading to their breakup. Years later, as he struggles to rebuild his life, he reunites with her, only to face a heart-wrenching chase of pursuing her.

4. 104 盛 Spoiled Beyond Measure: President Li's Cherished Darling 盛宠之下：厉总的掌心娇宠 Girl in the Wheat Field麦田里的女孩Two Male Leads544k WordsCompleted [Two male leads + cold-faced financial tycoon seme x devoted affection magnet uke + both leads are each other's first and only + no substitute trope + rekindled love + happy ending + multiple couples] Any resemblance between the characters, locations, names, plot, and anything else in this story and real people or places is purely coincidental. This story is entirely fictional! Li Xiuchen, the richest man in S City, is cold, handsome, and wealthy, with power to turn the world upside down. But th 710Reads—Score—14d adds

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   Can you accept a dual male lead story? There are many side couples in each. In the first book, a fire separates the two protagonists, and when they meet again, the other doesn't remember them. Each couple in this book eventually has their own main character. The second book is about a soul transmigrating a thousand years ago and ending in modern times. The third book is a prison-themed story. The fourth book is a rebirth story in ancient Chinese style with a strong emperor-minister dynamic. The fifth book is about rebirth in modern times, where the protagonist is reborn only to gain love. The sixth book features a fake young master who also has leukemia. The seventh book is about a love at first sight that lasts a lifetime.

5. 105 重 Reborn: My Sovereign 重生：我的君主大人 Girl in the Wheat Field麦田里的女孩Two Male Leads264k WordsCompleted Two male leads: the devoted general Beiming Han as the pursuer × the sweet, gentle prince Mu Yichen as the pursued This story takes place in a fictional setting. Any resemblance to actual events is purely coincidental. In his previous life, Mu Yichen was willing to sacrifice everything for Beiming Han: the throne, his martial arts, his dignity, and even his life. Until his final moment, he was still worrying about Beiming Han. He left behind only one sentence: “If there is another life, let us n 176Reads8.6Score—14d adds
6. 106 请 Reborn: Please Love Me Again 【重生】请你再爱一次 Girl in the Wheat Field麦田里的女孩Two Male Leads287k WordsCompleted [Sweet romance + domineering CEO and rising star + multiple side couples] No mistaken love, and everyone gets a happy ending, so read without worry. In his previous life, after accumulating enough disappointment, Feng Lin decided to part amicably with Wan Yi. But Wan Yi did not want to end their relationship. When the two left the civil affairs bureau, Wan Yi stared at the green divorce certificate in his hand, unable to accept it. “I’ll take you home.” “Fine. Let’s say this is our last goodbye. 78Reads—Score—14d adds
7. 107 赠 A Withered Gardenia for the Divine Venerable 赠神尊一捧枯栀 Lang Xi朗熙Ancient Romance11k WordsCompleted A Handful of Withered Gardenias for the Divine Lord 2Reads—Score—14d adds

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   A short story of a wife-chasing tragedy, brutally torturing the male lead. The male lead's: Wealth—reset to zero; Cultivation—reset to zero; Admirers—reset to zero. Both the male and female leads are incredibly dramatic. The female lead is a cat in the early stages. The female lead is named Xiao Mao, and when the male lead is unconscious, he keeps calling her name, leading to him being mistaken for a kitten.

8. 108 偏 Obsessively in Love with Her 偏执恋她 Dai Nuan戴暖Modern Romance408k WordsOngoing [Roguishly Handsome, Possessive, Obsessive Tycoon × Sweet, Soft, Flirtatious Beauty] She runs, he chases; she can't escape even if she grows wings! [Sweet, Satisfying Healing Romance + Take-What-You-Want Love + Long-Laid Plans + Imprisonment + Tortured Love + Cunning Schemes + Insecurity and Darkness + Secret Crush + Love That Grows Over Time + Reunion After Years Apart + Ex's Redemption Arc + Dual Personalities + Devoted Husband + Healing + Mutual Devotion + Taking Down the Homewrecker + Rekind 214Reads—Score—14d adds

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   This book is insanely good!! From campus to city, it's sweet and angsty, the male lead is carefree and irresponsible at first, but later goes through a mad dash to win her back, while the female lead is innocent and naive at first, but later becomes a cold and arrogant beauty. The male lead is only crazy towards the female lead. There are so many details, especially the delicate portrayal and extreme tension in their relationship. [Kissing emojis]

9. 109 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

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   This one! Extremely angsty, especially for the male lead! A massive "wife-chasing-after-the-wives-in-a-lifetime" story, a female-centric power fantasy where the heroine seeks revenge and grows stronger. Every chapter is suspenseful, full of twists and turns, and climaxes one after another. The writing is concise and fast-paced. The beginning is angsty for the female lead, but later the male lead is relentlessly tormented until he's utterly destroyed—it's incredibly satisfying! Read it with confidence!

10. 110 报 Revenge? The Scalpel Turns on My Unrequited Love 报复？手术刀划向白月光 Clever Cat King聪明的猫KingModern Romance8k WordsCompleted Revenge? The Scalpel Turns on His One True Love 312Reads—Score—14d adds

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    [I'm about to cry][I'm about to cry][crying][crying][crying][crying][crying]

11. 111 失 I Regret Losing You 失去你，我追悔莫及 Clever Cat King聪明的猫KingModern Romance13k WordsCompleted Without you, I regret everything. 106Reads—Score—14d adds
12. 112 内 This CP in Chinese Entertainment Nearly Went BE! 内娱这CP差点儿要be了！ Clever Cat King聪明的猫KingModern Romance6k WordsCompleted This CP in the Chinese entertainment industry almost broke up! 47Reads—Score—14d adds
13. 113 怎 How Could I Bear to Miss You? 怎么忍心错过你？ Clever Cat King聪明的猫KingModern Romance14k WordsCompleted How Could I Bear to Miss You? 49Reads—Score—14d adds
14. 114 我 I Wish You Would Mend My Whole World 我多想你为我的全世界缝缝补补 Clever Cat King聪明的猫KingModern Romance112k WordsCompleted He grew up in a completely free and open-minded family. Though his family was fabulously wealthy, he instinctively kept his distance from the glittering world. He wanted to find someone and build a life unlike his parents': simple and passionate. She was adorable and mysterious. He thought she was like a heroine from a martial arts tale. She told him, “The moment we met, my soul hugged you and said, ‘Please don't date anyone else.’” He told her, “Let's get married first, then fall in love.” What 35Reads8.1Score—14d adds
15. 115 云 Love at the Edge of the Clouds 云边的爱情 Clever Cat King聪明的猫KingModern Romance13k WordsCompleted Love Beyond the Clouds 43Reads—Score—14d adds
16. 116 非 It's You or No One, Even If I Have to Fight the Whole World! 非你不可，就算与全世界为敌！ Clever Cat King聪明的猫KingModern Romance11k WordsCompleted You’re the Only One for Me, Even If It Means Defying the Whole World! 7Reads—Score—14d adds
17. 117 消 The Missing Sister 消失的姐姐 Clever Cat King聪明的猫King9k WordsCompleted The Missing Sister 53Reads—Score—14d adds
18. 118 飞 When Birds Meet Fish 飞鸟与鱼遇见 Clever Cat King聪明的猫KingModern Romance16k WordsCompleted When Birds and Fish Meet 54Reads—Score—14d adds
19. 119 拯 Rescuing Your Desert: I'm Your Guardian of the Galaxy 拯救你的荒漠：我是你的银河卫士 Clever Cat King聪明的猫KingModern Romance9k WordsCompleted Saving Your Desert: I Am Your Galactic Guardian 14Reads—Score—14d adds
20. 120 封 The Feudal Tycoon Goes Wild Across the City After His Divorce 封建大佬离婚后，发疯全城 May You Stay Curious and Hopeful你有趣有盼Modern Romance560k WordsOngoing Older, uptight, powerful man with a high sex drive + delicate beauty in poor health + both are inexperienced Jiang Qingwu was born with a special constitution. After marrying Gu Yunzhou, she was gentle and obedient, but she was the one thing she could never bring herself to do: share a bed with him. The great military, political, and business tycoon had married a young wife, yet the two could only treat each other with icy politeness. So, at the end of his tether, Gu Yunzhou arranged for his w 25.7kReads5.6Score1.2k14d adds

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    Older, feudal-father-like powerful man // Beautiful, frail, innocent little rabbit! Jiang Qingwu followed Gu Yunzhou back to Z City from her small town. Because of her sensitive body, she refused to let him touch her, and the two were unable to consummate their marriage. So the man arranged for her to move to another city. The next time she saw him was when he came to her door with divorce papers.

21. 121 十 Ten Realms: I Was Ordinary 十界：我本平庸 Sanqi Confused Fish三七糊涂鱼Eastern Fantasy1.8M WordsOngoing (We are all ordinary people. Some say they don’t understand what I’m writing! The truth is, I simply want to tell the story of an ordinary person who keeps growing, improving, and learning. He feels lost and helpless, never knowing what to do. His life is full of stumbles, but through repeated setbacks and lessons, he slowly grows! Some people are born in Rome, while he is stuck in the mud. In Rome, it’s easy to cross the finish line. But there’s something all the more inspiring about perseverin 7.1kReads9.1Score59514d adds

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    Time leaves its mark, all within our hearts.

22. 122 京 The Tide Between Beijing and Hong Kong 京港澜渡 A Book Worth a Fortune一本千万利Modern Romance631k WordsOngoing [The rating just opened, slowly climbing] [Hong Kong old-money style vs. Beijing political circles] [Intrigue and covert battles among the wealthy] [High-IQ business and romance] [Slow burn, not a fast-paced power fantasy; feel free to skip chapters] Four pairs of hunters, four hunts. The rain pours over Hong Kong. Come enjoy a TVB-style romance, business-war, and suspense drama! Sweet nothings go beyond “Stay a little longer” and “I adore you” to include “I’m crazy about you.” Duplicity is the 8.5kReads8.9Score77514d adds
23. 123 权 After Gaining Power Over the Court, Is It Really Too Much to Make the Emperor My Slave? 权倾朝野后，让皇帝为奴不过分吧 Zhuo Hua琢华Ancient Romance126k WordsOngoing [Male Lead Angst] [Mostly Physical Abuse] [Training] [Discipline] [Beautiful Male Lead] I love picking on beautiful men! [Cold, sinister warlord of a chaotic age VS gentle, handsome emperor of a fallen kingdom] [Male Lead Angst + Gender-Bender + Both Pure + Physical and Emotional Abuse + Mutual Healing] When Su Yuqing stormed the capital of the Great Qian Dynasty, Xiao Songyun knelt at her feet and begged to become her slave. She torments him first, then chases after him! Early on: Su Yuqing com 36Reads—Score—14d adds

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    The male lead is tortured after being stabbed by the female lead, and subjected to various forms of forced love.

24. 124 虚 My Vain Wife Cheated, So I Turned Around and Made Her Untouchable 虚荣妻子出轨我转身让她高不可攀 A Heart Dancing in the Wind随风飘舞的心Urban858k WordsCompleted Ye Chen never imagined that his wife of more than ten years would cheat on him. When he saw her get out of a BMW and act intimately with the man behind the wheel, he was so shocked he could barely think. Even less did Ye Chen expect his second wife to still be pining for the one who got away, or that, worst of all, that man would come back. Ye Chen, an ordinary wage earner, had always thought his life was happy and complete. He had a beautiful, capable wife and a clever, sweet, adorable daughter 15.9kReads7.4Score1.1k14d adds

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    His wife cheated on him. Ye Chen, a working-class man, had always felt his life was blissful. A beautiful and capable wife, a smart and obedient daughter—everything seemed perfect. But everything changed the moment he saw his wife, Lin Ruyue, get out of a BMW. Lin Ruyue looked down on Ye Chen, this working-class wretch, and even their five-year-old daughter felt contempt for him. Ye Chen was utterly bewildered. Was this a sign of moral decay, or a general decline in societal values? Ye Chen knew he couldn't keep this vain wife, and he couldn't keep this family. He firmly believed that there was still beauty in life, and he was determined to make his vain wife unattainable.

25. 125 许 I Promise You Brilliance 许你灿烂 I'm Eleven!我是十一啦Modern Romance207k WordsCompleted [Ten-year age gap] [Both are romantically inexperienced] [Brooding CEO × quirky sweetheart] [Warm and healing] [Hilarious and heartbreaking] Thirty-two-year-old, brooding CEO Xu Jingxing runs into Wen Canlan, a bright and spirited twenty-two-year-old who was just fired by his father's company, three times in a single day. The calm lake of his heart, undisturbed for thirty-two years, ripples inexplicably, and he falls hard for her. When they run into each other again at a bar, she mistakenly thin 10Reads8.8Score—14d adds

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    Tortured from childhood to adulthood

26. 126 白 The White Moonlight Falls, and Junior Sister Is Still Mending Things Today 白月光坠落，小师妹今天也在修补 Pickled Mustard Greens and Tofu雪菜豆腐Ancient Romance227k WordsCompleted 1v1, happy ending, gender-bender, both leads are virgins [The male lead suffers physically and emotionally: flogging, humiliation, ice picks, restraints and suffocation, silver needles, stomach problems…] [An outwardly aloof but decisive and determined junior sister who cultivates the sword vs. a gentle, long-suffering and restrained senior brother, the unattainable first love] I am Ji Lan, the youngest cultivator to reach the Divine Transformation stage in Meishan Sword Sect, born with a sword 36Reads—Score1014d adds

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    The male lead suffers both physical and emotional torment. He is misunderstood, gentle and forbearing, unable to defend himself, and feels inferior in front of the female lead. He is subjected to whipping, forced to atone for his sins, pierced through the abdomen with ice spikes, and had his meridians sealed with silver needles. He is tortured every few days.

27. 127 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

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    [Making a face][Making a face][Making a face][Making a face][Making a face]

28. 128 守 Protecting My Love Rival 守护情敌 Clear and Bright Beneath the Moon月下清扬15k WordsCompleted Protecting My Love Rival —Reads—Score—14d adds

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    The male lead's biggest problem is that he's deeply in love with the female lead, so he deserves to be tortured.

29. 129 我 I Begged the Demoness Through Tears to Spare Me 我哭着求女魔头放过 Big Big Big Black Cat大大大黑猫Eastern Fantasy202k WordsOngoing [Strong heroine + matriarchy + protagonist suffering + training + groveling to win her back + unhinged] Lu Xiao was once a demonic cultivator, until one day, the arrival of a female demon rewrote his fate. His nightmare began... 30Reads5.6Score—14d adds
30. 130 穿 I Was Reborn as a Discarded Consort and Wanted to Lie Flat, but the Regent Set His Sights on Me 穿成废妃想躺平，我被摄政王盯上 Jun Yue Feng Xi君悦风兮Ancient Romance255k WordsCompleted Shen Zhiwan transmigrates. She becomes an obscure concubine in the late emperor’s harem. No favor, no family connections, no children. She lives in the most remote side hall in the entire palace, so far out of the way that even the palace cleaners can’t be bothered to come by. Someone else might have wailed and cried, but Shen Zhiwan just wants to set off firecrackers in celebration. A thirty-year-old overworked office drone drops dead from exhaustion, then wakes up to free meals and lodging, no 7Reads—Score19414d adds

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    This book perfectly fits the description. The male lead is a powerful regent who descends from his pedestal for love. Initially, he suspects and tests the female lead because of her undercover identity, but he gradually becomes attracted to her. Due to their opposing social statuses, the female lead is very wary of him and tries to distance herself from him. The male lead silently devotes himself to her, secretly jealous, and loves her but cannot have her. It's not until the female lead fakes her death, escapes the palace, and marries the second male lead that the male lead tries to steal her away. The male lead doesn't realize the female lead loves him until about 95% of the way through the book. In the early part, the male lead's unrequited love is quite heart-wrenching, with the two of them locked in a grueling struggle. Highly recommended!

31. 131 禁 No Secret Affairs Allowed 禁止偷欢 A Passing Guest in the Flow of Time往事流年稍作客Modern Romance92k WordsOngoing 🔥 Powerful-family taboo romance | Heart-wrenching angst with a thrilling reversal Fu Siyan, the crown prince of the capital, wields power over the entire court. Noble and aloof, he is a god no one dares profane. Only I know how twisted he is beneath that icy exterior. Three years ago, he personally sent me to prison on charges of "suspected disclosure of trade secrets." The night before I was locked up, he gripped my chin, his gaze colder than ice. "Shen Rao, how dare you lay a hand on someone 19Reads—Score—14d adds

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    [Making a face][Making a face][Admiration]

32. 132 痴 A Devoted Emperor Chases Love from Ancient Times to the Modern Day 痴情帝王，从古代追爱到现代 Yu Xixi羽希熙Ancient Romance210k WordsCompleted "The ancient-era portion of this book is not a clean romance and takes a realistic approach, with an emphasis on plausibility. Readers who insist on both leads being untouched should read with caution. Once they reach the modern era, both leads are untouched. The story is a slow burn, but the later chapters are exciting, so be sure to read to the end." The heroine, Lin Wan, is a woman of unparalleled beauty and a celebrated history professor at a modern university. Not only is she exceptionally 2Reads9.1Score—14d adds

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    A sweet and heartwarming ancient romance novel with a angsty male lead! Highly rated! A great read! Mature and artistic writing style, a tight and logical plot, delicate and realistic emotions, and clear logic! A modern history professor unexpectedly transmigrates into the body of an ancient emperor, who falls head over heels for her, forcing her to become a concubine. The young, handsome, and gentle emperor is deeply infatuated with her, but upon regaining his senses, she refuses to serve him due to the complexities of court intrigue. Despite this, the male lead remains devoted, overcoming numerous hardships to finally win her heart. The harem is fiercely competitive, and the female lead endures many trials, including a vicious female supporting character. Ultimately, she takes revenge and returns to the modern world. The deeply affectionate emperor abandons everything to cross time and space, solely to pursue true love.

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