Novels like The Dust of Mortal Life
Books Chinese readers most often put in the same booklists as The Dust of Mortal Life, best match first.
- 101 No Matter How Much You Cherish It, Nothing Lasts Forever 讲究终将不能长久 This should be a story about a woman’s growth, set in a bygone era. A girl who has lived at the bottom of society since childhood works hard and thinks she has crossed into a higher class, only to realize she has climbed just one step. Exhausted, she resigns herself to fate and looks for someone on that same step to lean on. But the person she thinks she can rely on only wants to use her to climb higher. To achieve his own ends, he has to kick her down a step so he can leap a little farther. If 10Reads—Score114d adds
- 102 No Mercy for the World 不赦人间 For the first twenty years of her life, Chen Qingxing lived by one rule: never count on a miracle. When someone else took the spot she had earned as a student in need, and her part-time wages were withheld, she signed a harsh sponsorship agreement. Her benefactor would pay for her to finish college, and after graduation, she would repay the debt with a marriage of convenience. There was no romance involved. It was a deal with a clearly marked price. She relied on careful calculations to plan eve 24Reads—Score—14d adds
- 103 The Woman Who Couldn’t Be Caged 困不住的她 Pei Xiaocao is someone who refuses to follow the usual path. Along the road of life, she has erased everything she was supposed to do. Her life follows no one else’s rules. She believes only in her own! 3Reads—Score—14d adds
- 104 Thank You for the Roujiamo 谢谢你的肉夹馍 Thank you for the roujiamo. —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 105 A Middle-Aged Woman's Reckless Years 中年荒唐的女人 The story is about Yang Liu, an ordinary woman from the bottom of society. Hardworking and capable, she refuses to settle for an ordinary life, but ends up making a complete mess of things, surrounded by chaos and constant commotion... 2.7kReads8.6Score23014d adds
- 106 My Angel Investor Is My Adorable Husband 天使投资人是我的小娇夫 Told from the heroine's perspective, this story follows her journey from an innocent, inexperienced newcomer to the working world to a successful professional woman. Fang Yuwei and the hero, Lin Peifeng, meet on campus. He falls for her at first sight and takes care of her and stays by her side, but Lin Peifeng's identity is not so simple. As the heroine makes her way through the workplace, she encounters all kinds of unwritten rules, both obvious and hidden. She changes jobs several times and m 1Reads—Score—14d adds
- 107 I Married My Best Friend’s Boyfriend 我嫁给了闺蜜的男友 They were high school classmates. She was an ugly duckling living under someone else’s roof, while her best friend was an elegant swan, high above everyone else. After dating the swan for a long time, he told the ugly duckling that she was the one he loved. This book tells the story of their love, friendship, and family ties in their youth. 129Reads—Score—14d adds
- 108 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 5.6kReads8.8Score48014d adds
- 109 A Post-90s Mountain Girl's Starry Sky 90后，山里姑娘的星空 [Diary] [First person] [No contrived twists] [Not a wish-fulfillment novel] [No overpowered protagonist] [Traditional] [Realistic] [Period] [Countryside] [Hardship] [Marriage] [Family bonds] The 1990s were full of life and energy, but they were also a Period when weeds grew unchecked. Many people born in the 1970s and 1980s went to the cities in pursuit of their dreams. Some worked hard for everything they had, while others lost themselves in the glittering world around them. This is a story a 187Reads8.3Score—14d adds
- 110 The Criminal’s Revelation 犯罪启示录 The story follows a detective's day-to-day casework, recounting how a number of representative cases are solved. The plot is full of twists and turns, and every case offers plenty to think about. I hope readers will take something away from the story. 397Reads8.2Score—14d adds
- 111 After Faking a Pregnancy to Force a Divorce, My In-Laws Beg Me to Forgive Them 假孕逼离后，婆家跪求我原谅 After faking a pregnancy to force a divorce, my in-laws beg me to forgive them 13Reads—Score—14d adds
- 112 Xue Mei's Story 雪梅的故事 Bare, barren loess hills. Ravines and ridges wind their way into the distance. This is where the story’s heroine, Xuemei, spent her childhood, grew into a shy young woman, and endured until she became a mature wife. She works hard, cultivating this poor yellow earth, and sings the praises of the diligence and simplicity of rural women in the new era. 148Reads—Score—14d adds
- 113 Tales of Xizhou in the 1980s 80年代西州往事 This is a story about youth, and a story about growing up. It is filled with passionate brotherhood, the innocent love of childhood sweethearts, clashes of steel in the streets and alleys, and the struggles and choices people face in the tides of a changing era. Most importantly, it captures the warmth unique to that time: the unreserved sincerity between people, a purity that seems almost like a luxury today. 13Reads—Score—14d adds
- 114 My Small-Town Girlfriend 我的小城女友 No matter how long people live in a big city, they eventually return to a small town. Xiyang, a genius who made his fortune through stock trading, finds his life going nowhere after his girlfriend cheats on him and his career hits a wall. He leaves Chengdu, a city full of memories, and returns to his hometown, where he meets the girl who will become his small-town girlfriend. This is an ordinary book, but the small-town life it tells of is anything but ordinary. 61Reads—Score—14d adds
- 115 A Girl Spent Seven Years Breaking Herself into Pieces and Entrusting Them to Others 一个女孩用七年时间把自己摔碎了分给别人保管 A girl spent seven years breaking herself into pieces and entrusting them to others to keep. 2Reads—Score—14d adds
- 116 Fate Is a Sunny Day 缘是晴天 Memories of youth, growing up, and heartbreak, buried by time and kept close to the heart. May the love shared by Xie Qiyuan and Jiang Ziqing touch your heart. Because they loved each other so deeply back then, their love turned into countless tears. Even so, at a fork in the road with no hope in sight, they would keep waiting for him to come. 19Reads8.2Score—14d adds
- 117 The Tail Fire Tiger and Kui Wood Wolf 尾火虎奎木狼 As the old saying goes: Reading ten thousand books is not as good as traveling ten thousand miles; traveling ten thousand miles is not as good as meeting countless people; meeting countless people is not as good as spending every day with masters; and having an expert show you the way is not as good as reaching enlightenment on your own. Over the years, I’ve read plenty of books, traveled many roads, met many people, and experienced many things. I’ve also spent time with masters, and gained a fe 11Reads—Score—14d adds
- 118 Love Among the Mountains and Rivers 山水情 (Urban slice of life, inspirational growth, a nostalgic era, rich in detail) The beauty of mountains and rivers, the many faces of humanity, the fickleness of the world. The protagonist, Jiang Nan, knows right from wrong and values loyalty and affection. He grows from a poor boy who suffers humiliation into a fine young man admired by everyone. This story is grounded in real life, with family bonds, friendship, romance, and a deep love for his hometown. He leads the villagers to prosperity, ris 14.6kReads9.1Score1.6k14d adds
- 119 After Tricking My Husband into a Divorce, I Was Fleeced for a Million by a Puppy-Like Boy 骗夫离婚后，我被小奶狗掏空百万 Urban suspense + sham marriage + a gentle trap + younger puppy-like man + a battle of wits Her marriage was cold, her life suffocating. Liang Qiuyue struggled through half her life, asking only for a peaceful existence. Then the gentle, warm-hearted Jiang Zhihao appeared, doting on her, protecting her, and helping her support the family. Believing she had found salvation, she bravely divorced and was reborn. Little did she know... He seemed mild-mannered and harmless, but behind the scenes he 100Reads—Score—14d adds
- 120 The Young People of Chemen Courtyard 车门院里的年轻人 This is a symphony of destinies spanning generations. In a small courtyard in northern China in the 1970s, several families struggle and drift with the tides of the times. Lei Shaxiao, an orphan whose parents died young, falls in love with Aiai, another orphan from the neighboring courtyard. They were an ordinary couple, but amid the raging currents of the era, Shaxiao rises to become a renowned lawyer who commands the room. Money, power, and desire come one after another. He loses himself in th 35Reads—Score314d adds
- 121 Foolish Mother 傻娘 My father was dead, my mother had gone mad. The day I came home, I saw someone destroying it... 43.1kReads9.0Score1.3k14d adds
- 122 An Ill-Matched Marriage 不般配的婚姻 After Cheng Ruojia, a small-town girl, married her boss, Tang Yixuan, she spent the next ten years as a housewife, looking after Tang Yixuan and their daughter, Tang Qi. But as Tang Yixuan's business grew and his handsome looks drew attention, a marital crisis crept closer and closer... 628Reads5.8Score—14d adds
- 123 The Chinese Bodyguard 国产保镖 54Reads6.3Score87714d adds
- 124 That Year, Because of the Campus Belle, I Ran Off to Guangdong to Become a Handsome Lad 那年因为校花，我跑路广东当靓仔 [Jianghu]+ [Workplace]+ [Romance]+ [No System]+ [Not reborn] [Based on the author’s real experiences working in Guangdong, this is a story about migrant workers in cities like Dongguan and Shenzhen. This is not a wish-fulfillment novel, so don’t read it if that’s not your thing!] In 1997, Zhang Zaiye, Li Yaocong, Jiang Xinyue, and others met while working summer jobs in Guangdong, and formed a deep friendship. At the time, Dongguan’s economy was growing at a breakneck pace. Workers poured in fr 7Reads—Score114d adds
- 125 In Search of Her Trail 寻觅芳踪 A nostalgic romance about migrant workers in the 1990s! Packed with details from the decade: pagers, IC-card payphones, green passenger trains, letters from factory girls, radios, cassette tapes, VCDs, stickers of Hong Kong and Taiwanese stars, polyester shirts, woven-plastic sacks, assembly lines, overtime pay, temporary residence permits, and running faster than a rabbit when the police came to check them... 20Reads—Score—14d adds
- 126 Breaking the Bottom Line 打破底线 In the eyes of others, he has it all: an executive title at a branch company and a happy family. But he also has plenty of secrets he can’t let see the light of day… A routine audit at the head office becomes the turning point in his fate… 14.3kReads8.2Score73414d adds
- 127 A Motherless Child, Cared for by His Sister-in-Law 没妈的孩子，嫂子疼 [Period drama + No System or storage space] After my adoptive parents died in a car accident, my older brother Zhang Dakui and I depended on each other. Ever since Dakui brought my sister-in-law Liu Chunmei home, our lives changed. And so did my life... 92Reads6.2Score2914d adds
- 128 The Playboy and the Five Golden Flowers 风流之子与五朵金花 [Completed] If you happened to click on this, please read a few more pages, or even a few dozen, and help boost my stats. Thanks for your support! This is the story of a group of people who came from elsewhere to work and put down roots in Zhuhai. They fall in love, get married, buy homes, and have children. The first half covers their lives up to marriage. The second half explores marriage, human nature, changes in society, and growing up in middle age. This novel has a calm and gentle tone, pe 75Reads—Score—14d adds
- 129 A Depressed Person's Soliloquy 抑郁者的独白 An inner monologue from someone living with depression. Just as her life was about to wither away, the will to live drove her to break free with all her strength from the invisible chains holding her back. Suddenly, she understood that there are many ways to live. This book can also be seen as the author's own journey of redemption and healing through a life on the road. It also introduces the scenery and local culture of the places she visited. 43Reads—Score—14d adds
- 130 The Shoe Factory Worker Holds Forth, and She Knows So Much! 鞋厂女工论道，她知道那么多！ [Urban slice of life + romance] The heroine is beautiful and works at a factory. She takes care of looking lovely while the hero works hard to get ahead. He climbs the factory's management ranks and even puts in time on the production line, all so the two of them can tie the knot and enjoy a long, happy life together. But things aren't that simple... 137Reads—Score—14d adds
- 131 Slowly, Falling for You 慢慢，喜欢 One-on-one romance, mature adults. Neither lead is a virgin, so stay away if that's not your thing! Taking it slow is a beautiful thing: slowly meeting, slowly falling in love, slowly growing old together. Everything begins after I meet you! Bian Yue never expected to get divorced less than six months into her marriage! Wen Chaoshen never expected to be unable to forget a married woman! Bian Yue: “What do you want?” Wen Chaoshen: “We've hugged and kissed. Obviously, what's left is for me to slee 73Reads—Score—14d adds
- 132 Tears of Frost 寒霜泪 Because the baby she was carrying was another girl, Hanshuang was given away while still in the womb. As she grew up, she endured one hardship after another. Hanshuang told herself that as long as she kept living, she would never lose in life! My new work is now available, and I hope you’ll enjoy it! Your support motivates me to write, and I’ll do my best to tell every story well! 19.6kReads9.2Score1.6k14d adds
- 133 He Quit Being a Boss, and Mu Sheng Made Beitang Rich and Beautiful 老板不当，木生把北塘变富美 [Literary fiction + realistic themes + suitable for middle-aged and older readers] From humble beginnings as a carpenter, Zhao Musheng worked his way up to construction worker, business owner, village director, and then a town official, turning his life around. Thanks to him, backward Beitang Village was transformed into a prosperous new village with thriving industries. Our fate is in our own hands, not Heaven's. The fortunes of the Zhao family and Beitang Village are closely intertwined. These 76Reads8.8Score—14d adds
- 134 Bold Pursuit, Secret Indulgence 强撩与暗宠 On one side, his female boss pulls him into an emotional tug-of-war. On the other, the female dean offers him a healing companionship. Caught between them, he doesn't want to give up his stable job, but he can't bear to let go of the peace and comfort she brings, either. Choosing between them becomes his greatest dilemma. 5.1kReads7.1Score46014d adds
- 135 Demolition Debris Hits My Head! The Land Grab Ending Had Me Rolling 拆迁砸头！抢房结局笑疯 Demolition debris hits him on the head! The scramble for the house ends in hilarious chaos. 2Reads—Score—14d adds
- 136 Zhao Jiji’s Love Story After Divorce 赵吉吉离婚后的爱情故事 To be loved is an extension of self-love! I thought I'd shut myself off from love for good, but I never expected to meet him in my forties... After her son takes the college entrance exam, Zhao Jiji divorces her ex-husband. She delivers food, works as a real estate agent and caregiver, and writes novels, doing her best to make a life for herself. While working as a caregiver, she meets a man she once went on a blind date with, and the two begin a beautiful relationship. 68Reads—Score—14d adds
- 137 The Story of Three Working Girls 三个打工女孩的故事 Three young women of the same age, each from a different family background and with a different personality, head to Guancheng to find work. Set in the 1990s, their experiences capture the memories of an entire era. When their birth families are thrown into turmoil, should they stand by and do nothing, lend a hand, or sacrifice their dignity to help them through it? Some come to repay their parents' kindness, while others only cause their parents trouble. The three girls each have a different an 5.8kReads9.0Score49114d adds
- 138 My Five Sisters Raised Me, So I Bought Each of Them a House 五个姐姐养大我，我送每人一套房 When I was seven, Mom and Dad were gone. My five older sisters took turns raising me. The eldest dropped out of school to work a sewing machine. The second scavenged rotten vegetables at the market. The third earned money competing in tournaments. The fourth never had an entry labeled “for herself” in her ledger. The fifth cut off her long braids and sold them for eight yuan to pay my tuition. Chen Zi'en lived next door. He was the school bully, feared by everyone. He'd never lost a fight, but 3Reads—Score—14d adds
- 139 Until We Meet Again 不見不散 [Reunion after years apart + bickering couple + modern romance + second chance at love + heartwarming healing story] The hero and heroine meet in middle school. When they go off to different universities, their immature, youthful personalities gradually drive them apart. Years later, they reunite and rekindle their relationship. It's a little story about finding their way back to each other. For a relationship to blossom and bear fruit, the right people must meet at the right time in the right f 59Reads—Score—14d adds
- 140 Bargaining Chips on the Road to Promotion 升职路上的筹码 Song Minghui is like a spider at the center of a web, maintaining relationships with three women in different ways. A 26-year-old workplace newcomer, a 35-year-old sales director, and a 41-year-old corporate executive: the web is beginning to unravel as its three “bargaining chips” awaken. - The rules of survival in the workplace's dark forest - How the “prey” turns the tables from a male perspective - The growth of three women, from being used to awakening - Emotional manipulation and counterma 2.1kReads6.4Score11414d adds
- 141 The Taste of Being Alive 是活着的味道 The taste of being alive. 6Reads—Score—14d adds
- 142 The Secrets of My Wife: The Truth Behind the Phone Calls 妻子隐秘：电话背后的真相 Liang Xiaojun had always worked for his father-in-law. One day, after returning home from the construction site, he heard his daughter, who was gaming, say she’d received a strange blackmail call. After looking into it, he uncovered a huge secret about his wife. Faced with a cruel reality, what choice should he make? 676Reads6.8Score10014d adds
- 143 A Lifetime of Humiliation, All for the Day of Reckoning 半生忍辱只等清算时刻 As a child, he lost his mother, who called him a good-for-nothing, and his father, who was useless alive. He barely survived the beatings and abuse from his stepfather and the others. Later, he discovered that his father hadn't actually died by suicide. He endured countless humiliations, and over 37 years, through patience and cunning, rose from an insignificant nobody to a wealthy power broker. He pulled off a breathtaking comeback! He spent half his life enduring humiliation, not just to survi 32Reads—Score—14d adds
- 144 Chang'an Road Is Long 长安路远 [Urban daily life + romance + campus + friendship + work + emotional journey] Lin Da cherishes friendship, loves life, and longs for a beautiful future. He had a wonderful childhood and a colorful youth, and chose the love he wanted. Then, for the sake of making a living, he went far from home to work, and before he knew it, half his life had passed... Every encounter in life is part of its journey, and every encounter brings another story... 11Reads—Score—14d adds
- 145 I Found My Nemesis as a Roommate, and Our Quarrels Turned into Love 合租遇冤家，吵着吵着动心了 I became roommates with my nemesis, and all our bickering made us fall for each other 1Reads—Score—14d adds
- 146 The Silent Battlefield Between Mother-in-Law and Daughter-in-Law 婆媳没有硝烟的战场 The conflict between Lin Xiao and her mother-in-law, Zhang Cuilan, keeps escalating. Then Lin Xiao undergoes a dramatic transformation, becoming independent and self-reliant. She lives life on her own terms and rewrites her future, until the road ahead finally opens up... 3Reads—Score—14d adds
- 147 The Night Is Hungry, and There’s No Escaping His Possessiveness 夜色贪婪，逃不开他的占有 After her fiancé and best friend joined forces to take everything from her, Su Xiaoran fell from the clouds into the mud. In her moment of despair, she stumbled into Gu Haifeng's arms. The man gripped her chin and said in a low voice, “From today on, you're mine.” The scumbag and the bitch? She'll make sure they lose everything and end up disgraced! As for this powerful tycoon? Su Xiaoran only wants to run, but he pins her in a corner, possessiveness overflowing. “Running? Where do you think you 614Reads—Score—14d adds
- 148 Zhi You: Mom, Take Me with You 知柚：妈妈，带我一起走 [Growing Up with a Little One] [A Post-90s Mom's Comeback] [No Romance] [No Male Lead] "Mommy, don't go..." Youyou buried her face in Lin Sui's neck, her muffled sobs coming one after another. "Youyou will be good. Don't leave me..." Lin Sui stroked her daughter's back again and again. Her voice steadied, then trembled, then steadied again. "Be good and listen, Youyou. Mommy is only leaving for a little while. I'll find a way to come back for you, I promise." The man standing in the entryw 99Reads—Score—14d adds
- 149 Gu Hong, Dare to Be Happy! 辜鸿，请大胆快乐！ Gu Hong, why are you afraid to be happy? Is it because you make too much money? Liang Shuang, why are you afraid to be happy? Is it because you have too many boyfriends? Wu Kun, why are you afraid to be happy? Is it because getting your doctorate is too hard? Wu Peng, why are you afraid to be happy? Is it because being an executive is exhausting? Yu Yang, why are you afraid to be happy? Is it because big shots are too boring? Tell me, why are all of you afraid to be happy! 12Reads8.2Score—14d adds
- 150 The Light at the End of the Road 穷途的光辉 How many generations of hardship and joy must a poor family endure before they can finally get ahead? How much suffering must a girl witness before she understands life? How many trials must a family face before the younger generation understands how hard things were for their ancestors? 1Reads—Score—14d adds
