Novels like Life at Thirty
Books Chinese readers most often put in the same booklists as Life at Thirty, best match first.
- 1 Di Renjie: The Astonishing Legend of Suhu Granaries 苏湖仓廪之狄仁杰惊世传奇 During the Tianshou era, the pro-Wu faction, led by Prince Liang Wu Sansi, used all kinds of pretexts to suppress the remaining supporters of the Li Tang dynasty. The pro-Li faction, led by Chancellor Di Renjie, stood in bitter opposition to them. Other powers seized the opportunity to rise up and vie for control of the Li Tang realm. In a short time, shocking criminal cases broke out across Guannei Circuit, the three Jiannan circuits, Jiangnan Circuit, and Henan Circuit. Wu Zetian reinstated Di 3.8kReads7.2Score14214d adds
- 2 Di Renjie: The Celestial Map of Dunhuang 狄仁杰之敦煌天图 In the early years of the Zhou Dynasty, Wu Zetian was gradually growing old. The realm was at peace, and the harvests were plentiful, but remnants of the previous dynasty had heard that Dunhuang held a mural. Whoever obtained it could break the seal and unleash the legendary divine dragon to destroy the Zhou Dynasty. After enduring countless hardships, Di Renjie and Li Yuanfang finally unraveled the mystery... Yet in the end, Li Yuanfang discovered that things were far from simple... —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 3 Judge Dee of the Tang Dynasty: Divine Punishment in Luoyang 大唐狄仁杰之洛阳神罚 In the first year of the Hongdao era, Emperor Gaozong dies, and the Wu clan takes control of the Tang Empire. Yet the court is rife with resentment, and the common people call her a demon empress whose rule will bring ruin to the Tang dynasty. Before long, a Daoist submits a memorial, claiming that Gaozong's death in Luoyang has weakened Chang'an's dragon aura and that the capital should be moved to Luoyang. But first, a statue of the Luo River Goddess must be built there to suppress the nation' 1.7kReads8.8Score10014d adds
- 4 The Imperial Physician and the Powerful Consort 权妃之帝医风华 [A Perfect Ending!] Born into a distinguished family, she lost the use of her left leg while saving a prince, only to be publicly humiliated on her wedding day. The heir refused to marry her, her wedding dress fell to the ground, and her coldhearted father and vicious stepmother looked on with indifference... She was an orphan abandoned by her family; he was a young prince of the imperial clan burdened by a blood feud. At a Qixi Festival banquet, her unparalleled elegance dazzled the entire aris 738Reads8.8Score10114d adds
- 5 Chongqing, the Youth I Left Behind 重庆，我留下的青春 Five years of love shattered like porcelain, and my career plummeted along with it. Just when my life was at its darkest, a ray of light shone in, dazzling beyond belief. In this harsh, realistic world, can I still stay true to myself?… 1.7kReads8.7Score12014d adds
- 6 A Man of Savage Strength 男人凶猛 The whole point of this book is to show you just how miserable a man's life can be if he doesn't work hard to earn money! The sequel to Thirty Years of Life… 30.2kReads9.1Score2.9k14d adds
- 7 A Love Triangle in Marriage 婚姻里的三角恋 [Contemporary realistic fiction + the married life of ordinary people in Beijing + love triangles in marriage + real struggles] Bai Xue and Wang Yang are a young married couple living in Beijing. Wang Yang is a typical “phoenix man,” a country boy who made it big in the city. After ten years of marriage, he cheats on her. After they divorce, Bai Xue meets another man, and her new life begins… What makes this book special: A woman faces betrayal in her marriage, but after the hardship comes 1.6kReads8.8Score15414d adds
- 8 A Real Man 爷们 A beautiful woman wants to kill me. First she tried a knife, then she tried to run me over. When she realized she couldn't kill me, she actually begged me to kill myself. 9.4kReads8.9Score99914d adds
- 9 The Way of Heaven Is Strong 天行健 In his early thirties, he was betrayed by his wife and left his hometown in a rage. After enduring the hardships of survival and facing the harsh realities of society, he made a comeback and became a legendary business magnate. Through countless rises and falls, love and heartbreak, he ultimately became a king who could shape the course of the world. 13.4kReads9.1Score1.7k14d adds
- 10 The Wife’s Mask 妻子的假面 His wife slips out to hotels and bars late at night. After looking into it, he discovers that beneath her gentle, virtuous exterior, she is hiding many secrets. After unmasking his wife, what should he do next... (P.S. No golden finger or supernatural abilities in this book, just the most genuine emotions.) 1.2kReads6.9Score10014d adds
- 11 In Mount Shu, My Cultivation Is the Sum of the Entire Sect's 人在蜀山，我的修为是全门总和 After transmigrating into a fantasy world, Lu Chen becomes the impoverished leader of Shu Mountain. Fortunately, his System awakens just in time. [Ding! The strongest collective-sum System in history has been activated!] [This System can sum up the attributes of every disciple in the sect, including but not limited to cultivation, sacred physiques, comprehension, and talent…] [Host's cultivation = the combined total of all Shu Mountain disciples] [Host's current realm = Big Black Ox = Profound 1.2kReads8.7Score11514d adds
- 12 Those Years I Was the Big Brother 我当的哥那些年 Yang Rui, a struggling online novelist, applied to become a Didi rideshare driver so he could make ends meet and stop sponging off his parents. He thought it would just be a way to earn some extra money, but he never imagined that over the years he spent behind the wheel, he'd enjoy one stroke of good luck after another and meet benefactors who would help him rise... 192Reads9.3Score—14d adds
- 13 The Women I Loved Back Then 那些年，我爱过的女人 After five years together, my girlfriend gets pregnant by her married male boss. Heartbroken, I unexpectedly meet a beautiful CEO. Amid tangled relationships and clashes in the business world, can I learn to believe in love again and turn my life around? 2.7kReads9.1Score33314d adds
- 14 When the Clouds Part, the Moon Appears 云开见月 The protagonist had a miserable childhood. Raised by the whole village, he grew up experiencing firsthand the harsh rule that the weak get bullied. He fought his way through life with his fists, developing a fiercely defiant personality. Later, a benefactor took him under their wing and helped him work hard, and he eventually made something of himself and got into a top university. As an adult, he became lost and insecure in the face of harsh reality. In the end, he settled into an ordinary life 16.2kReads9.4Score1.9k14d adds
- 15 Half a Month 月半 (Also known as The Waxing and Waning) Life offers no lucky breaks, and it is never gentle with anyone. Only when we learn to see our flaws can we hold on to wholeness. May we all stand in the sunlight and live surrounded by warmth. This is a slow-paced story grounded in reality. Bring your heart along, and let’s sit down and talk at our own pace. 4.9kReads9.2Score65214d adds
- 16 The World’s Wayward Son 人间浪子 Old Wei's suicide changed the course of Lin Yifei's life. The Lin Yifei who used to watch everyone's mood and grovel just to make ends meet finally stood up for himself! It turned out that a life of having nothing left to lose could bring so many surprises and unexpected turns! 15.5kReads9.3Score1.7k14d adds
- 17 The 27-Year-Old Beauty Boss Won’t Leave Me Alone 27岁美女老板赖上我 Wherever there are people, there are rivalries. On my first day at work, I ran into my beautiful 27-year-old boss, Tang Ruoran. We had only just met when she accused me of being the father of her daughter. Heaven knows, it was my first time meeting her! I asked for a paternity test, but the results showed that I really was her daughter's biological father. Watch as I turn the tables, uncover layer upon layer of mystery, and finally discover just how greedy human nature can be... 2.1kReads8.5Score10514d adds
- 18 Aunt Mei 媚姨 Male Lead: Ding Yuan Female Lead: Liu Meiyi No one is reborn, and there is no System. This is an era of struggle belonging to the older generation! That year, Ding Yuan earned top marks in the imperial examinations, only to have his life stolen from him when his stepmother conspired with her family to switch his results. His father, unaware of the truth, set out on a rainy night to sell goods in the mountains and raise money for Ding Yuan to retake the exams. But the tractor overturned in a ravi 5.6kReads8.8Score47914d adds
- 19 Kunlun Hero 昆仑侠 Where there are people, there are martial circles; where there are martial circles, there is crime; and where there is crime, there are heroes. Kunlun Knight is an ancient Chinese title praising heroes of peerless martial skill and boundless righteousness. Liu Kunlun got his name because, the year his parents went to Xinjiang to pick cotton, they gave birth to him at the foot of the Kunlun Mountains along the way. 5.2kReads9.1Score58414d adds
- 20 Dongguan: My Years as a Migrant Worker 东莞，我的打工岁月 One city, one story, a stretch of youthful days. Who hasn’t felt lost in their youth? Come see the things I experienced in this city, the people I met, and the girls who once crossed paths with me! 4kReads8.9Score36814d adds
- 21 Stop Making Excuses 别找借口了 Stop making excuses. —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 22 A Heartbeat That Ends With Youth 心动止于少年 A Crush That Ends in Youth 8Reads—Score414d adds
- 23 The Tang Dynasty’s Lady of the House 大唐女当家 In the sixth year of the Kaiyuan era, the Jiangnan silk dynasty collapsed overnight. Her father was dead, her uncle wanted to divide the estate, and business rivals were secretly forcing prices down. At just twenty-three, eldest daughter Lin Lanxi was thrust into control, with the vast family fortune built over three generations resting on her shoulders. Her younger brother drew his blade to stand guard over their father's coffin, while her younger sister kept watch through the embroidery worksh 49Reads—Score—14d adds
- 24 The Wife at Thirty 三十之妻 “Dad... Dad, a bad man is hitting Mom... Waaaah...” His three-year-old daughter called him, sobbing. “Don’t cry, sweetheart. Where are you?” Chen Fei was frantic with worry. “We’re at home. Dad, hurry and save Mom!” His daughter was crying her heart out. Just as Chen Fei was about to ask more, he heard screams coming through the phone... 303Reads8.0Score13314d adds
- 25 Finding True Love Inside and Outside Marriage in Midlife 人到中年婚姻内外寻找真爱 Yang Duo is a flower in full bloom. Though she’s forty, she’s still young and beautiful. A woman in pursuit of true love, she yearns for romance and has spent her life exploring and experiencing it. A passionate love affair that nearly cost her life in her youth, a joyless marriage in middle age, and an unexpected encounter outside her marriage: whenever she falls for someone, she loves with wild abandon and suffers heartbreak that tears her apart. Her three close friends have very different l 638Reads8.7Score10114d adds
- 26 Gray Sky 灰空 He was a passionate young man, a promising journalist with a bright future, and his life was going splendidly. His supervisor was just about to promote him when, in a moment of impulsiveness, he made a mistake, and his life took a different course. Misfortune and fortune go hand in hand, and this marked the beginning of an entirely different life. 4.8kReads8.9Score58414d adds
- 27 I Am a Toad 老子是癞蛤蟆 A scholar of the nation. Unrivaled among the nation’s finest, leaving everyone else in the dust. A red-capped official. That year, wind and snow swept across the capital, and I made a stunning debut. 397Reads9.5Score—14d adds
- 28 Young and Promising 年少有为 How deeply does one's family shape them? Some grow up insecure, timid, and lacking confidence; others become violent and end up behind bars; still others see their marriages torn apart, losing their spouses and children. After countless heartbreaking realizations, some people spend their whole lives healing from childhood, while others are healed for life by their childhood. 21.3kReads9.0Score2.8k14d adds
- 29 The Mountain Village's Miraculous Immortal Doctor 山野妙手仙医 [Complete, Highly Rated + Rural Miracle Doctor + Suspense] Chen Tianzhu, a college student, was framed and turned into a fool before returning to Taoxi Village. Before his grandfather died, he left him an extraordinary legacy. While searching for the legacy, Chen Tianzhu stumbled upon a shocking secret! 3kReads8.9Score45614d adds
- 30 Factory Underworld 工厂江湖 Savor the ups and downs of life, and watch its many twists with a smile. Follow Li Mu, a university graduate, as he repeatedly stumbles and gets back up amid the scheming and backstabbing of the workplace, eventually transforming from a clueless rookie into a smooth, savvy winner who can handle anything. 20.9kReads9.5Score2.3k14d adds
- 31 The Dashing Gambler 风流赌神 Synopsis: [Not a System novel, please don't complain if it's not for you] [High-stakes gambling] [Stories from the bathhouse] [Everyday scams and fraud] [Male lead grows from weak to strong + gives back to society] Chen Zhongchuan is an abandoned orphan, raised by his grandfather from childhood. When he boards the train to Nanshan, his grandfather tells him the truth... This book explores gambling and the many scams found in real life, warning readers to stay away from gambling. At best, it can 3kReads8.8Score23914d adds
- 32 After My Wife Died, My Life Soared Against the Odds 老婆去世后，我的人生逆风飞扬 My name is Shu Shuang. Shu as in “comfortable,” and Shuang as in “refreshing.” I was twelve when both my parents died, and Cheng Yexiang raised me. When I was twenty-one, Cheng Yexiang’s eldest daughter, Cheng Ke, who was the same age as me, married me. After Cheng Ke and I got married, we opened a small shop in the city called Keshuang Supermarket. Three months later, she died in a tragic car accident. I felt as though the sky had fallen. Life no longer seemed worth living. Cheng Yexiang had lo 12.5kReads8.8Score1.1k14d adds
- 33 A Man at Forty 男人四十 If it hadn’t been for a spur-of-the-moment paternity test, Fang Hao would have gone on believing he was the happiest man in the world. His wife was Jiangdong City’s most beautiful woman, they had a pair of fraternal twins, a car and a house, and he was a resident doctor at the People’s Hospital. But the paternity test revealed that the twins had two different fathers: one was him, and the other was another man. 266Reads7.6Score10014d adds
- 34 Love with All Your Heart 尽情去爱吧 Based on a true story, newly rated. A literary gem, finely written, not a web novel. When desire and morality collide, human weakness becomes a blade that wounds others. The Peking University campus is merely the story’s starting point. The Beijing financial world is where the real story unfolds. The author graduated with an undergraduate degree from Peking University’s Department of Physics. 18.5kReads8.7Score75214d adds
- 35 Thirty Days on the Run 逃亡三十天 Five years of deep affection could not withstand greed and scheming. Jiang Ling was set up by his lover of five years and her lover on the side, who conspired to seize complete control of his company. In a single day, his love was shattered, his career collapsed, and his life plunged into an abyss. With all hope gone, he chose to retreat to his remote, quiet hometown in the countryside. By chance, in an abandoned mine in a desolate area, he stumbled upon a ton of gold buried deep underground. Af 48Reads6.9Score114d adds
- 36 Kunming: Who Will You Forget Tonight? 昆明：今夜你将谁遗忘 We shared so many beautiful firsts; But we couldn’t escape The last time, long foretold by fate... If I never get the chance to start over, I still wouldn’t want to miss you! 11.6kReads9.3Score1.3k14d adds
- 37 Those Years Working in Lingnan 岭南打工那些年 This work is a realistic urban novel based on my own experience of heading south to Guangdong for work in the late 1980s. It might be more accurate to call it a memoir of migrant work than a novel. The characters are all based on my colleagues, fellow villagers, and friends I knew well! I chose to write in the first person so that everyone in these pages would feel vivid and real, with a soul of their own. I hope readers will find the voice warm and familiar as they read or listen in their spare 18.7kReads9.3Score1.7k14d adds
- 38 No Lamps, No Moon, So What? 无灯无月又何妨 If two hearts understand each other, what need have they for lamps or moonlight? If one day we’re caught in the same snow, then we’ll have shared a lifetime of gray hair. Even if we lived together in perfect harmony, there would still be regrets! May you weather every storm and still keep the light in your eyes, never straying from your original purpose. 35Reads7.6Score—14d adds
- 39 Zeng Guofan: A Distinguished Statesman Who Revived the Late Qing 曾国藩：晚清中兴名臣 Written in an accessible style, this book recounts the remarkable life of Zeng Guofan, the foremost statesman of the late Qing revival. It begins with a baby's cries in a farming household in Xiangxiang in 1811, then follows his grueling path through the imperial examinations. He fails four times but keeps studying until, at twenty-seven, he finally enters the Hanlin Academy. As a capital official, he adheres to the principles of self-cultivation and holds fast to his convictions amid court intr 9.6kReads7.9Score39214d adds
- 40 The Young Traveler 少年行 In that moment, I truly understood why the poor stay poor. It isn't because we don't work hard enough. It's because of the environment we live in, the resources we have, our narrow-mindedness, and the few, fragile opportunities available to us. All of it traps my impoverished family in a struggle just to survive! I gave everything I had for a chance to “change my fate,” yet a single storm was enough to destroy it! 24.6kReads9.1Score2.6k14d adds
- 41 Hello, Mr. Doraemon 你好，哆啦A梦先生 I had only wanted to live an easy, carefree life as an ordinary person. But when my childhood sweetheart and first CEO girlfriend married someone else for the sake of profit, and my beautiful second girlfriend, a painter, sacrificed herself for power, I realized I couldn't keep being a pushover. I had to fight back! When I finally stood at the top of the pyramid, I gave life a resounding shout... 1.8kReads8.7Score19714d adds
- 42 Waves of Fortune in the Business World 商海风云 One summer night, he rescued his beautiful boss while she was asleep. He thought it would be the start of a fateful romance, but instead he landed himself in a world of trouble. Worse still, he fell into a carefully laid trap and found himself facing an unprecedented crisis... With no connections, no backing, no network, and no resources, this migrant worker from the countryside climbs step by step to the pinnacle of success. 13.1kReads9.2Score1.7k14d adds
- 43 I’m Just a Delivery Guy, So How Did I Become the Savior of the World? 我只是送外卖的，怎么就成了救世主 I’m Just a Delivery Driver, So How Did I Become Humanity’s Savior? 26Reads—Score114d adds
- 44 Safe Travels 一路平安 Good people stay safe. Even a life that missed the college entrance exam can be legendary! 1.9kReads9.3Score31314d adds
- 45 Cool Lips 凉唇 [Don't scroll away when you see the rating. There was a problem with the rating system just after launch; it actually deserves five stars across the board. Please give it a rating, and thank you.] [Beautifully written, with plenty of substance. Recommended for readers 30 and up.] [Realistic urban workplace + reunion after years apart + secret love becomes mutual] [Sapiosexual romance + two equally matched leads + strong female lead] For five years, they stood side by side as investment-world ris 4.6kReads6.1Score36014d adds
- 46 My Fatal Charmer 我的红颜祸水 On the night the 2015 college entrance exam results became available, the whole family gathered around the computer to wait for the scores. We’d agreed that whoever scored higher, my younger sister or me, would go to college. The other would go with our father to find odd jobs at construction sites and earn money. My mother, stepfather, half-sister, and I all watched the screen. My sister scored 612, and I scored 540. But no one knew that I’d gotten zero on the Chinese exam. I’d turned in a blan 18.4kReads9.2Score1.8k14d adds
- 47 My Landlady 我的房客大小姐 After getting dumped, a young man with nothing to his name left the city and opened an inn in Dali. His life took an unexpected turn, and amid romance and scenic beauty, a tangled love story unfolded. 2.6kReads9.4Score17814d adds
- 48 The Strongest Man 最强人 The strongest person isn’t the one who defeats others, but the one who refuses to be defeated by anyone or anything. Zhuang Xiaoqiang grew up in a poor family. His father’s downward spiral left the family on the verge of falling apart when Xiaoqiang was just eight. From then on, he shouldered the burden of supporting his family. He learned early how important money was to a household, and knew there was no one he could rely on. Everything he wanted had to be earned with his own hands, whether a 42.3kReads9.2Score4.8k14d adds
- 49 Thunderous Crackdown on Black Crime in the Political Arena 官场之雷霆扫黑 The chessboard of power, every move calculated, every step taken on thin ice. No matter how cautious you are, you can never guard against everything. Li Yan, a community officer at a local police station, starts from the very bottom. He refuses to buckle under pressure and fears no powerful figures. With thunderous force, he uproots every criminal gang and underworld faction. Step by step, he rises to the pinnacle of power! 86.9kReads8.2Score6.5k14d adds
- 50 Sorry, We Don't Talk About Love After Dark 对不起，夜深不说爱 I didn’t care that people said I’d married up by latching onto a goddess, and I didn’t care that they called me a poor country boy who’d married into wealth. But when my wife’s best friend’s husband came looking for me, I realized I’d been naive. My wife, it turned out, really knew how to “enjoy” life… 12.2kReads8.7Score1.1k14d adds
