The Aesthetic of a Legendary Bad Ending BE封神美学

1. 51 银 When the Ginkgo Leaves Fall 银杏落下时 Wanyan Yuning完颜雨凝Two Male Leads62k WordsCompleted [If you enjoy this, please leave lots of comments and ratings. Love you!] #BoysLove #Angst #Tragedy #BEAesthetic #Realistic #MutualDevotion #UnforgettableRegret #ConversionTherapy #DoubleDeath At nineteen, Cheng Ye and Lu Ming thought love could conquer everything. A ginkgo-leaf bookmark, two handmade rings, and a promise to go south. They ran away together on a rainy night and kissed beneath a bridge, believing that if they went far enough, they could reach a future of their own. But their pa 358Reads—Score—14d adds

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   It's a great beta, don't miss it!

2. 52 青 Youth Is a Grand Illusion 青春是一场盛大的幻梦 Qian Kongzi浅空子Modern Romance31k WordsCompleted Youth is a magnificent dream. Those first meetings, growing closer, and keeping one another company shimmered like stars, drawing us into the dream called youth. Looking back, the once-burning promises have scattered on the wind, and those deep, tender feelings have become regrets too painful to touch. On quiet nights, when memories drift through our minds like smoke, we may smile or we may cry, because that was our youth, true and unvarnished. [A Dream of Youth: My Twelve Years with Him] Cheng 41Reads—Score—14d adds
3. 53 青 Qingyu Studio 青玉斋 Dawn Moon, Southern Breeze晓月南风Ancient Romance133k WordsCompleted [Standalone Stories] Each chapter tells a different story, chronicling the rise and fall of nations and families throughout history, the tangled grudges of the martial world, and the love and hatred of lives as fleeting as dreams… There are twenty-four chapters in all, each with its own charm. Qingyu Studio chronicles the wildness of mortal life. Mortal lives pass like dreams, yet human bonds have always run deep. 9Reads—Score—14d adds

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   A completed novel of 133,000 words. Twenty-four stories, From the Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties to the Song Dynasty There is love, hate, and passion. Grudges and feuds in the martial arts world Patriotism... Most of the stories in the book leave readers feeling unsatisfied, and the characters are always a source of regret...

4. 54 争 Jealousy, Jealousy 争妒争妒 She Xia舍下Ancient Romance135k WordsCompleted He kept making the wrong choice; she gave her heart to the wrong man!!! Everyone in the capital knew the decade-long joke! Su Shu, the legitimate daughter of the Xiang family, pursued Mu Chengxuan, the Great General Who Protects the Nation, for ten years! Then one day, he actually married her!!! Their wedding stunned the entire capital! A decade of love should have been the envy of all, yet less than a year later, the Chancellor’s residence was raided and Su Shu died of an illness. This shocked 315Reads6.4Score—14d adds

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   Let's take a look.

5. 55 红 Red Walls and Green Tiles 红墙碧瓦 She Xia舍下Ancient Romance240k WordsCompleted He forced her into his harem! But their relationship ended abruptly after just three months! They loved, resented, and hated each other, and promised to meet again in another life! He swore before the imperial throne: “As long as I am emperor, even for a single day, you will be my empress.” He lived a wild, carefree life, yet carried a quiet fragrance in his sleeves. Their love, however, was a dead end, destined to come to nothing. Everyone knows Liu Liangnü, but no one calls her Empress Xia 15Reads—Score—14d adds
6. 56 爆 Explosive! The Undercover Big Shot Has Fallen for Me 爆！卧底大佬他沦陷了 Spring Returns Beneath the Trees林下又见春Modern Romance312k WordsCompleted [BE] [BE] [BE] [Undercover police officer in Myanmar × genius doctor with a split personality] [No arguments, misunderstandings, or groveling] [Both leads are devoted only to each other] Myanmar, a rainy night, Guanyuan. A muffled thud came from the backyard. She saw him and glanced over without a trace of emotion. “Disgusting. Throw him out.” Lu Chen froze, then hurriedly spoke up. “I have money. Lots of money.” Su Qingyan stopped and glanced back at the man on the ground. “Take him inside.” .. 150Reads—Score10414d adds

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   I highly recommend this book! It's incredibly tear-jerking, everyone has a tragic ending, it's so heartbreaking 😢

7. 57 一 A Little Cloud 一片小云朵 Cangjin沧烬Modern Romance20k WordsCompleted [Sunny boy Xu Ji × sensitive, overthinking Qiao Tong] [Bad ending] When they first meet, midsummer sunlight falls across the boy’s clothes, and Xu Ji’s smile catches Qiao Tong completely off guard. Bit by bit, Xu Ji brings light to Qiao Tong’s dark world. After the college entrance exams, Xu Ji gathers the courage to reveal the secret he has kept in his heart for so long. “Qiao Tong, will you give me the chance to walk beside you?” “I like you.” Waves pound against the shore. Xu Ji’s words crash 42Reads—Score914d adds

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   She will never hear what was left unsaid in the letter.

8. 58 有 A Breeze Blows By 有风吹过来 Xiao Ji小祭Modern Romance207k WordsCompleted The wind began to blow. He said to her, “Yan Li, before I leave, I want to help you like this world just a little. At the very least, I don’t want you to feel so hopeless anymore.” When two equally lonely people, both empty inside, find each other, even the smallest change can be a form of salvation. 163Reads9.4Score—14d adds

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   😢😢😢😢😢😢

9. 59 爱 My Love Is Real, and So Is My Desire to Kill You 爱是真的，想杀你也是真的 Tai Moshen太末生Marriage & Romance21k WordsCompleted My Love Is Real, and So Is My Desire to Kill You 31Reads—Score—14d adds

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   It should be worth a look.

10. 60 烬 Jinli: The Gardenias Haven't Fallen Asleep 烬璃：栀子未眠 Tai Moshen太末生30k WordsCompleted Jin Li: The Gardenia Has Yet to Sleep 24Reads—Score114d adds
11. 61 他 He's Always So Good at Sweet-Talking Her 他惯会哄她 Chong Qiwu重栖梧Modern Romance276k WordsCompleted [Two Top Students x Childhood Friends x Mutual Devotion x Tragedy] Sunny ray of sunshine x Double-Standard Top Student Jiang Shiyuan was the brightest sun in Pei Zhiheng's world. They made many promises at seventeen, but the words "I'll be with you forever" were buried along with her in late autumn. The plane tree leaves had yet to fall from the branches in late autumn when Jiang Shiyuan's life came to an end. [My name is Jiang Shiyuan. Shi, as in time, and Yuan, as in wish. Pei Zhiheng.] [J 806Reads8.0Score10014d adds

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    The sweeter the beginning, the more heartbreaking the ending. "Since her diagnosis, she has been avoiding the issue, even regretting that if she had listened to the school doctor and classmates and gone to the hospital for a checkup sooner, perhaps things would have been different..."

12. 62 阴 The Yin-Yang Agent: Fate Changer 阴阳代理人之改命师 An Xiu Lan暗丶修兰Mystery5.4M WordsCompleted When I was seven, I thought I would grow up like any ordinary child, get a job, and start a family. But after I accidentally touched a gourd and released something unclean, my life changed forever. To ordinary people, fate seems mysterious and uncanny, but for me, it is how I make my living. Fate masters are people who can trade and alter destinies! A century of wealth and honor, an emperor's destiny spanning a millennium, a miraculous immortal's fate lasting ten thousand years... I pursued thes 530Reads7.0Score10114d adds

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    They were all once the loneliest travelers: the precocious Wan Lin, the night-walker Li Chang'an, the goodwill ambassador of the wasteland Wang Ye, and the pink-cloaked Li Xiaofeng. Later, the child shrouded in darkness saw the dawn's light. But ultimately, dark clouds obscured the sun, and looking back, no familiar faces remained; one person held an umbrella, walking alone. 😢😢😢😢

13. 63 全 I’m the Only One in the World Without Powers 全世界只有我没有异能 Do Not Speak of Immortality莫道长生Sci-Fi & Apocalypse1.4M WordsCompleted The apocalypse arrives, and after destruction comes new life. Everyone gains special abilities, while Li Chang'an, who has none, lives like a beast. Some teach him to be kind to others; others teach him to fight his way to a better world. Little by little, he comes to believe that there is light even in the darkness. Though the road is hard, he still wants to become one of the strongest, standing at the very top. But one day, the light vanishes before his eyes. 5.1kReads9.4Score78514d adds
14. 64 请EN Call Me the Ghost Messenger 请叫我鬼差大人 The Cat from the Xu Family徐二家的猫Mystery2.1M WordsCompleted After the Eternal Night, terror returned. Ten miles of desolate graves, eerie singing. An old man searching for his arms, a headless baby... They kept piecing their bodies back together, unleashing an even more terrifying aura. In the wasteland, even a severed hand could destroy heaven and earth. In this world of darkness and despair, a post office appeared and vanished from view... A mysterious young man, a postal carriage traveling through the void... One blood-red letter after another became 102.2kReads9.5Score9.6k14d adds
15. 65 末 Doomsday Evolution: The Zombie Overlord 末日进化：丧尸大魔王 Three Winds 11三风11Sci-Fi & Apocalypse1.1M WordsCompleted A blood-red sun hangs high in the sky, and the world is transformed! An utterly ordinary little zombie faces countless perils in the apocalypse, evolving again and again until it becomes the Zombie Demon King! 7.5kReads8.9Score57614d adds
16. 66 放 Protect Me After School 放学保护我 Qi Can栖璨Modern Romance151k WordsCompleted [Complete❗❗] [Campus + Secret Crush + Urban + Lighthearted Comedy + Tragedy + Healing + Both Leads Pure + Bad Ending] The roguishly handsome, devoted Lu Yannian VS the resilient, sensitive Ruan Yi’an The day they first met. Thirteen-year-old Lu Yannian was bullied by a group of bad boys. He curled up in a dark alley and buried his head as he sobbed. A mysterious girl rushed forward and fearlessly stood in front of him. “How dare you bully one of your own in broad daylight? Are you even human?” 161Reads—Score—14d adds

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    This book is great! A charmingly roguish young man has been secretly in love with the female lead for five years, believing she loves the more handsome second male lead. After they reunite, they get together. It's sweet at first, then heartbreaking 😢😢, the male lead dies, and the female lead commits suicide 😢😢😢😢👇👇👇👇👇

17. 67 永 Never Return to the Capital 永不返京 Scholar Bai Du白杜书生Modern Romance168k WordsCompleted [Capital Circle + Older Man/Younger Woman + BE + A Scoundrel’s Sincere Love] The year they met, Pei Runjin was nineteen and Li Chengchuan was twenty-seven. They met in the capital. On Pei Runjin’s birthday, Li Chengchuan asked her what she wished for. Looking at the treetops swaying in the night breeze outside the window, she said, “Right now, I just really miss you. I don’t wish for anything else.” Li Chengchuan suddenly felt the intense emotions surging from the twenty-year-old girl. The softn 3.7kReads—Score27214d adds
18. 68 倔 Stubborn Bones 倔骨 Xie Huanghua谢黄花Modern Romance237k WordsCompleted [A wealthy young lady who hides a ruthless side x a poor, helpless, beautiful but miserable boy] Campus · unrequited love · county town · bad ending After talking back to her father, Xu Anzhi was “exiled” to a small county town in the southwest. Once a rich young lady, she was now penniless and powerless, though her temper remained unchanged. Huicheng was filthy and run-down, and Xu Anzhi hated everything about it, except for one unruly, attention-grabbing boy. Xie Xun was something else: skippi 252Reads8.1Score—14d adds

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    Xu Anzhi, this is the seventh year I've secretly loved you. This monologue of unrequited love, which belongs only to me, has finally come to a perfect end at this moment.

19. 69 北 The Princess Consort of Beichuan 北川王妃 Hua An华暗Ancient Romance94k WordsCompleted (Not a feel-good story. Read with caution.) A marriage decree bound her and him together. She had hoped to live an ordinary life, but was drawn into a carefully plotted conspiracy. When the fog cleared and the truth came to light, how would she choose… 3Reads—Score—14d adds

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    Princess Beichuan😄😄

20. 70 我 I Want to Live Well 我想好好的活着 Wen Shu 1234文舒1234Modern Romance212k WordsCompleted I had never met a boy like him before. His features were delicate, and his pale complexion seemed almost unreal. His long, curled lashes lowered over deep eyes that looked as if they held countless stories. Anyone who saw him couldn’t help taking a second look. He was a transfer student. From the day he stepped into our classroom, the girls went wild, and even the boys were scrambling to be his friend. The nightmare began the day I met him. On graduation day, I clenched my fists, worked up my ne 33Reads—Score—14d adds

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    The plot is detailed at the beginning and gets more and more exciting as you read on. Highly recommended! 💛💛💛💛💛 Short story, well-written, with a big contrast, a tragic love story (the male lead becomes ruthless because he is not well-liked in his family, the female lead is timid and weak because she was abused at home since childhood, the male lead bullies the female lead in school, his brother finds out and hurts the male lead in his most sensitive spot, later goes through a series of events, changes his identity and marries the female lead because he wants revenge, but falls in love with her, the female lead never forgives him from beginning to end, and later suffers a mental breakdown, I won't say more about the ending)

21. 71 惊 Leaves Fall in Autumn 惊秋落叶 Not a Good Day to Talk今日不宜讲話Modern Romance62k WordsCompleted [Campus Tragedy] [Mutual Secret Crush] Tang Qiu and Pei Jingnian On Ningchuan No. 1 High School's wall of outstanding graduates (its wall of fame), Pei Jingnian took the top spot that year, while Tang Qiu was relegated to the very bottom. "Wasn't Senior Tang Qiu a good student back then? Weren't she and Pei Jingnian the twin stars of the arts and sciences? How did she end up at the bottom?" "She wasn't even on the wall at first. They added her later." "I heard she didn't do very well on her exam 173Reads—Score—14d adds
22. 72 她 Beneath Her Soul 她魂之下 Chive Leaf I韭叶IMystery13k WordsCompleted Beneath Her Soul 67Reads—Score—14d adds
23. 73 蓝 The Blue Gum Tree Waits in Vain for the Mistletoe Bird 蓝桉等不到释槐鸟 Chive Leaf I韭叶IModern Romance133k WordsCompleted “If I loved you a little less, would I be able to say a little more to you?” The girl, Ru An, had a secret crush on Lin Fu, the brightest star in school. She loved writing in her diary. Over her three years of high school, she filled five diaries. Not once did she mention Lin Fu by name, yet every line was about him. She described Lin Fu as full of life and spirit, but couldn't find a single word that suited herself. She had always lived by the rules, following the same routine. The only courage 17kReads9.0Score3.2k14d adds
24. 74 救 Rescue from Drowning 救溺 Yin Yiyi银以以Modern Romance215k WordsCompleted That day, Xia Zhiyun was passing through an alley when she saw a group of people fighting. She wanted to quietly take another route and leave. Just then, she met a pair of amber eyes. He gave her a faint smile. He seemed arrogant and carefree, but couldn't hide the coldness in his very bones. Xia Zhiyun looked away and timidly said, “Um, should I let you get back to it?” “Heh.” He gave a low, melodious scoff. At the police station. Xia Zhiyun said innocently, “Officer, I really was just passing 1.4kReads9.3Score20314d adds

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    If you like angst, then buy it!

25. 75 我 I Told You I Love You in Heaven 我在天堂说爱你 Ling Xi灵希Modern Romance122k WordsCompleted At fifteen, Junxi accidentally got blood from an AIDS patient into one of his wounds and contracted the disease. From then on, his normal life was completely upended, and he lived in constant fear that he could die at any moment. But Li Poxiao never left his side, giving him the courage to carry on. Through his pain, he smiled through his tears. “Brother Junxi, my greatest wish is to become your bride. You have to fight to stay alive, because… this is a dream only you can help me fulfill.” A lov 944Reads9.5Score21014d adds
26. 76 糖 Candy with a Tangy Bite 糖果偏酸 Luo Zhi落之Modern Romance238k WordsCompleted (The main story is complete.) The domineering, impossibly cool school bully vs. the beautiful, strong-willed, wounded little bookworm. School life, healing, and mutual secret crushes. Chutang was being bullied at school. The day she met Jihuai was the start of autumn. She was sixteen that year. Jihuai saved her, perhaps because he felt sorry for her. “You don't need to stick your nose into my business.” “Hey, I'm the one who helped you.” Desperate for a meal, Chutang shamelessly followed Jihu 89Reads—Score414d adds

    Reader note

    Extremely abusive

27. 77 她 She Will Leave Eventually 她终将离开 An Jiuyue安九悦Modern Romance51k WordsCompleted [Bad Ending + Mutual Secret Love + Terminal Cancer + Short Story] Fang Ciyan was a very introverted person. Perhaps it was because he had a light she herself lacked when they first met that she fell for the gentle, cheerful boy. She secretly loved him for two years, making her entire youth unforgettable. A person's life is short, and Fang Ciyan had only half a year left. Not every unrequited love has a happy ending, and neither did hers. But Song Zeyan gave her an unexpected surprise: the person 8Reads—Score—14d adds

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    🌿🌿🌿A tragic romance. It's a bad ending. The female lead is a very introverted person. She meets the male lead at the end of her life. She has secretly loved him for two years, captivating him throughout his youth. Life is short, and not everyone's unrequited love has a happy ending. This book is very good. Those who like this kind of story can check it out. The rating isn't very high, but the writing is quite good.

28. 78 旧 Old Dreams of 1913 旧梦1913 Shen Yuzao沈鱼藻Modern Romance159k WordsCompleted [Republican-era tragic romance + a love lost to regret + loving someone you cannot have] Three years in the Republic, and not a single rainstorm came. A whole lifetime, and not once did I hear you say, “I love you.” A sweet, spirited heiress × a devoted, restrained military officer. We lost each other in a time of turmoil, and after that brief farewell, we never met again. Repairing the roof with thatch for you and listening to the rain beside your bed were nothing but an old dream that could ne 2.9kReads9.4Score59514d adds

    Reader note

    Nine out of ten love stories in the Republican era ended in tragedy.

29. 79 旧 Old Dreams: Longing for Spring's Return 旧梦·望春归 Shen Yuzao沈鱼藻Modern Romance152k WordsCompleted [Republican-Era Tragic Romance + BE Aesthetic + A Love That Goes Both Ways] Have you ever loved someone you could never grow old with? “A clear-eyed, independent female lawyer vs. a patriotic filmmaker chasing the light. Shen Yuzao’s Republican-era trilogy of old dreams! Their story begins with a meeting as beautiful as golden breezes and dewdrops, and ends with a longing that endures even when their hair has turned white with frost and snow. Love can bring death, but it can also give life. The 503Reads9.4Score12214d adds
30. 80 我 I Pray the Gods Will Protect Her 我祈神明庇佑她 Yin Yingxi银盈溪Modern Romance210k WordsCompleted [Tragic ending] [A sweetly innocent, deaf figure model × a careful, restrained delinquent with a checkered past] [Both pure in love + age gap + love at first sight + healing] Qi Zhen is the most notorious hoodlum in the old town. Just hearing his name is enough to make the authorities in their peaked caps fret. Until he turned thirty, he figured he’d just live one day at a time. But after meeting that girl, everything changed. He wanted to live a long, long life so he could always take care of h 39Reads—Score—14d adds

    Reader note

    A deaf nude model versus a notorious scoundrel. The male lead falls in love at first sight and has a crush on her. The ending is guaranteed to be heartbreaking: "They both tried so hard, but it seems like nothing has changed."

31. 81 零 All Things Return to Dust 零落归尘 This Author Has No Pen Name该作家没有笔名Mystery668k WordsCompleted [Fantasy Romance / Tearjerker / Fate / Light Ensemble Cast] This is not a power fantasy, nor does it follow the usual tropes. There is no harem and no mindless heroine. A long-form mystery, with a light ensemble cast in the early chapters and the main plot taking center stage later. The setup takes its time, and the main story is heartbreaking, so reader discretion is advised. When sorrow congeals into an eternal night, and fate is ground to dust by the passage of time, can you still pick up th 58Reads8.8Score—14d adds

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    The sweeter the beginning, the more tragic the end…😢 A manipulated life and an inescapable fate allowed her to see the warmth of the world, yet forever unable to reach it… From birth, she was bound in endless shackles, suffering countless pains and torments. When she forgot everything, she could have started a new life with a different identity, but instead, she walked step by step towards her destined end. The rekindled hope and the love and warmth she found only pushed her into an endless abyss. She willingly endured the pain of having her heart ripped out to save him, and sacrificed everything for those she cared about… In the final moment, he remained by her side, sharing her suffering… When sorrow solidifies into an eternal night, when love is crushed into dust by time, can you still find that last piece of warm memory in the cracks of the world?

32. 82 这 This Host Is Something Else: Told to Die for the Villain, He Actually Did 这宿主绝了，让他替反派死他真死 Cheng Nezha城哪吒Two Male Leads1.5M WordsCompleted (Complete) Villain + Corruption + Master and Disciple + Mutual Devotion + One-on-One (the villains are all souls of the Main God) To come back to life, movie star Yu Tang binds himself to a quick transmigration System. His mission is to show the villains care and warmth, then die for them, driving them completely over the edge. But when he has finally earned enough points and wants to be revived, the System tells him: The worlds he visited have all collapsed. Yu Tang: ??? System: So you need to 27.4kReads9.6Score3.1k14d adds

    Reader note

    This is definitely it.

33. 83 穿 Book Transmigration: A Possessive Man Wants Me All to Himself 穿书：有个偏执狂想要独占我 Slightly Curly微卷卷Modern Romance250k WordsCompleted [Everyone's Darling, Adorable Child, Unhinged Male Lead] Mu Ran transmigrates into a book, landing in a modern CEO romance about scheming and possessive love. Fortunately, she's neither the pitiful heroine nor the vicious supporting female character. She's a pampered little princess with three incredibly capable, handsome, and wealthy older brothers, as well as a gentle childhood friend. All she has to do is live the easy life of a freeloader, and she and her childhood friend will end up togethe 42Reads8.4Score—14d adds

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    This book... Well, if you think the synopsis only describes the male and female leads, then this book is definitely a tragic ending. I wouldn't say it's all tragic, but it's all heartbreaking!

34. 84 雪 Xue Wutong 雪梧桐 Xun Bai荀柏710k WordsCompleted [Republican-era ensemble cast + love of country + two powerful leads + older man/younger woman + sweet romance + pursuit of love + powerful man bows his head + heartbreaking angst + bad ending] In the Republican era, Nanjing was home to two renowned romantics. I do not believe in Buddha, but I would kneel at every temple in Nanjing if only Heaven would give me back my wife. Zhou Qingshi, courtesy name Changyu, was the eldest son and eldest grandson of the Zhou family, and ninth in birth order. 400Reads8.6Score—14d adds

    Reader note

    The hottest story of the year: The second male lead gets lung cancer but gives up treatment for the female lead.

35. 85 再 Goodbye, Hansheng 再见，寒生 Ziyue籽月Modern Romance171k WordsCompleted A homeless boy falls in love with a stubborn rose covered in thorns. Though he knows he’ll be left bleeding, he throws himself into saving, embracing, and protecting her. The road to fame in show business is fraught with danger, and the jungle of fame and fortune is full of peril. Fans, idols, unspoken rules... Temptations lie everywhere, and only love can see through them. He is Han Sheng, an orphan who scrapes by with Bai Xiaoqi, his half sister in all but blood. He gives her his hope for a br 987Reads9.3Score26714d adds

    Reader note

    These are classic examples of tragic love stories. I used to cry buckets watching them, feeling sorry for the characters and their pain, especially as someone who had a crush on my childhood friend. Now I'm too scared to watch them anymore.

36. 86 见 Meeting Summer 见夏天 As Always, An'an安安如故Modern Romance254k WordsCompleted Xia Linxi x Tang Yu Xia Linxi is a sophomore with excellent grades and impeccable conduct. Tang Yu is a carefree bar singer. They’re worlds apart, with nothing in common. No one could have imagined that one day the two of them would end up together. In a dark alley, Xia Linxi saw Tang Yu locked in an intimate embrace with a strange woman, but she simply left in silence. She believed the man before her was nothing like the womanizing facade he showed the world. She saw right through him at a glan 1.4kReads8.5Score29514d adds
37. 87 行 Late in the Day 行止晚 Zhi Er织尔Ancient Romance138k WordsCompleted [Devoted love + emperor and empress + tragic palace romance] 145,000 readers gave it top ratings, and countless readers cried their way through it! The year’s breakout historical romance, a heartache readers can’t forget. A clear-eyed, sweet empress VS a proud emperor whose love never wavers. Born into the imperial family, how can everything ever go as you wish? May we remain together forever, and may I keep you safe and at peace. A gentleman’s word is his bond. In a daze, I saw the moon rise. 25.7kReads9.6Score3.3k14d adds
38. 88 乔 Bridge and Harmony 乔和 Li Yonghe李庸和Urban111k WordsCompleted I came into this world alone, yet I could not escape falling secretly in love. Qieqie never imagined a boy would burst into her life and become an indispensable part of her growing years. The boy she loved was exceptionally talented, pure and untainted. But in the blink of an eye, fate toyed with him, and he fell into an abyss. He suffered torment, and she stayed by his side. Neither of them was the other's cure, but they became each other's lifeline. The clown became a warrior, and the princess 546Reads9.4Score8914d adds
39. 89 蝴 Butterfly Whale 蝴蝶鲸鱼 Bai Jinxi白瑾惜Modern Romance401k WordsOngoing “Don't be afraid. Even whales can lose their way at sea, but you have wings.” She was a whale, brave and brilliant, yet broken and lost. She lost her way, then grew wings. A butterfly whale, she would eventually break through the darkness, face the rising sun, and fly alone across the sea. 95Reads6.6Score10314d adds
40. 90 谁 Who Says Longing Is Silent? 谁说思念无声 Qingya青崖Modern Romance61k WordsCompleted She knelt in the pouring rain, begging him to give her father a proper burial. All she got in return was: “You should've been the one to die!” Her hatred burned fiercely, while her love slowly faded away. She said, “I spent my whole life loving you, but you hurt me, hated me, and ruined my life. You said I owed you. Now I've paid you back!” A knife pierced her chest. She smiled, proud and desolate. “Don't cry at my grave. You'll soil my path to the afterlife!” 166Reads8.4Score—14d adds

    Reader note

    🌼① She loved him with her whole life, only to be hurt and hated by him in return. He said it was what she owed him, and now she was repaying him for it all.

41. 91 星 Chasing the Astral Trail Is Hard 星轨难追 Tu Chun荼椿Modern Romance55k WordsCompleted Also known as A Silent Farewell, a short tragic ending. Resilient girl Lin Yuyao + frail boy Qin Zhiyu We are all observing starlight that died long ago, and I love you as one loves a star that has already vanished. We met in the folds of time and space, like two meteors knocked off course. You burned yourself to light the future I could never reach. Rather than let the begonias fall one by one, I’d rather pluck the last branch of spring. —Reads—Score—14d adds

    Reader note

    "Let's go see the crabapple blossoms next spring." But he never got to see spring. 😭 Short tragic ending, so heartbreaking.

42. 92 无 Infinite Burning Madness 无限灼心疯 Tangerine Sand桔沙7k WordsCompleted Infinite Burning Heart Madness 65Reads—Score—14d adds

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    The story is a tragic ending, where the female protagonist, having lost many deceased relatives, uses her resurrection ability to bring them back to life, only to be betrayed by those who killed her. Her mother saved her, but she couldn't resurrect her, and her tears, mixed with rice, drove her mad.

43. 93 蝶 Butterfly Shadows Return to Dust: Sold into Prostitution by My Mother-in-Law, My Ex-Husband Searched for Me for Ten Years 蝶影归尘：被婆母卖入风尘，前夫寻了我整整十年 Ni Ah Ni Ge Ni氼啊氼个氼55k WordsCompleted The Butterfly’s Shadow Returns to Dust: Sold into a Life of Vice by My Mother-in-Law, My Ex-Husband Searched for Me for Ten Years 319Reads—Score—14d adds

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    I am Xiao Qihao. Everyone says I ruined Lin Die'er, but who knows—I ruined myself 🥺😢🥺 I am Xiao Qihao. In the stories you've read, I'm the utterly wicked villain, the evildoer who pushed her into the abyss, the madman who used despicable means to imprison her in a secluded courtyard and force her to bear my child. Yes, I admit to all of that. But today, I want to use my own eyes to show you this story again. To see how that woman named Lin Die'er ruined a man's life—no, how she made him destroy himself. I hate Zhang Zhiming. From the moment I was born, he was the eldest son of the Zhang family, born with everything: status, family fortune, and everyone's respect. And me? I'm my father's illegitimate son, born with my mother's surname, Xiao, and I don't even have the right to call him "brother." That's okay, I'm used to it. Living under someone else's roof, having to be subservient to others, I can endure all of that. Until I met her. I will always remember the first time I saw Lin Die'er. She stood in the courtyard of the Zhang residence, with a pond full of koi behind her. She wore a light blue silk dress, a silver butterfly hairpin in her hair, and looked like she had stepped out of a painting. No, even more beautiful than those in paintings. She glanced at me. Just a faint glance, polite and distant. Then she turned and walked towards Zhang Zhiming. At that moment, something inside me shattered. Why? Why did Zhang Zhiming have everything from birth, even a woman like her? And I didn't even have the right to be looked at by her. I began to be insanely jealous, and I began to fall madly in love. I began to deliberately prolong my stay at the Zhang residence. I figured out her schedule, what time she went to the cosmetics shop in the morning, what time she returned home at dusk, and what time she turned off the lights at night. I hid behind the artificial hill, watching her sit alone by the pond, lost in thought. She crumbled white steamed buns and scattered handfuls of them at the koi in the pond. There was no smile in her eyes, only an unfathomable loneliness. She was unhappy. Zhang Zhiming, didn't you love her? Didn't you cherish her like a treasure? Yet you made her unhappy. That thought took root then—since you don't cherish her, then it's my turn. I know you'll call me despicable, shameless. But I want to ask—if someone is born with nothing, how can they fight for what they want? My methods were indeed despicable. I colluded with Zhang's mother, schemed against Zhang Zhiming, and ruined his business. I took advantage of her vulnerability, luring her to my villa. That night, I said to her, struggling desperately, her face streaked with tears, "Your mother-in-law has long promised you to me. From now on, you are mine." I admit, at that moment, I felt a twisted sense of pleasure. I had finally won against Zhang Zhiming. I had finally taken something from him, something he cherished most. But that pleasure lasted less than a night. Because every tear she shed felt like a knife stabbing into my heart. I thought having her was enough. I thought that as long as she was by my side, one day she would accept me. I started learning to be good to her. I decorated the villa exquisitely and warmly, gathering her favorite snacks and treasures. I set aside all my malice and learned to be gentle and accommodating. But the look in her eyes remained devoid of warmth. In the dead of night, she curled up in my arms and fell asleep, murmuring a name indistinctly. I held my breath, listening intently—"Zhiming..." Those two words were like a knife, piercing straight into my heart. In her dream, she was calling another man's name. Not hatred, not resentment. It was a dependence she herself hadn't even realized. Something she would never admit in her waking life. At that moment, I knew I could never win her heart. But I still refused to let go. I became addicted to opium, trying to numb myself. I became decadent, insane, and irrational. I stayed by her side every day, only to be pushed away by her every day. The moment she gave birth, I was overjoyed. I thought it was my flesh and blood, the only bond between us. Did you see that? I believed until my death that Yi'an was my son. I never noticed the silver necklace hidden in the swaddling clothes—a keepsake she left for her child, his only bloodline with Zhang Zhiming. The day my mother secretly sold her to the brothel, I was quitting opium. When I came out, she had vanished without a trace. I searched frantically everywhere, scouring every street and alley, but there was no news of her. I searched for years, waited for years, and remained obsessed for years. In the end, all I received was news of her death. She took a bullet for someone and died in another man's arms. That man was neither me nor Zhang Zhiming. I didn't even get to see her one last time. I didn't even have a chance to say "I'm sorry." I held the gold butterfly hairpin she had left in the villa, locked myself in my room, and didn't eat or drink for three days and three nights. I remembered what she had once said to me. That night, when I lost control, she looked at me and said coldly, "I'm just your trophy." No. Butterfly, no. I love you. Because you are you, not some spoils of war. But I never had the chance to tell her that. Even if I had, she wouldn't have believed me. You all know what happened afterward. I poured all my guilt and longing for Die'er onto Yi'an. I gave him everything I had, teaching him to read and write, and instilling in him the importance of family and country. I made Ping'er my legal wife, and we had a son and a daughter. But I was biased towards Yi'an. So biased that everyone could see it. Because I owed his mother a debt I could never repay. And I repaid my debt to Zhang Zhiming—the man I hated my whole life—in another way. When the nation was in peril, I used all the scheming and manipulation I had used on him, all the connections and resources I had cultivated in secret, to support the front lines. I could turn my blade against my brother, but I would never turn it against my country. That was my bottom line. And my final redemption. In my life, I loved someone I shouldn't have loved, and hated someone I shouldn't have hated. I destroyed her, and I destroyed myself. But I've never regretted meeting her. If there's a next life—I hope I don't meet her again. Not because I don't love her anymore, but because I hope she won't have to suffer in this life. If possible, I hope she can be with Zhang Zhiming in the next life. This is my story. A villain's confession, a madman's repentance. If you only see Zhang Zhiming's deep affection and Yang Yanchen's protection in this book, then I urge you to also take a look at Xiao Qihao. Take a look at this man who loved in the most despicable way, destroyed with the deepest obsession, and redeemed himself with a lifetime. He's not a good person. But his love for Lin Die'er is real. "Butterfly Shadow Returns to Dust" is not a story about forgiveness. It's a story about obsession. About a man who spends a lifetime atoning for his sins. About a woman who spends a lifetime missing the person she should have loved most. If you prefer deeply moving love and extreme regret, you might as well calm down and read it carefully. This book is enough to reach the pinnacle of unresolved tragic love stories from the Republican era. Flowers may bloom again, but love is destined never to be mended. The butterfly's shadow returns to dust, never to return. —Xiao Qihao

44. 94 蝶 Butterfly Shadows Return to Dust: My Husband's Enemy Seizes Me by Force 蝶影归尘：丈夫的的仇人对我强娶豪夺 Ni Ah Ni Ge Ni氼啊氼个氼15k WordsCompleted Butterfly Shadows Return to Dust: My Husband's Enemy Forces Me into Marriage 24Reads—Score—14d adds
45. 95 装 Decorate Your Dreams 装饰你的梦 Tang Zhi唐帜Modern Romance262k WordsCompleted [University Campus] [Unrequited Love] [Tragedy] A love story at Zhongshan Medical University. The male lead, Tan Shengxu, is devoted to the female lead, Zhong Mengwei. But because of a misunderstanding born of circumstance, she thinks he is her enemy and rejects his advances. In truth, he is the one she has been longing for. Heartbroken, Tan Shengxu gives up on their relationship in despair. Zhong Mengwei regrets it too late and starts pursuing him, but to no avail. Her love leaves her depressed 95Reads—Score—14d adds

    Reader note

    A youth campus romance novel filled with unrequited love and heartbreak!

46. 96 浪 The Waves Trust the Clouds’ Whiteness 浪花信任云的白 Qinghe Qinghe清和清和Modern Romance355k WordsCompleted Two souls fall into a campus dream; reunited on a Middle Eastern battlefield | Doctors Without Borders × frontier defense hero | unhinged yet restrained, healing regret | sweet, bittersweet tension | rekindled romance | devoted to each other, happy ending A three-day romance in their youth, followed by twelve years apart across mountains and seas · Mature adults wearing the guise of high schoolers, falling into the most heart-wrenching romance in a dream · Each other's cure and salvation; a god 129Reads—Score—14d adds

    Reader note

    A 30-year-old soul returns to his 16-year-old high school days – a sweet and angsty campus romance × a patriotic soldier king reborn from the brink of death × a war medic Zhuang Zhou Xiaomeng confronting a crazy young man × a female animal tamer's twelve-year obsession × mutual redemption, rebirth, time difference trope / extreme possessiveness / contrasting character traits / inner contradictions / deep subplot twists

47. 97 媚 Born with a Bewitching Charm 媚骨生香 Her Highness the Nightmare梦魇殿下Ancient Romance150k WordsCompleted 262Reads9.5Score4214d adds

    Reader note

    Genre: Fantasy Romance Main characters' relationship: They deeply love each other, but the ending is a tragic one.

48. 98 我 My Younger Days 我的年少时 Xun Bai荀柏Modern Romance144k WordsCompleted I dedicate this book to the youth I had only once, and which I regret so deeply losing! [Redemption + Unrequited Love + Mutual Devotion + Bad Ending] When you aren't brave enough as a teenager, you grow up with regrets. All these years, fate has always been like this: it has given me so much, but it has also made me lose so much. Sometimes I think, let it be. Life is long, with more sorrow than joy. It's not one particular thing that leaves you gasping for breath. It's the slow realization 43Reads—Score—14d adds

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    We absolutely must support this!

49. 99 锦 The Star Brocade Chronicles 锦星录 Xun Bai荀柏Urban351k WordsCompleted [Modern Setting + Two Male Leads + Sweet Romance + Unforgettable Love + Angst + The Love of a Lifetime + Bad Ending] This is just a practice story. I don’t know what I’m doing, so I’ll look things up as I go. It’s purely for practice, and I’m writing it all over the place. Two boys meet and begin to support each other and grow together. One is bright and sunny, playful and adorable; the other is composed, reserved, and courteous. One burns like the blazing sun, the other is gentle as moonlight. 28Reads—Score—14d adds
50. 100 十 Ten Years of Frost: In the End, Even Fate Was Hard to Defy 十载寒霜：终是难敌天命 The Flowers Bloomed in My Friend's Hometown朋友故乡的花开了Xianxia1.3M WordsOngoing (Male-oriented, xuanhuan, immortal cultivation, xianxia, wuxia, sword cultivator, slow burn, heart-wrenching, multiple female leads, war) He was once the Crown Prince of the Xiaoyao Kingdom, and also the fiancé Shangguan Baili had waited ten years for. On the day his kingdom fell, his face was disfigured and he was left on the brink of death. Shangguan Baili saved him with her own hands. But she failed to recognize the man before her. Taking him for a lowly good-for-nothing with nowhere to go, s 7.4kReads9.3Score71614d adds

    Reader note

    It's sweet at the beginning, exciting in the middle, and heartbreaking at the end!

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