The Kind of Angst That Keeps You Up at Night! It Has to Make You Cry Your Eyes Out! 虐到晚上睡不着的虐！一定是哭的不要不要的那种！

1. 1 顶 Over-the-Top Devotion: I'm Just His Plaything 顶级狂爱：我只是他的掌中玩物 Yin Shuyi尹姝伊Modern Romance1.8M WordsOngoing A godlike Western male lead × a resilient, delicate Chinese heroine The main story is complete. [Dominant daddy type + transnational forced romance + wild and unhinged + mature man who takes the lead + devoted husband + jealous of everything + height and build difference + eight-year age gap + heroine is vulnerable early on] A carefully planned scheme gets Qiao Yimo kidnapped and sold on the black market. She can't speak the language, has no one to rely on, and is put through hell. Only one for 129.8kReads9.0Score12.6kShelves

   Reader note

   The first book was incredibly heart-wrenching; it made me roll around in bed, my heart ached, and my palms itched with pain. [Crying][crying]

2. 2 他 He Traded Heart for Heart 他以心换心 A Single Spirit Shines Alone一灵独耀7k WordsCompleted He Repays Heart with Heart 715Reads—Score—Shelves

   Reader note

   So bad I couldn't sleep at night

3. 3 靛 Indigo Butterfly Bones 靛青蝶骨 A Single Spirit Shines Alone一灵独耀Marriage & Romance6k WordsCompleted Indigo Butterfly Bones 273Reads—Score—Shelves
4. 4 最 The Ten Years I Loved You Most 最爱你的那十年 I'd Rather Die Than Be Without Etiquette无仪宁死Two Male Leads141k WordsCompleted To Jiang Wenxu, He Zhishu was as essential as air and water. He could take him for granted and squander what they had without a second thought, but when he finally lost him, it was too late for regrets. 319Reads9.3Score—Shelves

   Reader note

   It's so heartbreaking!!! It's perfect for watching in the middle of the night; you'll cry until you can't breathe!!!

5. 5 消 My Missing Mother, My Silent Grandfather, and the “Take Care of It” I Heard That Night 消失的母亲，沉默的爷爷，和那夜我听见的“处理” A Single Spirit Shines Alone一灵独耀9k WordsCompleted A mother who vanished, a grandfather who stayed silent, and the word “dispose of” that I heard that night 226Reads—Score—Shelves
6. 6 够 So Wild! The Little Psycho Can't Escape After Meeting the Big Psycho 够野！小疯批遇见大疯批逃不掉了 It's Erliang是二两吖Two Male Leads238k WordsCompleted "He runs, I chase, and he can't escape even with wings." [Psychologically unstable, unhinged, sickly beauty bottom x chaste, gentle, older, fatherly film emperor top] [Two male leads, intense push and pull, entertainment industry, ABO, System, healing, bittersweet romance, a different kind of groveling redemption, mutual firsts, happy ending] Jiang Yi died. Then he came back to life. He was also forced to bind himself to a lecherous System that ordered him to win over the aloof film emperor Ying 4.9kReads9.0Score576Shelves

   Reader note

   The first book is still unfinished, and the third book is incredibly angsty. The second ABO book is angsty from chapter 66 onwards, with the protagonist self-harming and having his mark removed. The fourth and fifth books both feature protagonists with depression, and they're all very angsty.

7. 7 去 Seven Questions About Going to Cambodia??????? 去柬埔寨七大问？？？？？？？ A Single Spirit Shines Alone一灵独耀8k WordsCompleted Seven Big Questions About Going to Cambodia??????? 210Reads—Score—Shelves
8. 8 心 A Steadfast Heart, An Unfading Wind 心实，风不散 A Single Spirit Shines Alone一灵独耀9k WordsCompleted A True Heart, an Unfading Wind 56Reads—Score—Shelves
9. 9 重 After I Was Reborn, the Movie Emperor's White Moonlight Turned Dark 重生后影帝的白月光黑化了 Baili Cha Cha百里茶茶Two Male Leads1.6M WordsCompleted [Everyone’s Darling + Entertainment Industry] In her previous life, Gu Wangyan was manipulated by a scumbag and lost his life! Before he died, he discovered that he was movie emperor Shen Xiangting’s white moonlight! Reborn in a new life, the white moonlight turned dark! Scumbag ex: “Wangyan, I fell out with my family for you.” Gu Wangyan: “Oh, the weather’s turning cold. The Lu family should go bankrupt.” Possessive older brother: “My little brother wouldn’t hurt a fly. Don’t you bully him.” Th 19.4kReads9.5Score2.7kShelves
10. 10 归 When She Returned, She Shone Brighter Than Ever 归来时，她光芒万丈 An Yuxia安遇夏Modern Romance385k WordsOngoing [Genius returns × childhood sweetheart becomes a top-tier star × a battle of equals × brilliant female scientist × scumbag gets his comeuppance] At twenty-two, she gave up her future and stayed behind for love, only to be utterly crushed by the words, “We’re not from the same world.” Later, she left the country and fought her way to success, becoming MIT’s youngest postdoctoral researcher and a specially appointed researcher at a national laboratory. She returned home covered in honors and went 274Reads—Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    "Why are you always silent?" No one knew that behind her silence lay the helplessness brought on by depression and the nightmare of CPTSD. She wanted to say, "I also want to live a vibrant life," but was repeatedly dragged down by darkness. Until one day, she finally learned: Even if broken, you must piece yourself back together.

11. 11 仙 The Immortal Realm Gossip Weekly 仙界八卦周刊 A Single Spirit Shines Alone一灵独耀10k WordsCompleted The Immortal Realm Gossip Weekly 40Reads—Score—Shelves
12. 12 我 I’m His Third Substitute 我是他的第三个替身 A Single Spirit Shines Alone一灵独耀9k WordsCompleted I’m His Third Replacement 112Reads—Score—Shelves
13. 13 给 After Marrying the Sickly Prince to Bring Him Good Fortune, I Was Spoiled Rotten 给病弱王爷冲喜后，被甜宠了 It's Xi, Not Shi是西不是施Two Male Leads330k WordsCompleted [Marriage first, love later & affection that grows over time & sweet romance & two male leads] [Optimistic, beautiful, devoted husband bottom & gentle, refined, two-faced top] Prince Ning, Ji Yanche, is gravely ill from a poison outbreak and has little time left. The Imperial Astrologer makes a prediction: there's someone in Changzhou County, Jiangnan, named Meng Qing, whose birth chart is compatible with Prince Ning's. If he marries the prince to bring him good fortune, the bride's auspicious s 5.3kReads8.9Score774Shelves

    Reader note

    These are all really angsty. The first one is a mpreg story, the second one has some angst, and from the third one onwards, they're all so angsty that I can't sleep.

14. 14 师 Abbess, I’m Here! 师太，我来了！ A Single Spirit Shines Alone一灵独耀8k WordsCompleted Abbess, Here I Come! 513Reads—Score—Shelves
15. 15 之 Qing Transmigration: The Crown Prince Gets Lin Daiyu's Script 【清穿】之太子拿了黛玉剧本 Midterm Confusion迷茫期中Ancient Romance2.4M WordsOngoing (No female lead, no romance, family affection, protecting Cheng and keeping his hair unshaved) Yinreng was reborn at the moment of his birth and bound to the “Lin Daiyu Self-Rescue System”: Fragility +10,086, Beauty +999 Requirement: Kangxi’s fatherly affection must reach MAX, or he’ll repeat the fate of being deposed! From then on, the Forbidden City had a glassy Crown Prince who coughed blood every three steps and wept like a flower in the rain: Kangxi was reviewing memorials late into the nig 12.8kReads9.1Score1.1kShelves
16. 16 阿 Auntie, I Don't Want to Work Hard Anymore ¥¥¥ 阿姨，我不想努力了¥¥¥ A Single Spirit Shines Alone一灵独耀Marriage & Romance8k WordsCompleted Auntie, I Don't Want to Work Hard Anymore ¥¥¥ —Reads—Score—Shelves
17. 17 九 The Nine Bestowments 九锡 A Single Spirit Shines Alone一灵独耀Historical11k WordsCompleted Nine Bestowments 148Reads—Score—Shelves
18. 18 绝 After I Gave Up Hope of Surviving My Terminal Illness, They Begged Me to Live 绝症死心后，他们求我活下去 A Gentle Breeze from the South南方有清风Two Male Leads297k WordsCompleted [Two male leads + angst + groveling pursuit + ancient-style ABO] A love-starved, suspicious scum gong vs. a cold, heartbroken, frail shou The Chu family had two sons: the elder was stunningly handsome, while the younger knew both the past and the present. Rong Yong once thought he would grow old hand in hand with the elder Chu son, and become a peerless ruler and subject with the younger. But a marriage substitution shattered everything. The one he loved most became his younger brother’s fiancée 2.3kReads8.5Score263Shelves

    Reader note

    I've only read a third of it, I can't wait for the male lead to die, it's too tragic. Death would be a relief.

19. 19 师 The Master’s Wife’s Chaos Body and the String of Events It Set Off 师娘的混沌体，所引发的连串事情 A Single Spirit Shines Alone一灵独耀8k WordsCompleted A series of events set off by the Shiniang's Chaotic Body —Reads—Score—Shelves
20. 20 病 After My Kingdom Fell, the Sickly Beauty Survived the Tyrant’s Wrath with His Face 病美人亡国后，靠脸在暴君手下续命 Just Call Me That就叫这个名Two Male Leads312k WordsCompleted [Completed]“I love hearing you cry and beg me.” Ruthless, merciless mad tyrant ✖ sickly young king of a fallen nation, enduring humiliation [Forced love / groveling redemption / fake substitute / one-on-one, both devoted to each other] At first, Yan Yu was treated like a plaything, his every shred of dignity crushed. Later, he was made into a substitute and forced to satisfy the other's every desire. Then he discovered that the person the man he hated most had kept hidden in his heart was none o 1.3kReads8.5Score138Shelves
21. 21 这 In This Life, I Just Want to Treat You a Little Better! 这一世，我只想对你更好一些！ A Single Spirit Shines Alone一灵独耀8k WordsCompleted In this life, I just want to treat you even better! 735Reads—Score—Shelves
22. 22 运 The Man Who Hauled Provisions Was Made a Prince, While I Was Stripped of My Command 运粮草的被封王，我却被夺了兵权 A Single Spirit Shines Alone一灵独耀8k WordsCompleted The Man Who Hauled Supplies Was Made a King, While I Was Stripped of My Command 744Reads—Score—Shelves
23. 23 鲛 The Merman Has Lost All Hope 鲛人他心灰意冷 Hua Xi花溪Two Male Leads32k WordsCompleted The merman Chen Xiao was lured to the human world by Murong Jing's promises of love, never imagining that a trap had been laid for him long ago! He was imprisoned in the imperial dungeon and tortured day after day. It was all because Murong Jing wanted to take his most precious merman pearl and use it to save his seriously ill first love! After learning the truth, Chen Xiao died in despair. But Murong Jing had always said Chen Xiao disgusted him. So why did he go mad and try to bring him back to 829Reads8.0Score101Shelves

    Reader note

    (ಥಥ) Cry, cry, it's not a sin~

24. 24 这 In This Life, Would You Still Want to Be with Me? 这一世，你还愿意和我在一起吗？ A Single Spirit Shines Alone一灵独耀11k WordsCompleted In This Life, Are You Still Willing to Be with Me? 217Reads—Score—Shelves
25. 25 看 Invisible Tenderness! 看不见的温柔！ A Single Spirit Shines Alone一灵独耀9k WordsCompleted Invisible Tenderness! 677Reads—Score—Shelves
26. 26 被 My Husband and Mother-in-Law Set Me Up, and I Snapped 被丈夫和婆婆算计，我怒了 A Single Spirit Shines Alone一灵独耀9k WordsCompleted My Husband and Mother-in-Law Set Me Up, and I Snapped 207Reads—Score—Shelves
27. 27 他 His Long-Overdue Love 他迟来的深情 Rock Sugar Cherry冰糖车厘子Modern Romance54k WordsCompleted Three years into their marriage, Xia Mo discovers that Fu Zhe has been cheating. When Xia Mo falls ill, Fu Zhe travels the world with his mistress. He uses marital assets to buy her a mansion and luxury watches, spending lavishly. Desperate, Xia Mo asks for a divorce. She stays calm and level-headed as she deals with the mistress, gathers evidence to reclaim the assets, and takes revenge on the scumbag, leaving him with nothing… 300Reads8.4Score105Shelves
28. 28 皇 The Empress Gets Her Revenge on the Spot 皇后有仇当场报 A Single Spirit Shines Alone一灵独耀Ancient Romance11k WordsCompleted The Empress Gets Her Revenge on the Spot 216Reads—Score—Shelves
29. 29 缅 Reborn: Escaping a Telecom Scam Compound in Northern Myanmar 缅北电诈园重生逃亡记 A Single Spirit Shines Alone一灵独耀10k WordsCompleted Reborn and Escaping a Telecom Fraud Compound in Northern Myanmar —Reads—Score—Shelves
30. 30 他 He Found My Suicide Note 他捡到了我的遗书 A Single Spirit Shines Alone一灵独耀8k WordsCompleted He Found My Suicide Note 494Reads—Score—Shelves
31. 31 神 Divine-Grade 神品 A Single Spirit Shines Alone一灵独耀Eastern Fantasy691k WordsCompleted Three Law Secret Realms have appeared in the underground city of the East Sea, sparking a fierce scramble among countless factions. The reason is that the protagonist possesses the divine ability to make his words come true! He can complete alchemy and artifact crafting with just a thought. And since he also has an immortal artifact, he joins the competition for the secret realms! 398Reads—Score—Shelves
32. 32 被 After My Enemy Found Me 被仇家找到之后 Lord Xiu朽爷Two Male Leads431k WordsCompleted Angst first, sweetness later~ Chi Jing never imagined that in just five years, he would go from an untouchable rich kid to the most wretched of nobodies. He imagined even less that the man he'd once looked down on would stand before him, surrounded by admirers, his eyes alight with the satisfaction of revenge. They say what goes around comes around, and everyone reaps what they sow. Make him atone properly... Pah, none of that is happening! Chi Jing says: Get back on your feet and beat the hel 2.1kReads6.6Score184Shelves

    Reader note

    It's so angsty. The male lead suffers all sorts of torture: he loses a kidney, has burns on his back, a broken leg, attempted suicide, suffers from anorexia and vomits everything he eats, is injected with medication and tormented by pain every day, is whipped until his body is covered in bruises, and is so weak that he won't live much longer.

33. 33 我 I Witness Your Wedding in the Name of Your Lawful Wife 我以正妻之名为你证婚 Qingqiu Nanzhu青丘南烛41k WordsCompleted I Bear Witness to Your Wedding in the Name of Your Legal Wife 5.9kReads—Score75.9kShelves

    Reader note

    Feeling like crying? These books are for you. Especially the first one, "I Will Witness Your Wedding as Your Legal Wife," which is beautifully written, incredibly moving, and has a fantastic plot.

34. 34 梦 When I Wake, He Is No Longer Warm 梦醒再无他温 Clouds Are So Sweet云朵很甜呀13k WordsCompleted When I Awoke, There Was No Warmth Left Between Us 214Reads—Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    Highly recommend this first book! Don't mistake it for a clichéd, melodramatic story. A clear-headed and strong-willed female protagonist, a stubborn and forbearing lover, and a cowardly, struggling dead. Everyone is a victim of their era and their family. The writing is incredibly vivid; the scene with the incinerator was particularly moving. A must-read if you're looking for something to read.

35. 35 再 I'll Never Love You Again 再也不要爱你 Hard to Kill难杀Modern Romance132k WordsCompleted A short, heart-wrenching story. Extremely heartbreaking! So much melodrama and angst! Read with caution! Please ignore the extra chapter. The author wrote it while losing their mind, and sincerely apologizes! Jian Meng is dying, and Ji Jing’an doesn’t know. He’s busy worrying about his wedding to someone else, indifferent to the poor woman at home. He has always believed Jian Meng would wait for him forever, just as she has for the past ten years. It was the last winter, and Jian Meng’s last bir 16.9kReads8.2Score976Shelves

    Reader note

    📖The Ceiling of Sadomasochism

36. 36 以 I Offer My Devotion to the Passing Years 以我深情祭岁月 Er Qiao二乔Modern Romance324k WordsCompleted [The physical book with the same title is now available] “I hesitated once. I turned back to face the slightest glimmer of hope, yet no one cared.” “Later, a thick fog rolled in. You said you loved me so much, but why was your love thinner than the fog, so faint I could barely see it?” Shen Nian 75.3kReads9.4Score6.7kShelves

    Reader note

    Knife, knife, knife, they're all knives.

37. 37 媚 Born with a Bewitching Charm 媚骨生香 Her Highness the Nightmare梦魇殿下Ancient Romance150k WordsCompleted 261Reads9.5Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    The novel "Charming Fragrance" by Tomato has a completely different title and description than its content. The story is truly well-written and incredibly moving; you absolutely must read it! [Crying][crying] I won't spoil it, but it was so heartbreaking after reading it that I cried for days.

38. 38 命 With Only Two Months to Live, They Finally Break Down and Repent 命剩最后两月，他们终于崩溃忏悔 Xiao Baihu筱白狐Urban224k WordsCompleted [Tearjerker]+ [Heartbreaking]+ [Bad Ending]+ [No Clichés, Realistic Story] The world beneath the neon lights is dazzling, but it has never shone for just one person. Lonely souls are always searching for comfort, but the medicine that could heal their wounds died long ago in childhood. When the stories they left behind finally become known, all that awaits them is a corpse that has long since grown cold. His parents spend their entire lives mired in a failed marriage, treating Bai Mo like a garb 12.3kReads9.1Score1.2kShelves
39. 39 宠 The Imperial Favorite 宠监 Pu Sansi蒲三思Two Male Leads349k WordsCompleted Xiao Lianzi is a eunuch, a low-ranking servant who quietly minds his own business and sweeps the palace. Then one day, for no apparent reason, he becomes the emperor's personal eunuch. He entered the palace late and has no idea how serving the emperor differs from serving anyone else. He only remembers one rule for surviving in the harem: “The master is heaven, the master is earth. If the master tells you to go east, you must never go west!” The little eunuch knows his place: he's just a servant 6.8kReads9.2Score902Shelves

    Reader note

    Ancient Chinese BL novel with angst, highly recommended!

40. 40 周 Dr. Zhou's White Moonlight Is Dying 周医生的白月光快死了 Ten-Line Que十行阙Two Male Leads219k WordsCompleted [Fragile, ill bottom VS cold, aloof top] [Heart-wrenching angst + mutually exclusive devotion, 1v1 + bad ending + extreme bottom fans, beware] Wen Ci had terminal stomach cancer. The doctor said he had at most thirty days left, and Wen Ci could live those thirty days for Zhou Ying. But Wen Ci died on the twenty-seventh day. After his death, Wen Ci left behind twenty-seven unread letters, a rabbit, a book, and a crushed red maple leaf. 19.8kReads9.3Score3kShelves

    Reader note

    So touching 😢😢😢

41. 41 丑 The Ugly Slave 丑奴儿 Not Me非。我Two Male Leads405k WordsCompleted Cheng Huan acts up and does whatever he wants in front of the emperor. He thought that no matter how harshly the emperor punished him, he would never actually hurt him. But when that cup of poisoned wine was brought before him, he finally understood that it had all been one enormous misunderstanding... 135Reads9.2Score—Shelves
42. 42 病 Sickly Obsession 病态诱捕 Meizi Went Blind梅子瞎了Two Male Leads262k WordsCompleted Transmigrating into a book + proceed with caution: possessive, unstable love interest. Manga adaptation and publication rights have been signed; the print edition is now available. Other people who transmigrate into a book get a golden finger, a powerful System, and a huge protagonist halo. Li Dezhuang transmigrates into a book as a minor character: a disposable side character who’s good for nothing but his looks, with a ridiculously old-fashioned name to boot. To survive, Li Dezhuang resolves t 26.4kReads9.5Score4.5kShelves
43. 43 丧 Stray Dog 丧家犬 A Bite of Coconut Jelly吃一口椰冻Two Male Leads317k WordsCompleted [Reader advisory: A cruel lover faces retribution in this angst-heavy story. First person, bad ending.] [Contracted for publication] [Cold, elite, callous top x rough, middle-aged bottom] Zhou Xian was reborn. In his previous life, he died like a stray dog on the day his former lover Shen Wen married the man he had always loved. This time, he was reborn three months before his death. To get revenge, he asked Shen Wen to date him for one last three months. * Successful in his career, Shen Wen had 494Reads9.3Score105Shelves

    Reader note

    So touching! [Crying][crying][crying]

44. 44 卑 The Humble Lover 卑微情人 A Watermelon from the West西的一瓜Two Male Leads340k WordsCompleted [Complete] Forced to become a man’s secret lover because his identity was too shameful to acknowledge. Shan Mo never knew there could be a future worth looking forward to. Jiang Chongzhou rescued him from a wolf’s den, and only then did he begin to hope, wide-eyed, that things might get better. In the end, the person he trusted most shattered him completely. Later, Jiang Chongzhou spent three sleepless days caring for him in the hospital, waiting for him to get through the critical period. The m 4.2kReads8.0Score404Shelves
45. 45 我 After I Left, the Prince Was Beside Himself with Grief 我走后，王爷痛不欲生 Tu Miao Miao兔淼淼Two Male Leads589k WordsCompleted [The comic adaptation of this novel is now available on Kuaikan] Bai Luo is always called an idiot by everyone. He isn’t stupid or foolish. He just loves that person so much that he would give up everything for him. He would even tear out his own heart and place it before him. In return, all he gets is the most merciless contempt. “Do you think you’re worthy?” - “If you hate me so much, why keep me by your side?” In the darkness, the man looks down at him. “You’re nothing but a plaything to amus 1.4kReads7.1Score147Shelves
46. 46 忠 Faithful Hound 忠犬 Qing Shisi卿十四Two Male Leads45k WordsCompleted Zhou Qi says he’ll be Qi Tingyao’s dog for the rest of his life, but he can’t bear to stop there. Through countless sleepless nights, he tears at his own soul and cries out with longing. The feelings he has buried deep in his heart for over a decade finally burst forth. Just how much does he love Qi Tingyao? Perhaps it’s shown in the way he finally finds the strength to let go as he lies dying. 3.6kReads8.6Score396Shelves
47. 47 阉 The Eunuch 阉人 So It Is Said笑之曰Two Male Leads193k WordsCompleted Shuangjiang stood by Li Yue’s side as he went from a prince walking on thin ice to the throne, watching him marry one beautiful woman after another. Ten years ago, Shuangjiang said to the powerless Li Yue, “I’m only a eunuch. I wouldn’t dare eat this osmanthus cake.” Li Yue said, “Shuangjiang is my favorite person. From now on, I’ll bring you as much osmanthus cake as you want.” Ten years later, Shuangjiang was frail and ill, longing for a piece of osmanthus cake. Li Yue said, “You’re only a eun 2.9kReads8.4Score264Shelves
48. 48 强 Forced into a Torturous Love 强制虐爱 Jiu Jiu Ziqi酒酒子琪Two Male Leads269k WordsCompleted [Physical and emotional torment + sickly protagonist + obsessive love + unhinged behavior + movie star + groveling redemption + mutually exclusive romance] Proud, sickly beauty on the receiving end + extremely controlling, possessive pursuer Mo Jingrui was born without feelings. He only likes being in control and stamping on other people’s dignity, tormenting their minds until they submit to him completely. He drives Song Huaizhi’s father to his death, brings down the Song family, and forces 8.3kReads8.6Score728Shelves

    Reader note

    No need for further explanation, I strongly recommend it.

49. 49 怨 Bound by a Madman's Grudge 怨骨疯缠 Peerless Scallion a绝世一根葱aTwo Male Leads470k WordsCompleted Publication rights have been signed. Originally titled Grudgebound Bones [Double madness + a truly ghostly male lead + twisted love + forced confinement romance + lovers bound by pure hatred + happy ending] “We're better off hating each other. Never tell me you love me, or I'll kill you.” The two had been inseparable friends at the orphanage, once linking pinkies and promising never to part for the rest of their lives. Then one year, a wealthy couple came to adopt a child. They took a liking to 169.3kReads9.6Score38.2kShelves
50. 50 在 The Day He Married His Childhood Sweetheart, His Little Cousin, I Disappeared 在他娶青梅小表妹那天，我消失了 Lin Feiyue临非月Ancient Romance9k WordsCompleted The Day He Married His Childhood Sweetheart, My Little Cousin, I Disappeared 4.9kReads—Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    It's really addictive after watching it, highly recommended!

Other lists with Over-the-Top Devotion: I'm Just His Plaything