Male Lead Angst, Delicious Heartbreak, and Love-Hate Drama 虐男、酸爽、恨海情天

1. 1 我 Me, the Emperor's Own Child 我，皇帝亲自生的崽 Yan Yan Yan Chu颜颜颜楚Romance271k WordsOngoing As someone lucky enough to have lived two lives, Niannian is also terribly unlucky. In every life, she has a mother who loves her but is weak and powerless, and a father who doesn't love her and is cruel and ruthless. She always dies young, never living to see her fifth birthday. Her mother, a transmigrator in her second life, hates how powerless she was, so she finds Niannian a new life once more: She arranges for Niannian to be reborn in the emperor's womb. If a father can't love his own 44.8kFavorites53.7kClicks/ch74.1kGifts

   Curator note

   This is the most unique story in this list; it's the one that's most heartbreaking—the emperor father. He abandoned his wife and daughter, and was impregnated by the victim to compensate for his child's early death. From the emperor causing the child's premature birth to the father's complete regret for everything, he's a terrible father. / Updates are too slow; I'm tempted to drop this story.

2. 2 论 On the Female Lead's Devotion to a Gentleman 论女主对君子的执着 Xiu Ba朽罢Romance91k WordsCompleted Sang Wanfei now has a thorny problem: She has suddenly found herself sixteen years in the future. How is she supposed to face the people she knew? Especially Gu Qiru, that inscrutable, vindictive, two-faced man. Just thinking about it makes her scalp tingle~ Gu Qiru comes from a distinguished family, and in everyone's eyes, he is the elegant and refined young master Ziheng. But her experience crawling out of countless traps proves that the so-called paragon of virtue is all bull** (profanit 36.1kFavorites119.2kClicks/ch5.4kGifts

   Curator note

   It feels like I've only written half of it, but the plot is good.

3. 3 艳 Bewitching Soul 艳魄 Strolling Pudding巡游布丁Romance321k WordsCompleted New novel: Divorced, Then Married My Ex-Husband's Older Brother is now underway [Complete] Empress x powerful court official Five years ago, Qi Zhaonan was ordered to escort a surrendered captive to the capital. The defeated ruler offered up a woman, claiming she was peerlessly beautiful, with the grace of ice and the radiance of a spirit. At nineteen, Qi Zhaonan was a noble-born top scholar, aloof and refined. He detested such bewitching temptresses, but as an envoy, he had no choice but to es 14.5kFavorites26.4kClicks/ch2.9kGifts

   Curator note

   Female f, male d, the female lead becomes empress and meets her old lover.

4. 4 黑 The Dark Moonlight's Salvation Plan (Reborn) 黑月光拯救计划（重生） Sword Bean刀豆Romance565k WordsCompleted [Work is hectic at the end of the year, and there are a lot of things going on at home. I'm mentally exhausted, so I'll write whatever I can. I can no longer guarantee daily updates. There is still a lot more to come, including a major twist, but I've always written slowly. I don't want to rush through it while exhausted, and the later events need time to be considered and polished. If you can't wait, you can come back when it's complete. Thank you, everyone.] In the eyes of the world, Xiao Yua 20.8kFavorites29.3kClicks/ch11.9kGifts

   Curator note

   The male lead was impure in his past life, but pure in this one. The pre-marital drama was quite engaging, but it became very lackluster after he had three children. Updates are incredibly slow, only monthly, and the plot is constantly being rewritten in a rushed manner. You'll probably finish reading around a few dozen chapters.

5. 5 怎 How to Humiliate the Cold and Aloof Minister 怎样折辱清冷权臣 First Kitten第一只喵Romance454k WordsCompleted Wang Shiliu loved him. Pei Shu had never taken that to heart. She was lowborn, spoiled, and wild, and they stood on opposing sides. Even when she betrayed her father and brothers for him, nearly losing her life in the process, he still rejected her mercilessly in front of everyone. But she loved him so much that she followed him even without a name or status. In the end, Pei Shu could no longer resist temptation. What should never have happened had happened. Though she had resorted to any means 31kFavorites20.3kClicks/ch3.7kGifts

   Curator note

   The male lead is a stand-in

6. 6 快 Quick Transmigration: Daji 快穿之妲己 Ruoran Qingkong若然晴空Romance450k WordsCompleted Su Daji, who had slept for a thousand years, awoke one day to find a little thing in her hands calling itself a System. Many years later, facing the sparkling eyes of a whole batch of newly recruited Systems, V384 let out a world-weary puff of smoke. “I’m actually... just a kneeling-on-the-ground-and-shouting-‘666’ kind of person.” In a nutshell: Su Daji, who can out-sue everyone and everything! Theme: 86kFavorites329.8kClicks/ch114.4kGifts

   Curator note

   I think the first one is the best; the key is to win hearts and minds.

7. 7 上 Ancient Times 上古 Xing Ling星零Romance440k WordsCompleted In ancient times, the old gods were nearly wiped out ten thousand years ago. Now only four ancient gods remain in the world. The first three are proper high gods, but the last one... Some gods say she got lucky and was born into a good family. Others say that, of all the gods in the Three Realms and Eight Wildernesses, she is the most glorious on the surface and the loneliest within. But are these gods jealous and resentful, or do they truly sympathize with her? It's hard to say. One thing is 41.9kFavorites86.3kClicks/ch5.8kGifts

   Curator note

   Literature that's older in date but not in quality or plot—this is my top pick in this category.

8. 8 逃 Escaping the Jade Slave 逃玉奴 Wither and Bloom Again再枯荣Romance709k WordsCompleted The Rebellious Uncle is currently updating... [The story is complete. Among men of letters, giving a concubine as a gift was commonplace. As a lowly concubine, Yu Lou was passed around like a present among the sons of officials and nobles. In secret, she hoped she might eventually end up with the Chi family’s Third Master, Chi Jing. When that day finally came, Chi Jing merely glanced at her before turning to the host seated across from him and smiling with 30.8kFavorites28.6kClicks/ch21.9kGifts

   Curator note

   The Rise of a Scheming Maid to Power, Very Good

9. 9 渣 The Cruel Romance of a Heartless Woman 渣女虐男文学 Si Cang四藏Romance171k WordsCompleted [Complete. My next novel, Sickly-Sweet and Uneducated, But He Loves You, is now being serialized. Visit my author page to read it.] (Male lead's perspective) On the day of the heavy snowfall, Xie Ci took in the girl Sijia before she fell into demonic corruption. He cared for her, guided her, and gave her everything he could, including his heart. He thought that his love could keep her from becoming a demon. But when he finally died at her hands, Xie Ci understood. He was just a substitute, sta 10.1kFavorites14kClicks/ch4.4kGifts

   Curator note

   The female lead is initially weak, suffering from amnesia and sealed away. She senses something is wrong and fiercely resists. The male lead, a self-righteous swordsman, constantly tries to weaken her while feigning concern for her well-being. Since the female lead's true love isn't the male lead, she doesn't care about his later suffering. The story only gets satisfying as she gradually breaks free of her seal, culminating in a truly divine ending. However, the beginning is genuinely frustrating to watch.

10. 10 霜 Frosty Dawn 霜天晓角 And Whistle且啸Romance173k WordsCompleted -A shadow on the window screen. A shadow on the window screen. Who is here to pick flowers? Pick them if you will, but once they’re picked, whose home will they go to? -The eaves, the branches. The best flowers are up there. When you pick them, reach high. Tell the flower-picker: You must tuck them at an angle beside your temple. Theme: Water can carry a boat, but it can also capsize it 2.1kFavorites3.7kClicks/ch367Gifts

    Curator note

    A serious, matriarchal drama where the female lead's first wife is quite ruthless towards her husband, while the male lead is a character who later awakens to his ruthless side.

11. 11 权 A Woman's Guide to Rising to Power as a Minister 权臣上位手册(女尊) City-Captivating Joy倾城欢Romance604k WordsCompleted Synopsis: Rong Zhen is born into a distinguished family, but it falls into decline. At eighteen, she enters government service and earns the emperor's deep favor. At twenty, she marries Emperor Ninghua's imperial consort, Ji Heng. From then on, her career soars until she reaches the pinnacle of power, envied by everyone at court. Her friend Zheng Yu secretly warns her, "There are three things you must never do with an imperial consort: share his bed without being summoned, take a concubine with 6.7kFavorites9.3kClicks/ch4.6kGifts

    Curator note

    The female lead is mature, poised, and charming; she has multiple male partners and fathers children.

12. 12 如 How to Pluck a Flower from the High Peaks 如何折下高岭之花 Dao Xuan道玄Romance305k WordsCompleted No one was unafraid of her name. Three thousand years after being sealed away, Li Fei returned to the world. That day, the title of Demon Queen rang across heaven and earth, and blood stained the sky. Everyone wondered how to fight her, how to kill her. No one remembered that this demoness had once been a savior. She had single-handedly exterminated the alien species, sparing all living things from devastation and the world from calamity. In the end, she was left mentally unstable, tormented by 39.9kFavorites49.9kClicks/ch26.4kGifts

    Curator note

    The male lead owed the female lead a debt in his past life, and although he remembers nothing in this life, he's been reincarnated to repay that debt. (Male/Female)

13. 13 刺 Thorny Begonia 刺棠 Wuyuan雾圆Romance468k WordsCompleted [The simplified Chinese edition has been published. For details, follow Weibo @Wu Yuan Er] On the Lantern Festival night of the third year of the Tianshou era, the Crown Prince is assassinated during a sacrificial ceremony. His body is never found, and the case becomes known as the “Assassination at Tang.” In the wake of the case, powerful clans rebel and place the prince Song Lan on the throne as their puppet. To uncover the truth behind the case, quell the coup, and protect the Crown Prince’ 121.1kFavorites114kClicks/ch50.2kGifts

    Curator note

    Very good

14. 14 求 Seeking a Daughter 求女 Zhao Xizhi赵熙之Romance233k WordsCompleted The founding era is prosperous, with everything going your way. There is only one thing you cannot have your way about. This novel was published under the title The Green Crow. Theme: To be added. 31.4kFavorites35.7kClicks/ch7.5kGifts

    Curator note

    The story of the Empress's daughter's rise to power is well written.

15. 15 贵 The Noble Consort Keeps Trying to Kill Me 贵妃总想弄死朕 Sang Li桑狸Romance405k WordsCompleted Chu Xuan was the daughter of a powerful traitor. Sent into the palace, she became a noble consort, destined to throw the court into chaos and pave the way for her father. She thought there was nothing between her and Emperor Xiao Yi but false affection and putting on a show. Then Chu Xuan's father fell from power, Xiao Yi took complete control of the throne, and the Chu family was brought low overnight. Now the daughter of a disgraced minister, she faced a fall from the clouds. All she could d 22.7kFavorites74.9kClicks/ch6kGifts

    Curator note

    The villain is well-developed and not based on sexual relationships.

16. 16 前 My Ex-Husband Refuses to Divorce 前夫他不肯和离 Qing Muyuan青木源Romance879k WordsCompleted Bai Yueyue played a palace intrigue game. After unlocking the "Most Favored Consort" achievement, she wasted no time giving the dog emperor two surprises, putting on two gleaming green hats at once. Then she took things too far and unlocked the Bad Ending achievement. Bai Yueyue prepared to start another round and bring some warmth to a young boy. Who knew she would suddenly collapse and enter the game? This time, she was a person in 11.7kFavorites26.1kClicks/ch7.7kGifts

    Curator note

    I absolutely love this concept: Emperor Xiaowen of Northern Wei and Empress Feng You. It's very well-made, great!

17. 17 禁 The Forbidden Palace's Beloved 禁庭娇 Can Yao灿摇Romance490k WordsCompleted [Thank you all for enjoying the story. I can see your comments in my author dashboard, though I can't reply to every one. Thank you to every reader for your support.] The young emperor ascended the throne, but because of a weakness he'd had since birth, he remained bedridden for a long time. As empress, Wei Yinmei was alluring and beautiful, but after marrying the emperor, she showed no sign of pregnancy for a long time. Soon, the emperor died of illness without leaving an heir. Everyone said t 89.3kFavorites127.1kClicks/ch26kGifts

    Curator note

    The woman wants to borrow sperm, and she borrows it from her old lover.

18. 18 小 The Puppy Demon Lord's Revenge 小狗魔君复仇记 Cup of Snow杯雪Romance221k WordsCompleted The novel will be going VIP this Sunday. Thank you, everyone! In late spring of the fifty-ninth year of the Zhou Dynasty, fragrant grass stretched as far as the horizon. Shen Wangchun, once the arrogant young master of the Shen family, fell in love with Xiao Xueju, the Qingxiao Sect's senior disciple. Her fiance severed the tendons in his hands, destroyed his core, and drove him from the family. That winter, Shen Wangchun went berserk while saving Xiao Xueju and turned to demonic cultivation. B 9.5kFavorites9.2kClicks/ch6.3kGifts

    Curator note

    The male lead in this book is a well-behaved and adorable puppy.

19. 19 反 After the Villain Deceived the Son of Heaven 反派欺骗天道之子后 Ta Li塔篱Romance773k WordsCompleted [Complete] The story is finished. I may occasionally revise it and fix bugs, so you can ignore update notices. [It is not recommended to read the comments before the end of Volume One (Chapter 70), as they may contain spoilers and affect your reading experience.] [Please do not mention other works or project their characters onto this story in the comments, and likewise, please do not mention this story in the comments of other works. Relevant comments will be moderated. Thank you for understand 55.2kFavorites74.3kClicks/ch28.5kGifts

    Curator note

    The system identity is a pleasant surprise; the female lead is truly orchestrating everything from beginning to end, her ambition is admirable. The male lead is definitely intelligent, but he can't escape the female lead's grasp at all; the two times he's been tricked the most in his life were both times caused by her.

20. 20 救 The Redemption Story's Heroine Chooses a Bad Ending 救赎文女主选择be Yu Tan予檀Romance455k WordsCompleted [Preorders in my collection: The Second Male Lead Takes the Crown / The Original Male Lead's Ashes-to-Ashes Chase, "Pearl in His Palm"; Bringing the Aloof Beauty Down from His Pedestal, "The Calamity of the Heartless Dao Immortal Lord I'm Pretending to Be". Please add them to your collection!] [Career-driven femme fatale adored by all x obsessive, love-crazed mad dog] Fu Yao descends to the mortal realm to undergo a trial and transmigrates into the role of a vicious cannon-fodder character. Her 17kFavorites19.5kClicks/ch5.8kGifts

    Curator note

    Good

21. 21 马 Horse Slave 马奴 Ma Mada马马达Romance369k WordsCompleted Princess Mu Yao is an exceptional martial artist with immense strength, yet she falls for Qi Yu, a beautiful top scholar who can't even fight off a chicken, and wants to marry him. At court, Qi Yu rejects her to her face. He openly declares, "Mu Yao is crude and uncultured, not even as good as a groom." And so they become enemies. The following year, the Northern Frontier invades. The Mu princely household leads its troops into battle, and the army is wiped out at Weishan Cliff. The only surviv 21.3kFavorites31.8kClicks/ch7kGifts

    Curator note

    The male protagonist is extremely humble, a rag man.

22. 22 身 How I, a Demon, Went Undercover in a Righteous Sect 身为魔族的我如何在名门正派做卧底 Nanke Thirteen Halls南柯十三殿Romance508k WordsCompleted [Main story complete] As a demonic cultivator, I worked diligently, put on a good act, and slacked off as much as possible in the Demon Realm. I swore to contribute to the world’s love and peace by living like a lazy fish. But my acting was so convincing that the villainous BOSS truly believed I loved him. He decided to send me undercover to Qiongshan Sect, the foremost sect in Shangqing Heaven. So here’s the problem. How am I supposed to infiltrate Shangqing Heaven and survive as a spy when I’ 11.4kFavorites16.8kClicks/ch8.8kGifts

    Curator note

    Indeed, the most regrettable thing is the original owner of this body and her senior brother. They were true love, but unfortunately, the original owner passed away unexpectedly, leaving only her senior brother behind.

23. 23 始 After I Used and Abandoned the Obsessive Demon Lord 始乱终弃偏执魔尊后 San Manzi三蔓子Romance170k WordsCompleted [Completed] [Cold, proud, cruel big bad wolf × alluring, flirtatious older woman] Qu Hongxiao transmigrated into a book, becoming the substitute female character in a xianxia novel. From the start, she was afflicted with a bed-sharing gu, and had to cultivate with a man whose constitution was compatible with hers within three months. Her target was Fu Xian, the original novel's cold, 12.5kFavorites15.4kClicks/ch4.9kGifts

    Curator note

    This author's comfort zone is writing male protagonists like the "Red Afei" type, which gets a bit tiring after a while. However, the female protagonist is very satisfying and her revenge is swift and decisive.

24. 24 过 Get Down Here and Beg. I Need a Favor [Quick Transmigration] 过来跪下，求你个事[快穿] Si Cang四藏Romance779k WordsCompleted (My next novel, "A Child with the Villain from the Era Novel," is coming soon. A story about the other man stealing the heroine away. Check it out in my author page!) Song Feiran was a veteran of the quick transmigration bureau. After retiring in perfect fashion, she spent several years enjoying a wealthy but uneventful retirement. Bored at last, she accepted a rehiring offer and returned to the mission worlds. System 101 explained guiltily: The male leads in these mission worlds are either psy 51.6kFavorites82.4kClicks/ch32.1kGifts

    Curator note

    The male lead is humble and submissive, which doesn't necessarily make him bad; the female lead, on the other hand, has principles.

25. 25 不 Jade Falling in the Endless Night 不夜坠玉 Wisteria Branch藤萝为枝Romance381k WordsCompleted [Complete] Shi Luoyi and her junior sister, the lucky koi girl, were rivals. She couldn't accept that she had spent her whole life competing with her and losing. Childhood sweethearts could never beat the girl who appeared out of nowhere, and in the end, even her childhood sweetheart and fiancé fell hopelessly in love with her junior sister. She lay dying in a ruined temple, with no one to bury her bones. It was infuriating! Then she suddenly remembered that, a long time ago, she had won onc 304.3kFavorites454kClicks/ch316kGifts

    Curator note

    The male lead's character is a sacrificial being; that left a deep impression on me.

26. 26 驸 A Prince Consort Is Like a Brother, a Lover Like a Garment 驸马如手足，情郎如衣服 Green Rabbit青色兔子Romance1.3M WordsCompleted VIP Notice: This novel will become a paid title on Saturday, May 22. There will be three chapters that day. Thank you for your support! Mu Mingzhu was the most honored princess in the Great Zhou dynasty. After her father died, her mother ascended the throne as empress. Her mother and her aunt, the Grand Princess, both kept many handsome lovers. Growing up surrounded by this, Mu Mingzhu had already picked out her own lovers by the age of sixteen: Mr. Xie, who taught at the imperial academy; Chanc 84.8kFavorites166.3kClicks/ch70.9kGifts

    Curator note

    The main plot revolves around the Empress's rise to power. The male lead is a loyal and devoted dog, while the "torture of the male lead" aspect is handled by the completely ungrateful and ungrateful second male lead.

27. 27 欺 The Men Who Bullied Me All Cried [Book Transmigration] 欺负过我的男人都哭了[穿书] Colorful Rice炫彩大米Romance606k WordsCompleted Reborn as the beautiful female supporting character in a master-disciple romance filled with heartbreak. But the master who cherishes her is set on taking over her body for the female lead, his beloved white moonlight. The Demon Lord who rescued her in a time of peril abandons her without hesitation when her talent declines. Chu Si says: Hah, you think a bunch of fictional characters like you can bully me? Later... Master: At this point, I've lost all desire to live. The only person I feel 16.2kFavorites44.5kClicks/ch10.2kGifts

    Curator note

    Very funny, very satisfying read. The loyal dog-like protagonist is obsessed with the male lead.

28. 28 画 Painted Skin (Quick Transmigration) 画皮（快穿） Disciple of the Qinglian Sect青莲门下Romance500k WordsCompleted A woman’s wardrobe is never quite complete, and Zhang Wanniang, a painted-skin spirit, feels she is always one skin short. If you’re beautiful enough, she’ll grant you a wish in exchange. For example... slicing a scumbag into 3,600 pieces, one cut at a time? ★ The Princess Killed by Her Consort (complete) ★ The Empress Usurps the Throne and Makes His Majes 9.3kFavorites14.4kClicks/ch9.9kGifts

    Curator note

    The most satisfying revenge story of 2024!!! I especially love the one about the Empress's revenge.

29. 29 为 To Win Over a Yandere, I Keep Teetering on the Edge of Death (Transmigrate into a Book) 为了攻略病娇在死亡边缘反复横跳（穿书） Shu Ning黍宁Romance468k WordsCompleted The print edition has been published under the title Ananda, and is available on Taobao, JD.com, and Pinduoduo. She transmigrates into a book, and does not vilify the original male and female leads. To get home, Wu Xicui must win over Wei Tansheng, a sickly love-interest villain known as the “Little Bodhisattva,” who is actually a complete lunatic. In her attempts to win o 345.6kFavorites411.5kClicks/ch153.4kGifts

    Curator note

    The female lead fakes her death three times, and the male lead goes from a ruthless husband to a devoted husband with a daughter. Given the death-fake elements, I consider it a form of female abuse; please do not read if you mind.

30. 30 恶 The Villainess's Self-Salvation Handbook (Quick Transmigration) 恶毒女配自救手册（快穿） Crystallized in Three Days三日成晶Romance1.5M WordsCompleted [Complete] When a vicious woman is forcibly bound to the Villain Reform Livestream System, she must erase her targets' hatred within a set time limit or be erased herself... [World One: Target of Atonement, the Guard] She is a deranged princess who abused her personal guard, a loyal man who had repeatedly protected her from danger, and tossed him into a tiger cage. At the point when the System binds to her, the guard has already been thrown into the cage. He was left to cling to life without 110.3kFavorites191.5kClicks/ch131.5kGifts

    Curator note

    My impression of men is that they're all rather subservient. But there was a post-apocalyptic story where the male protagonist cuts off his own flesh to feed the female protagonist who had just betrayed him, and that really shocked me.

31. 31 回 Back to the Past: Western Fantasy 回到过去后[西幻] Xi Yao Xiao昔邀晓Romance427k WordsCompleted 1. After her adoptive mother’s funeral, Lin Zhuo spent two years completing and activating the magic circle in the basement. She meant to return to the day her adoptive mother was killed by a home invader and save her. But the magic circle malfunctioned, sending her back 122 years, to a time before she was born. Her biological parents and adoptive mother were all students at the First Academy of Magic and Martial Arts. She went to the school and stood on the stairs, watching her father joke an 50.4kFavorites66kClicks/ch53.9kGifts

    Curator note

    I absolutely love it!! It's my number 1 of the year. The female lead has a very strong personality, and the main plot revolves around revenge for her adoptive mother. She also doesn't forgive her biological father, who caused her the actual harm—it's so satisfying!

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