A Prodigal Turns Over a New Leaf and Chases His Wife, with the Hero Put Through Emotional Hell 浪子回头追妻火葬场，虐男主

1. 301 绝 Absolute Submission: The Obsessive Young Master Lu’s Unrestrained Love 绝对臣服，偏执陆少肆意宠 A Penguin Who Has to Write Every Day每天都要码字的企鹅Modern Romance163k WordsOngoing [Mutual firsts + confinement + forced love + obsessive lover + love at first sight + taking by force + marriage before love + groveling redemption] Lu Zeyan, a wealthy CEO from City A, has always been aloof and uninterested in women. But after an accident, he falls in love with Jiang Wanyin at first sight, then uses a contract to bind her firmly to his side. “Sign this contract and be my woman. I’ll give you everything you want.” Lu Zeyan grips her chin, his eyes filled with an unquestionable do 21.4kReads—Score2.2k14d adds

   Reader note

   This book is super good!

2. 302 被 A Heartthrob Takes Over His Body, and the Timid Doormat Takes the Whole School by Storm 被男神魂穿，软糯受气包飒翻全校 One Bored Rich Lady无聊富婆一枚Modern Romance231k WordsOngoing The refined, scheming crown prince VS the soft, timid little bunny with an inferiority complex Healing | Unrequited Love Comes True | Soul Transmigration | Reborn and Pursuing His Wife Xie Yanci opens his eyes and finds that he has transmigrated into someone else’s body! He has ended up in the body of Song Qiwan, a girl who lets everyone walk all over her. The girl clutches a diary filled with his name as her bullies pin her down in the restroom and pour dirty water over her head. The school’s 4Reads—Score—14d adds

   Reader note

   A prodigal son's return is like a nightmare of chasing after his wife; the male protagonist assumes the female protagonist's identity and suffers the same hardships she endured.

3. 303 合 Contractual Stand-In: After the Divorce, President Gu Goes Mad and Begs Me Night After Night 合约替身：离婚后顾总发疯夜夜求 Yunduan Qiqi云端七七Modern Romance186k WordsOngoing [Stand-in contract + mind-reading + marriage first, love later + running away while pregnant + regretful pursuit + rekindled romance + bittersweet sweetness + happy ending] The male lead can read minds × the female lead is a snarky commentator. A high-stakes battle of inner thoughts from start to finish. [At first, he hears her cursing him but treats her even more cruelly. Later, her heart goes cold, and he goes mad trying to win her back.] When I was forced to sign a stand-in contract, Gu Chen —Reads—Score—14d adds

   Reader note

   This one! The female lead is a stand-in for her beloved, the male lead has mind-reading abilities, and both the female and male leads are two-faced. The beginning is filled with maddening abuse of the female lead, and the end is equally maddening abuse of the male lead. It's definitely a case of "torture the wife for a moment, then chase her back like a pyrrhic victory." It's both sweet and heart-wrenching, so read with confidence!

4. 304 祝 May You Sleep Soundly Every Night 祝你夜夜安眠 A Long En阿胧恩Modern Romance486k WordsCompleted [Secret marriage + clear-headed divorce + hidden identity revealed in a wealthy family + desperate attempts to win her back + settling accounts by the rules] For three years, Wen Shiwei was Zhou Yanjing’s secret wife, always treated as a stand-in for his white moonlight, a tame, harmless canary kept at his side. Until one rainy night, she left behind her wedding ring and divorce papers, saying only: “Mr. Zhou, I hope you sleep soundly every night from now on.” Everyone thought that once she 53Reads5.4Score11414d adds

   Reader note

   If you dislike mindless, over-the-top, melodramatic CEO romance novels, this is a good choice. It's a more realistic post-marital substitute story. There are no malicious female supporting characters deliberately making things difficult; the "white moonlight" is just someone who manipulates the male lead's old obsessions. The female lead is quiet and collected, and all her counterattacks are subtle and understated: she takes back the sponsorship, cleans up the apartment, and cuts off all contact. The male lead is arrogant and cold in the beginning, but after losing her, he suffers from insomnia, emptiness, and frantically tries to win her back. The suspenseful plot unfolds gradually and realistically, without any forced attempts to win her back or whitewash her.

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