Novels like You Were Born Before I Was
Books Chinese readers most often put in the same booklists as You Were Born Before I Was, best match first.
- 101 The Wind Kisses the White Rose 风吻白玫瑰 A cheerful girl with depression vs. a lonely, gentle top student Chen Yan meets a strange person at the hospital. That day, he sees many sides of her. One moment she is chatting away, the next she is silently crying. Since high school, she has called herself “Young Master Xiao Jiang” and become everyone’s mood-maker. Everyone thinks that is just who she is, but Chen Yan is the only one who has seen the side she keeps hidden. So he says, “Don’t be afraid. I’m here to save you.” He has seen her at 79Reads8.9Score—14d adds
- 102 I Took in a Foolish Prince as My Live-In Son-in-Law 捡个傻王爷做赘婿 I Picked Up a Foolish Prince to Be My Live-In Son-in-Law 9Reads—Score—14d adds
- 103 You Are on the Cliff 你在悬崖上 Ji Wujing stayed with Ye Lansheng for seven years, without a name or a place in his life. When she was young and naive, she fell in love with him and foolishly dreamed of becoming his bride. But she no longer wants that. All she wants is to leave him in the best way possible. 3.9kReads9.0Score38614d adds
- 104 Mr. Mo, Your Wife Says You're Crazy 墨总，夫人说你是疯子 After three years in prison, Lin Xiaohan finally sees daylight again. On her wedding night, she is humiliated in every way and vows to become the CEO's wife. Mo Zhan despises the Lin family, yet loves Lin Xiaohan desperately. “If loving you can't make you stay, then I'll make you hate me. Hate is better than leaving!” “You're insane!” “That's right. Loving you drove me completely mad.” They torment each other even as they fall in love, locked in a bitter romance for years. Will this ill-fated re 280Reads8.4Score—14d adds
- 105 Pleasure at the Cost of Wisdom 玩物丧智 Song Yanxiu appeared in her life only to drag her into hell! He bullied and humiliated her, and killed her father. Xia Mo watched with her own eyes as he was sentenced to death. Ten years later, he appeared before her again under a new identity. His abuse was even more vicious than it had been ten years ago. He wanted to see her wishing she were dead. The words Xia Mo said to herself most often were, “I mustn’t lose my mind.” This time, she would kill the devil with her own hands! But then she h 45Reads6.8Score214d adds
- 106 Even Love and Longing Betrayed Me 风月也曾负相思 Her hands were stained with blood, yet she won this vast kingdom for him. He was the ruler, and she was his slave; decades of companionship could not outweigh a single tear from the woman he loved. To save his beloved, he offered her up to the enemy army. She endured every kind of torture, willingly. Still for the sake of his beloved, he severed her left arm, took her unborn child, and drained her blood to keep the other woman alive. Then, with a great army before her, her hair white as snow, sh 168Reads6.1Score—14d adds
- 107 After His Stand-In Gave Up, the Movie Emperor Went Mad 替身死心后，影帝他疯了 [One-on-one / toxic relationship / entertainment industry / groveling redemption] The hugely popular award-winning actor suddenly announced his retirement from show business to take over a fortune worth billions. A week after his press conference, he made his relationship public. Netizens said, “So he retired for love.” Rumor had it that he spoiled his partner rotten and wouldn’t even let them appear in public. But Bai Yanfei knew it was all an illusion. He was nothing more than a stand-in. Just 104Reads8.3Score—14d adds
- 108 The Secret of High Heels 高跟鞋的秘密 I love you, and as it happens, you love me too. At just the right age, Xia Yun'en gave up a promotion and switched careers. All she wanted was to pursue her dream. 783Reads9.1Score14114d adds
- 109 After Torturing His Princess to Death, the Sickly Prince Went Mad 虐死王妃后，病娇王爷他疯了 She married him and became his consort, believing they would make a perfect match. She never expected their marriage to become a living hell. Again and again, he met her with cold words and hurt her through one misunderstanding after another. At last, when Qin Duo forced her to lose their child, Shen Qingge gave up. She faked her death and fled, only to fall into his hands once more. When they met again, Qin Duo held Shen Qingge in his arms, his voice choked with tears. “Please, come back…” She 407Reads7.9Score—14d adds
- 110 Quick Transmigration: Everyone Gets a Bad Ending 快穿之全员BE Before Wen Bai remembered everything, he always thought he had died in a car accident. Only later did he learn that he had jumped into a river and died. After taking on a new identity and experiencing someone else’s life, he thought it wasn’t so bad. But when he broke the cycle, he stumbled straight into an even deeper abyss. That person was powerful to the point of being twisted, consumed by an envy so intense it made people want to run, and by suspicion… He had never truly trusted Wen Bai. Wen 28Reads6.5Score—14d adds
- 111 Waiting for Wind and Rain, But Never for You 等风等雨，等不到你 Xu Zhengxi believed that as long as she held on, love and marriage would eventually lead her to brighter days. She gave up studying abroad, threw away her future, and abandoned her dreams, all to be the person he could confide in. He called her cruel and coldhearted. She once smiled and replied, “Because I love you.” Later, when her life hung by a thread, he remained as indifferent as ever. She took off her ring and returned it to him, smiling faintly. “Let’s get divorced.” She had compassio 312Reads8.4Score—14d adds
- 112 Our Love Was Deep, Yet Never Reached Forever 情深未可到白头 [Two male leads | Bad ending] They met in the prime of their youth. Both hid their feelings, each thinking their love would last forever. It wasn't until Kong Huan met Lin Zhaonan that he believed the saying: “The first person you fall for is the one you'll love for your whole life!” He did just that. Sadly, his whole life lasted only a couple of decades... Lin Zhaonan cried as he told Kong Huan, “You have to come on my wedding day, promise me! I can only feel safe if you're there!” Kong Huan pl 55Reads8.4Score—14d adds
- 113 Ci Ci Like Dust 辞辞如尘 What I owe Cen Ci, I will repay with my whole life, even if I must humble myself to the dust... 98Reads8.2Score—14d adds
- 114 Your Highness, the Crown Princess Doesn't Deserve to Die 殿下，太子妃罪不至死 [Make the scumbag suffer + never look back] The Crown Prince's first love dies, and his Crown Princess is accused of murder. He personally shoves her into the depths of despair, where she endures humiliation and torment. Three years later, the truth is bitterly ironic: his first love never died. Not only has she become the old emperor's favorite concubine, she's even given the scumbag Crown Prince a younger brother? The Crown Prince has been cuckolded, and now he regrets everything! Holding the 463Reads8.3Score—14d adds
- 115 The Reborn Grand Princess: This Husband Is Impossible to Resist 重生长公主：这个夫君撩不得 A ruthless, possessive Emperor × a sweet, playful general's legitimate daughter First half: {comedy + doting romance + growing up together} In her previous life, Bei Ning trusted the wrong people and lost the man she loved. Reborn six years earlier, she thought she could make up for her mistakes, only to offend him from the start. The road ahead was long and difficult, and Bei Ning had a hard time flirting with him. She never expected the wickedly charming man to say, “You're doing it all wrong. 120Reads8.6Score—14d adds
- 116 Hello, Top Student Next Door 你好，隔壁学霸 A boy moves in next door to Xie Maomao, and she begins secretly pursuing him. Rumor has it that Xie Maomao is close to Zhong, the aloof top student in their grade, so some girls shyly ask her to pass along their love letters. Xie Maomao smiles brightly. “Sure! Passing along a love letter starts at five yuan, delivering a spoken confession starts at ten, and you get a 2% discount if you subscribe by the month!” But every letter she delivers to Zhong Anling bears the same name at the bottom: Xie M 224Reads8.7Score—14d adds
- 117 Bo Yu, I Don't Dare Love You Anymore 薄欲，我不敢再爱你了 Su Qingwu had been married to Bo Yu for five years, and he had trampled her sincere love until it was shattered to pieces. She thought he really was as cold as the rumors said, even in bed, utterly devoid of emotion. But after Bai Xiaoxiao returned, Su Qingwu realized that Bo Yu hadn’t been born cold and indifferent. He knew better than anyone how to treat someone with tenderness and affection. Su Qingwu was left battered and broken, eventually losing all feeling. When she returned in full fin 945Reads7.0Score10214d adds
- 118 The Wolf and the Tuberose 狼与荼蘼 There's a scam in this world called Shen Muyan loving Su Qianyang. When the deception is exposed, he gradually closes in on her, baring his vicious fangs. His voice is gentle yet cruel. “A Yang, do you know a wolf's nature? Once its loyalty has been killed, all that remains is hatred!” When a wolf turns back, it's either to repay a kindness or to take revenge! Shen Muyan says he will repay Su Qianyang a hundredfold for the trap she laid for him! So he tortures her until she is utterly broken. * 416Reads8.3Score—14d adds
- 119 My Dearest, on the Seventh Day of the Seventh Month 七月七日卿 Huo Shaoqing hated Qiyue and wanted nothing more than for her to disappear from his world. Qiyue loved Huo Shaoqing. After loving him for seven years, she finally understood that some kinds of love mean letting go. When death came calling, Huo Shaoqing finally realized that he had fallen deeply in love with her long ago. 283Reads6.7Score—14d adds
- 120 On Her Wedding Day, the Ruthless Prince of Zhennan Takes Her by Force 大婚当日，被疯批镇南王强取豪夺 [Completed!] The official ending is a tragic one! The bonus chapters have a happy ending! [Delicate, Stunning General's Legitimate Daughter + Mad, Obsessive Prince of a Different Surname] [Angst + Physical and Emotional Torture + Taking Her by Force + Both Untouched + Regretting Losing His Wife] Guan Wanwan, the legitimate daughter of General Guan, was once betrothed to Xiao Linzhi. At the time, he was a mere soldier under General Guan. The two promised that once he earned military honors, he wo 526Reads6.5Score10614d adds
- 121 Did You Know? Our Parting Is Forever 可知归期是永决 Dong Lean had loved Fo Xichao for ten years. At last, she got the marriage she had long awaited. Unfortunately, he hated her with all his heart. He took a new wife and humiliated Dong Lean at every turn. Her father tried to protect her, kneeling outside the prince's manor for a long time without rising, and paid for it with his life. That day, Dong Lean locked herself inside the courtyard and lit the firestarter on the table with her own hands. The blaze devoured the eaves. She stood amid the fl 917Reads5.5Score—14d adds
- 122 After My White Moonlight Went to Prison, the CEO Made Me Pay With My Life 白月光入狱后，总裁让我拿命赔 After a car accident, Yan Yi’an testifies in court, sending the woman Zhou Xizhi treasures most to prison. In a single night, Yan Yi’an falls from heaven into hell. Fangcheng loses its dazzling movie star, and Imperial City No. 1 gains a lowly bar hostess. Zhou Xizhi keeps her locked by his side and torments her without end, all to make her atone... She tries to escape again and again, but never gets out of his grasp. Like a demon at her side, he warns her, “If you try to run again, I’ll break y 597Reads8.6Score—14d adds
- 123 The Mountains and Rivers Are a Painting, and You Are a Song 山河如画卿如歌 [Complete] [The Aesthetics of a Tragic Ending + Epic, Heartbreaking Romance] Framed, misunderstood, whipped, and miscarried: what kind of searing pain is it to watch everyone dearest to you die before your eyes? Sixteen years ago, a conspiracy upended countless lives! She was the lowest kitchen maid in the prince's manor, yet possessed extraordinary talent. What was her true identity? She asked, “What will it take for you to let me go?” He replied, “I’ll cling to you for the rest of our lives, u 562Reads9.1Score10014d adds
- 124 I Am the Consort 妾为后 Wu Xiaoyan was not beautiful. For a woman, she was far too tall, and her skin was too dark. She was stronger than a man and ate more than one, too. As she grew older, all she wanted was to marry an ordinary man and live an ordinary life. But this little wolf cub she had raised... really was a little wolf cub!! 2kReads9.0Score19114d adds
- 125 I Promise You a Love as Deep as the Sea 许你深情深似海 Luo Ji was a ray of light in Shen Yi’s dark childhood. But after Shen Ge ruthlessly stole that light away, it became the arrow that wounded him most deeply. One misunderstanding, three years of torment, and everyone took their turn trampling him until he was utterly ruined. When Luo Ji finally learned the truth, he held his battered heart close and stopped believing in love. Shen Yi: “Once you’re dead, I won’t love you anymore.” 404Reads8.4Score10414d adds
- 126 The Adorable Baby Is Here: CEO Daddy, You’re Such a Handful 萌宝来袭：总裁爹地太难缠 “Woman, you spent five years in prison. Why are you still so ruthless?” Bo Ye grips her by the throat. “Why wouldn’t I be?” Tang Shi smiles, her eyes reddening. “If I weren’t ruthless, how would I have survived those five years in prison?” Only later does he realize that he owes her an apology. But she is already gone… 3Reads8.8Score10714d adds
- 127 I Once Loved the Stars Above 也曾属意漫天星辰 He led his troops into battle and returned victorious, but came back with a woman in his arms. She never fought back or fought for attention, yet people kept framing her at every turn. “We promised to be each other's only one for life, but you broke your word.” “I don't love you anymore. Let me go.” 59Reads5.0Score—14d adds
- 128 A Breeze Blows By 有风吹过来 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. 168Reads9.4Score—14d adds
- 129 Beauty’s Bones 美人骨 A hero's tender embrace, a beauty's burial place. Even if she has to crawl, she'll survive in this merciless place and make him her devoted admirer! 258Reads8.0Score10014d adds
- 130 The Lotus Fragrance Fades in Autumn 1 红藕香残玉簟秋1 [Addictive sweet-and-angsty historical romance + political intrigue + dramatic twists + an emperor’s love + past and present lives + mad, devoted hero] Yuan Jiu was born in the Heavenly Prison and has been plagued by nightmares since birth. In her dreams, there is always a dashing young man racing through a raging inferno. He gallops toward her, murderous intent surging from him, and a three-foot sword pierces her chest. She has died countless times in her dreams, yet she has never been able to 111Reads7.9Score—14d adds
- 131 Where the Swallows Return, We Must Not Meet Again 燕归处，莫相逢 Her name was Jun Mo. She had spent her life on horseback and on the battlefield, battle-hardened, bold, and arrogant. He was the person she loved most, and her only weakness. She feared he might get hurt if she so much as held him in her palm, and feared he might melt if she kept him in her mouth. But a weakness is itself a poisoned blade. At first, the pain is not fatal. In the end, the fatal wound no longer hurts. No one knew that later, amid the bitter winter snow, some people were only acti 315Reads8.7Score—14d adds
- 132 Sinful Love 罪爱 Chen Lin loves her. That is Ye Zhiqiu's only leverage for taking revenge on him. Making Chen Lin watch her die day by day is Ye Zhiqiu's way of getting even. Chen Lin: “Can you live for me?” Ye Zhiqiu: “No.” 164Reads8.4Score—14d adds
- 133 You Became the King, While I Became a Tragic Memory 你为君王，妾已成殇 After loving him for ten years, she helped him ascend the throne, but he slaughtered her entire family. These vast lands were stained with nothing but her family's blood. On a ten-mile bridal procession, he married the woman he loved and made her empress. Dressed all in white, she leapt from the city tower. Xiao Jingyu, my love for you has led me down a road from which there is no return. 351Reads5.5Score—14d adds
- 134 Run! Her Flash Marriage Turned Abusive, So She Fled in the Night 快逃！闪婚被虐疯，她连夜跑路 “Who are you? What are you doing in my room?” A sudden shout rang in Liu Ya’er’s ear. Startled, she jolted awake. When she saw the strange man, her face turned pale with shock! She married him in a whirlwind wedding, yet no one knew that she ranked below even the maid. Every day, she waited on him and his ex-girlfriend, and he kept finding new ways to bully her! Six months later, he caught her after she ran away. “You think you can get away from me? Go on, try running again!” “Let go of me!” she 181Reads7.3Score—14d adds
- 135 Love Is Colder Than Death 爱比死更冷 Her father ruined his family for the sake of profit. Years later, he returned for revenge, and she was sold to him to pay off the debt. She thought he hated her to the core, never knowing he loved her with all his heart. When their child died in an accident, she lost the only reason she had to keep living. Like a fluttering butterfly, she leapt into the abyss. “Li Wenyi, do you like... this... ending...?” 442Reads6.5Score—14d adds
- 136 For the Rest of My Life, Loving You Is My Illness 余生，爱你成疾 Eleven years ago, Lu Tingchen promised that Su Nian would be the only woman in his life. Eleven years later, he had become the powerful president of the Lu Corporation, surrounded by countless beautiful women. She was nothing but his gravely ill, worn-out wife, forced to watch him fool around outside their marriage for three years. When his mistress got pregnant and moved into their home, Su Nian became the clingy nuisance everyone accused of refusing to divorce him. “Lu Tingchen, you said I wou 289Reads6.6Score10114d adds
- 137 Loving You with My Life: 20 Fated Romances That Break Your Heart 拿命爱你：20段痛到心碎的宿命虐恋 [Love and hate intertwined + beautiful yet tragic heroine + palace intrigue + historical romance + heart-wrenching love + short stories] The world turns and tumbles, while the histories of old hold up a mirror. So many beauties once had their hearts broken over a promise, only to become tragic ballads of a turbulent age. From Chen Ajiao, kept in a gilded cage, to the incomparable Xishi; from Wang Yourong, a wife who weathered hardship alongside her husband, to Feng Xiaolian, whose allure lasted 28Reads8.1Score—14d adds
- 138 The Counterfeit 赝品 Synopsis: Song Cheng had been with Qin Minghua for five years. He always thought that even if he couldn’t win Qin Minghua’s love, at least he was someone special to him. But when that person appeared, he finally understood that both his feelings and his life were nothing more than tools Qin Minghua used to protect them. Out of love, Song Cheng resigned himself to giving up everything he had, but everything slowly began to move in a different direction. A fierce love and hatred, like an endless b 53Reads6.3Score1014d adds
- 139 The Caged Songbird Ensnared the Mad Emperor 笼中雀她渣了疯批皇帝 [Taking Her by Force / The Long Road to Winning Her Back | Sweet, Deceptive Maid × Domineering, Ruthless, Scheming Emperor] Xu Zhixing was emperor twice in his life. The first time he took the throne, he kept Jiang Si imprisoned by his side and personally forced her to drink a pregnancy-preventing potion. But power struggles were rife with hidden murderous intent, and life and death were unpredictable. In just a few short years, the dynasty changed hands several times. After the Qing dynasty was 1kReads8.4Score10214d adds
- 140 Out of Reach 得不到 “He’s just a sickly weakling. Wouldn’t it be better if he died? Was I, Yuchi Mu, born to donate bone marrow to some sickly weakling? Why should I give you what you want?” “You deserved to die young. Even if you died, I wouldn’t cry at your funeral.” “The living can’t compete with the dead? What a joke!” Yuchi Mu had waited so long for the news of Lin Xi’s death to finally arrive. But before he could feel any happiness, Xiao An’s attitude toward him grew even harsher. “Yuchi Mu, you’re the one wh 529Reads8.6Score—14d adds
- 141 Who Says Longing Is Silent? 谁说思念无声 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
- 142 The Tale of Si He 思合传 She was born to an ordinary family amid the bustle of Jiangnan, spending her carefree childhood in the rhythms of everyday life. The older brother and sister who watched over her as she grew up were, in fact, lost royal descendants living incognito among the common folk. Once their origins were revealed, the family's fate was changed forever. She, too, was swept into the deep waters of the imperial palace. In the golden hall, candlelight flickered as she smiled sweetly. Every glance she cast lef 1.7kReads8.1Score13714d adds
- 143 I Give You the Bittersweet Pain of Parting 赠君人间苦别离 Xie Jingsheng hated Hua Zhezhi. When he was at his lowest, she not only kicked him while he was down, but nearly got him killed. The first thing he did after returning victorious was marry her, then drive her slowly insane. Hua Zhezhi was left with a crippled leg and suffered endless humiliation. When she was near death, she asked with red-rimmed eyes, “I never betrayed you. Why have you treated me this way?” “Keep making things up,” he said viciously, squeezing her throat. “Let’s see if you can 651Reads6.0Score—14d adds
- 144 Quick Transmigration: The Supporting Girl Has No Protagonist Destiny 快穿：女配没有主角命 Sang Wan has lost her memories. She can only get them back by completing the tasks assigned to villainess supporting characters in each world. She tries her best to survive, to win people over and fit into each world. Only then does she realize that some people are born protagonists, naturally superior to everyone else, while others use every ounce of strength just to stay alive. A casualty of the romance between an overbearing campus heartthrob and a naive junior student, A disposable extra who 1.1kReads8.7Score10414d adds
- 145 This Is Where It Ends 到此为止 [Angst-heavy story. Read with caution. The male lead is not chaste.] “Ru Yi, when you act like this, it makes me think you still can’t let go of me.” All the pain and torment must have begun with those words. Or perhaps it was “You haven’t been able to forget me, Ru Yi.” Much later, when Ru Yi thought back on her tangled history with Pei Shiyu, that was what she believed. He would remember the scent from deep in his memories, carried on a gentle breeze, but he wouldn’t remember how much he h 4kReads8.5Score19514d adds
- 146 The Rest of My Life Is You 余生皆是你 It wasn’t until the moment she was shoved in front of a bullet meant for the woman he loved that Yan Xi finally believed she truly meant nothing to him… She had risked everything and given him all she had, but all he gave her in return was endless pain. He used her as a human shield for that woman and trampled all over her feelings. He even used her, pregnant with his child, to trade for his kidnapped fiancée. As she hung beneath the blazing sun, waiting for the organization to execute her, he w 270Reads6.1Score—14d adds
- 147 Scumbag CEO, I Don’t Deserve Your Devotion 渣总你的深情我不配 [Physical and Emotional Torment + No Reconciliation] Jiang Li loved Fu Jinyan with all her heart. She once believed he would be her whole world, but he was the one who sent her to prison. She suffered every humiliation behind bars and was left unrecognizable. She thought getting out would mean a fresh start. But fate had never been kind to her. After her release, Fu Jinyan dragged her into another abyss, tormenting her like a plaything. In despair, she gritted her teeth and said: “Fu Jinyan, if 8.9kReads8.5Score51414d adds
- 148 One Man, One Minister 一人臣 In everyone’s eyes, Ji Ya was a brutal, debauched empress. To the great general Mo Lengzun, she was also a scheming, selfish, and sinister villain! But none of them knew she was terminally ill and had little time left... Everything she did was for the people of Donghao. Even as she died, everyone still hated her... 245Reads8.8Score—14d adds
- 149 Only When Love Cuts to the Bone Does Longing Finally Show 惊觉相思不露，原来只因入骨 In Sifang City, there is a woman with a notoriously bad reputation: Sheng Xia. Men think she’ll sleep with anyone. Women think she’s shameless and promiscuous. But in truth, she simply fell in love with one person. For him, for the first time in her life, she resorted to the most despicable means. Five years into their marriage, she endured his sneers and emotional abuse. She risked her life for him again and again, yet still couldn’t earn so much as a second glance. “Yi Ye, is it really so hard 2.4kReads8.7Score23014d adds
- 150 I Promise You a Lifetime of Longing 许你一生长相思 Xu Nuannuan is mute. At eighteen, Mu Sibai brings her back from the countryside. Overnight, she goes from a country girl to the envy of every woman in the capital: Mrs. Mu. She is mute, and also a spare bone marrow donor Mu Sibai keeps for the woman he loves. Two years after arriving at the Mu family home, she finally understands that the man has given her nothing but coldness and cruelty. On a bitterly cold night, Xu Nuannuan takes a knife and, with tears of blood streaming down her face, plung 541Reads6.0Score—14d adds
