Devastatingly Tragic, Short, and Heart-Wrenching 特虐，短篇，撕心裂肺

1. 1 藏 Hidden in Midsummer 藏于盛夏 Autumn Chill秋日凉Modern Romance308k WordsCompleted A heads-up before you start ❗️: One of the side couples is a gay couple, so please skip this if that bothers you. [The print edition under the same title is now available] [Healing × Love that grows over time × Angsty school romance] Sweet, gentle, well-behaved student × rebellious, handsome bad boy That midsummer seemed hotter than any before. The girl in the graduation photo smiled sweetly, with a boy in a white shirt grinning boldly behind her. They met in midsummer, and parted in midsummer t 84.2kReads9.6Score14.8kShelves

   Reader note

   Both books were incredibly heart-wrenching. The first one had a very fast emotional onset; I cried so hard I could barely breathe while reading it. The second one had a slower emotional pace, but there were still many parts that triggered strong emotions, making it equally heart-wrenching.

2. 2 梧 Wutong Lane 梧桐巷 Song Che Doesn't Eat Fish宋澈不吃鱼Modern Romance174k WordsCompleted [Bright and kind-hearted Ning Wan x gentle genius Song Qingyan] [Love at first sight + Secret love comes true + Youthful heartache + BE] When the innocent, sunny Ning Wan fell in love with Song Qingyan at first sight, he was the golden boy in everyone's eyes. She wrote her secret feelings in her diary, planning to keep them to herself. By a twist of fate, Song Qingyan became her temporary guardian. During the days when she was ostracized and bullied, he became the light in her life. She held on 27.9kReads9.6Score6.3kShelves
3. 3 我 I Only Sneaked a Glance at Him 我只偷看他一眼 Zhi Jiu枝玖Anime Fanfiction188k WordsCompleted During the speech by the freshman class representative, Chen Nan fell for Lu Xu at first sight, and for the rest of her life. The pink sunset beyond the window filled the entire sky, like a beautiful landscape painting. The clouds looked drunk, their cheeks flushed with color. Chen Nan held her breath and stole a sidelong glance at Lu Xu. His profile was youthful and striking, and he held his book with perfect posture. A ray of light fell on the yellowed pages, and touched him as well. The dayli 16.8kReads9.6Score3.8kShelves

   Reader note

   I particularly like Meng Zhiwan's novels; each character is very vivid. "The Sad Little Thing Called Unrequited Love" is based on her own life, and the female lead's inner world is incredibly rich. It really resonated with me and made my heart ache.

4. 4 你 You Broke Your Promise 你失信了 Shi Qingyao十清杳Modern Romance138k WordsCompleted The acclaimed signature work You Broke Your Promise by popular author Shi Qingyao, now with 40,000 new words of never-before-published content! Sensitive girl Xiang Yu VS golden boy Song Huaishi. I had to play out the whole secret-crush story, so I loved him year after year. It was an ordinary day. Just as she closed her eyes, Xiang Yu suddenly thought of Song Huaishi: Song Huaishi, neat in his clothes and radiating warmth. Song Huaishi at seventeen. Still in his school uniform, he leaned lazily 68.9kReads9.5Score12.5kShelves
5. 5 暗 The Sad Little Thing Called Unrequited Love 暗恋这件难过的小事 Meng Zhiwan孟栀晚Modern Romance122k WordsCompleted Lin Xu has a crush on the popular boy Ye Feng, and she remembers countless little details about him. Every day, Lin Xu times her departure down to the second, getting dressed and putting on her shoes in a hurry, all for the chance to catch a fleeting glimpse of his back. The music playing during the long break outside her classroom is Xu Song’s “Moon over Luzhou.” Lin Xu knows it’s the favorite song of Ye Feng, the school radio station’s announcer. Lin Xu has even stayed up all night organizing 77.1kReads9.7Score13.5kShelves
6. 6 暗 This Grand, Silent Drama of Unrequited Love 暗恋这场声势浩大的哑剧 Meng Zhiwan孟栀晚Modern Romance126k WordsCompleted A bittersweet youthful school romance about unrequited love from popular author Meng Zhiwan, and a companion novel to The Sad Little Thing Called a Secret Crush and The Late Sound of Drizzling Rain. This one-sided love story is a silent play with just one actor: me. Also known as The Moment I Speak, My Voice Disappears. Lonely girl Chen Ji VS sunny boy Lin Jingye. I carefully cherished you, and you became the only spring I ever had in my life. “Chen Ji, may you always be safe and well, overcome 20.9kReads9.6Score4.2kShelves
7. 7 潇 The Late Sound of Drizzling Rain 潇潇雨声迟 Meng Zhiwan孟栀晚Modern Romance120k WordsCompleted Years after graduation, a gossip post begins circulating on the message board for City Experimental School. The school's 2011 beauty, Ye Xiao, and its most handsome boy from the same year, Ruan Yusheng, are a couple. Their classmates, who know them well, rush over to set the record straight: it's pure rumor. There was never any spark between the two of them. Ye Xiao's profile even says, “Person I hate most: Ruan Yusheng.” People in the know go so far as to say, “Ye Xiao feels nothing but hatred 81.1kReads9.7Score14.1kShelves
8. 8 清 Qingqing: The Aesthetics of Unrequited Love Tragedies, Part 3 清清（暗恋BE美学三部曲03） Meng Zhiwan孟栀晚Urban125k WordsCompleted Back in middle school, Xie Zeyang met Shen Bingqing. Their names were almost the opposite of their natures: he was as cold as ice, while she burned bright as the sun. He could still vaguely recall every time they parted when they were young. At thirteen, beneath the lights at the entrance to an alley. She waved with a radiant smile and said to him, “See you tomorrow, class monitor!” At seventeen, on the beach on a midsummer night. She poked her head out of the tent, eyes crinkling as she called 23.3kReads9.6Score5.8kShelves
9. 9 虐 Tragic! She Died the Day His One True Love Returned Home 虐！她死在了他白月光回国的当天 Xi Fengyue西枫月6k WordsCompleted Heartbreaking! She died the day his beloved returned from abroad. 502Reads—Score—Shelves

   Reader note

   Heartbreakingly tragic short stories

10. 10 救 I Saved the Whole Village, Only to Become Their Plaything? My Dead Husband Returned and Slaughtered the Ungrateful 救全村却沦为玩物？亡夫归来杀光白眼狼 Xi Fengyue西枫月Ancient Romance5k WordsCompleted She saved the whole village, only to become their plaything? Her dead husband returns and slaughters every ungrateful traitor. 78Reads—Score—Shelves
11. 11 死 Three Years After My Death, the Mad Young Marshal Dug Up My Grave 死后第三年，疯批少帅掘了我的坟 Xi Fengyue西枫月7k WordsCompleted Three Years After My Death, the Mad Young Marshal Dug Up My Grave 129Reads—Score—Shelves
12. 12 真 The Day the Real Heiress Came Home, My Little Brother Swallowed a Whole Bottle of Sleeping Pills 真千金回家那天，弟弟吞了一整瓶安眠药 Xi Fengyue西枫月7k WordsCompleted The Day the Real Heiress Came Home, Her Younger Brother Swallowed a Whole Bottle of Sleeping Pills 100Reads—Score—Shelves
13. 13 死 On the Seventh Day After My Death, He Dug Up My Grave 死后第七天，他刨开了我的坟 Xi Fengyue西枫月Female-Channel Fanfiction7k WordsCompleted On the seventh day after my death, he dug up my grave. 75Reads—Score—Shelves
14. 14 虐 Tragedy!!! The Kidney Debt 虐！！！肾债 Xi Fengyue西枫月8k WordsCompleted Heartbreaking!!! A kidney debt 100Reads—Score—Shelves
15. 15 夫 Husband and Wife Become Outlaws to Avenge Their Daughter 夫妻化身法外修罗为女报仇 Xi Fengyue西枫月7k WordsCompleted A Couple Become Outlaws to Avenge Their Daughter 6Reads—Score—Shelves
16. 16 糖 The Unsent Love Letter in the Candy Wrapper 糖纸里未寄出的情书 Xi Fengyue西枫月5k WordsCompleted The Love Letter Never Sent, Hidden in a Candy Wrapper 37Reads—Score—Shelves
17. 17 荒 The Headless Corpse in the Wilderness: A Deadly Game Among the Elite 荒野无头尸：豪门索命局 Xi Fengyue西枫月7k WordsCompleted Headless Corpse in the Wilderness: A Deadly Game in a Wealthy Family 5Reads—Score—Shelves
18. 18 高 That Kid Who Scored 700 on the College Entrance Exam Jumped Off a Building? 高考700分的那孩子，跳楼了？ Xi Fengyue西枫月6k WordsCompleted That Kid Who Scored 700 on the Gaokao, Jumped Off a Building? 18Reads—Score—Shelves
19. 19 藏 The Hidden Terminal Illness Medical Record 藏起的绝症病历 Xi Fengyue西枫月8k WordsCompleted The Hidden Medical Record of a Terminal Illness 54Reads—Score—Shelves
20. 20 软 The Rest of His Life as a Kept Man 软饭男的后半生 Xi Fengyue西枫月8k WordsCompleted The Rest of a Kept Man's Life 26Reads—Score—Shelves
21. 21 博 The Year I Got My PhD, I Sent My Advisor to a Psychiatric Hospital 博六那年，我送导师进了精神病院 Xi Fengyue西枫月7k WordsCompleted In my sixth year of doctoral studies, I sent my advisor to a psychiatric hospital. 15Reads—Score—Shelves
22. 22 抽 The Day They Drained My Marrow, Mr. Jiang’s Stand-In Died 抽干骨髓那天，江总的替身死了 Xi Fengyue西枫月Female-Channel Fanfiction6k WordsCompleted The day his bone marrow was drained, General Manager Jiang’s stand-in died 61Reads—Score—Shelves
23. 23 婚 The Wedding Became a Funeral, and the Ruthless CEO Went Gray Overnight 婚礼变葬礼，疯批霸总一夜白头 Xi Fengyue西枫月7k WordsCompleted A wedding turns into a funeral, and the ruthless CEO goes gray overnight. 47Reads—Score—Shelves
24. 24 虐 Brutal!!! On My Wedding Day, My Ex Sent Me His Ashes 虐！！！结婚当天，前任寄来他的骨灰 Xi Fengyue西枫月5k WordsCompleted Angst!!! On their wedding day, her ex sent over his ashes. 31Reads—Score—Shelves
25. 25 深 Collarbones Locked Away: A Republican-Era Woman's Confession 深宅锁骨—一个民国女人的自白 Xi Fengyue西枫月Marriage & Romance8k WordsCompleted A Locked Collarbone: The Confession of a Woman from Republican-Era China 38Reads—Score—Shelves
26. 26 爸 Dad, Dead People Don't Get Fussy 爸，死人是不会矫情的 Xi Fengyue西枫月6k WordsCompleted Dad, the Dead Don't Get All Sentimental 29Reads—Score—Shelves
27. 27 抛 After Abandoning Her Husband and Child for Forty Years, She Died in a Garbage Heap on a Snowy Night 抛夫弃子四十年，雪夜死在垃圾堆 Xi Fengyue西枫月Modern Romance8k WordsCompleted After abandoning her husband and child for forty years, she died in a snowstorm among the trash. 18Reads—Score—Shelves
28. 28 全 My Family Wanted Me to Be Their Brother's ATM, So After They Stole 600,000 from Me, I Took Them to Court 全家让我当扶弟魔，偷我60万后我送他们上法庭 Ying Er121313滢儿12131313k WordsCompleted My whole family expected me to bankroll my younger brother. After they stole 600,000 yuan from me, I took them to court. 68Reads—Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    Recommend some good short angst novels

29. 29 2 At 26, Having Never Even Held a Girl's Hand, I Became the Father of My Seven-Year-Old Orphaned Niece 26岁连女生手都没牵过的我成了7岁孤儿侄女的爹 Cold Moon Seals the Letter寒月封书9k WordsCompleted At 26, I Had Never Even Held a Girl's Hand. Now I'm the Dad of My Seven-Year-Old Orphaned Niece 118Reads—Score—Shelves
30. 30 我 After I Broke Up with My Boyfriend, He Sent Me an Itemized Bill 我分手后，男友给我发来一份账单 Little Sheep and Calf羊小牛Modern Romance10k WordsCompleted After We Broke Up, My Boyfriend Sent Me a Bill 6Reads—Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    Here are a few short stories that are popular on Douyin (TikTok), all around 10,000 words long and can be read in about ten minutes.

31. 31 4 Laid Off at 45, I Got Into College and Divorced 45岁被裁员后，我考上大学离了婚 Ying Er121313滢儿121313Urban17k WordsCompleted After Being Laid Off at 45, I Got Into University and Divorced 117Reads—Score—Shelves
32. 32 摊 I'll Come Clean: I'm a Rich Heiress 摊牌了，我是富家千金 Little Sheep and Calf羊小牛Modern Romance12k WordsCompleted Fine, I'll Come Clean: I'm a Rich Heiress 90Reads—Score—Shelves
33. 33 明 Tomorrow, I Cancel My Own Wedding 明天，我取消自己的婚礼 Cold Moon Seals the Letter寒月封书39k WordsCompleted Tomorrow, I Cancel My Own Wedding 87Reads—Score—Shelves
34. 34 我 I Spent Ten Yuan on a Secondhand Marketplace and Bought a Fiancé 我在二手平台花十块钱，买了个未婚夫 Singing at Dusk Among the Pines松间唱晚12k WordsCompleted I Spent Ten Yuan on a Secondhand Marketplace and Bought Myself a Fiancé 11.5kReads—Score108Shelves

    Reader note

    The plot is fast-paced, the jokes are frequent, and it's addictive.

35. 35 离 After My Divorce, I Returned to My Parents' Home, but They Kicked Me Out 离婚回到娘家，爸妈把我赶出家门 Little Sheep and Calf羊小牛10k WordsCompleted After I Divorced and Returned to My Parents' Home, They Kicked Me Out 70Reads—Score—Shelves
36. 36 躺 Lie Flat Immortal Venerable 躺平仙尊 Singing at Dusk Among the Pines松间唱晚Eastern Fantasy146k WordsCompleted [Rapid-fire laughs + lighthearted + no romance] Lin Xian transmigrates to a cultivation world gripped by cutthroat competition. His previous incarnation was the ultimate grind king, who worked himself to death from cultivating nonstop. Lin Xian binds himself to a System that rewards him with cultivation whenever he rests, lies flat, or slacks off, but punishes him if he cultivates seriously... 1.2kReads—Score103Shelves
37. 37 老 My Husband Cheated, So I Had Him Committed to a Psychiatric Hospital 老公出轨，我把他送进了精神病院 Little Sheep and Calf羊小牛9k WordsCompleted My husband cheated, so I had him committed to a psychiatric hospital. 2Reads—Score—Shelves
38. 38 五 The Boyfriend I Rented for 500 Yuan Is My Boss’s Brother 五百块租来的男友，是我老板的哥哥 Singing at Dusk Among the Pines松间唱晚Marriage & Romance8k WordsCompleted The Boyfriend I Rented for 500 Yuan Is My Boss's Older Brother 1.7kReads—Score—Shelves
39. 39 权 No One Can Escape My Powerful Brother’s Obsessive Love 权臣哥哥的疯爱无人能逃 Singing at Dusk Among the Pines松间唱晚6k WordsCompleted No one can escape the mad love of the powerful minister’s older brother 2kReads—Score—Shelves
40. 40 愿 May You Ride This Horse and Come to Me Night After Night 愿君骑此马，日日踏夜来 Singing at Dusk Among the Pines松间唱晚Marriage & Romance6k WordsCompleted May you ride this horse and come by night, day after day 643Reads—Score—Shelves
41. 41 天 The Sky Is Falling! I Woke Up with My Mentor’s Precious Son Beside Me 天塌了！一觉醒来身边躺着导师的宝贝儿子 Singing at Dusk Among the Pines松间唱晚7k WordsCompleted The sky’s falling! I woke up to find my advisor’s precious son lying beside me 280Reads—Score—Shelves
42. 42 穿 After I Transmigrate into a Book, I Win Over the Unhinged Villain 穿书后我把疯批大反派给攻略了 Singing at Dusk Among the Pines松间唱晚Marriage & Romance6k WordsCompleted After I transmigrated into a book, I won over the unhinged villain 186Reads—Score—Shelves
43. 43 抢 You Stole My Betrothal Token? No One Can Stop My Fiancé When He Loses It 抢我定亲信物？我未婚夫疯起来谁都拦不住 Singing at Dusk Among the Pines松间唱晚Ancient Romance8k WordsCompleted Trying to steal my betrothal token? Once my fiancé snaps, no one can stop him. 152Reads—Score—Shelves
44. 44 穿 A Furnace’s Self-Cultivation After Transmigrating into a Book: First, Turn the Client into a Lovesick Fool 穿书炉鼎的自我修养：先把甲方熬成恋爱脑 Singing at Dusk Among the Pines松间唱晚6k WordsCompleted A Transmigrator’s Guide to Being a Human Cauldron: First, Turn Your Client into a Lovesick Fool 36Reads—Score—Shelves
45. 45 买 The Furnace I Bought Is Obedient Yet Wild, and Dual Cultivation Boosts My Power 买来的炉鼎又乖又野，双修还能涨修为 Singing at Dusk Among the Pines松间唱晚7k WordsCompleted The human cauldron I bought is both obedient and wild, and dual cultivation can even boost my cultivation. —Reads—Score—Shelves
46. 46 豪 My Wealthy Boyfriend Panicked: We Haven't Even Broken Up, and You're Looking for a Lover? 豪门男友急了：我们还没分手，你在找小情人？ Singing at Dusk Among the Pines松间唱晚9k WordsCompleted My rich boyfriend panicked: "We haven't even broken up yet, and you're looking for a boy toy?" 17Reads—Score—Shelves
47. 47 太 Crown Prince, Stop Looking. The One Who Saved You Has Already Married a Handsome, Worthy Man 太子爷别找了，救你的人已经嫁了帅气良人 Singing at Dusk Among the Pines松间唱晚Marriage & Romance6k WordsCompleted Crown Prince, stop looking. The person who saved you has already married a handsome, virtuous man. 20Reads—Score—Shelves
48. 48 救 I Saved a Stranger, and the First Thing He Said Was: I'm Married. Don't Think About Sleeping with Me. 救了个陌生男人，他开口第一句：我已婚，别想睡我。 Singing at Dusk Among the Pines松间唱晚Marriage & Romance6k WordsCompleted I saved a stranger, and the first thing he said was, "I'm married. Don't think you can sleep with me." 54Reads—Score—Shelves
49. 49 傻 The Foolish Girl's Journey to the Capital to Find a Husband: Wrong City, Right Brother 傻妞进京找夫记，找错城市找对哥 Singing at Dusk Among the Pines松间唱晚6k WordsCompleted A silly girl heads to the capital to find her husband: she goes to the wrong city but finds the right guy. 11Reads—Score—Shelves
50. 50 报 The Best Way to Get Back at a Bad Neighbor Is to Woo His Wife 报复恶邻最好的办法，是追他娘子 Singing at Dusk Among the Pines松间唱晚Historical6k WordsCompleted The best way to get back at a nasty neighbor is to pursue his wife. 9Reads—Score—Shelves

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