Novels like Climbing the Social Ladder
Books Chinese readers most often put in the same booklists as Climbing the Social Ladder, best match first.
- 151 An Oxygen-Rich Military Marriage 军婚有氧 [Military marriage + reunion after years apart + rekindled love + groveling to win her back + both virgins + 1v1] Jing Zhi never dreamed that the parent of the transfer student she was visiting would be Fu Yuzheng, her ex, whom she had broken up with eight years ago. When she saw Fu Yuzheng again, Jing Zhi had long since walled off her heart. She felt nothing. Fu Yuzheng was a heaven-blessed prodigy, a powerful and formidable young military officer in the capital. Yet he willingly traveled thous 4.3kReads7.3Score23114d adds
- 152 Moonlight Kiss 月光热吻 [Wealthy-family romance, sweet flirtation, Beijing social circles, and a touch of groveling] [Cool, elegant heiress and piano goddess]& [A calculating, cold-faced business tycoon] Everyone in the capital knew the Lin and Lu families, both old and distinguished houses. Rumor had it that the Lin heiress was breathtakingly beautiful and a gifted pianist. The young master of the Lu family was noble and aloof, cold by nature, and adored by countless heiresses in the capital. Lin Wan fell for Lu Zeche 910Reads8.6Score10014d adds
- 153 You Have the Wildest Tenderness in Me 你拥有我最放肆的温柔 They say childhood sweethearts can't compete with someone who appears out of nowhere. But to Mu Shaoming, Nan Youyou is the love of his life. At three years old, Mu Shaoming swore he'd marry Nan Youyou and no one else. At eighteen, Mu Shaoming went to prison for Nan Youyou. At twenty, Mu Shaoming became Nan Youyou's husband. At twenty-three, Nan Youyou lost their first child. At twenty-five, Nan Youyou smiled at Mu Shaoming and said, "Brother Mu, let's get a divorce." Only after Nan Youyou died 232Reads8.2Score—14d adds
- 154 The Prince Becomes a Slave, and the Regent Goes Too Far 皇子为奴，摄政王他欺人太甚 [Male/male romance + ancient political intrigue + physical and emotional angst + equally matched leads] Cold, ruthless, and suspicious Regent, devoted in love x a patient, seemingly obedient prince with ambitions Xiao Chengjing treated Chi Yan'an, the young prince sent to him as a slave, like a plaything and ground him into the dirt. He watched him crawl meekly and hold his tongue, yet failed to see the ambition and cunning beneath those clear eyes. As a spy, he had to tread carefully. One wron 1.7kReads6.5Score14314d adds
- 155 Burning Bright Today 今朝炽热 (Malicious ratings are not what good kids do~) [Stubborn, Well-Behaved College Student vs. Unrestrained Rich Playboy] [Reformed Playboy + Chasing His Wife to the Crematorium] Lu Yun Zhao has always despised those playboy heirs, but then she met Jin Yue, and somehow he became the exception. He brought her into his circle, caught her in front of everyone when she fell, and knelt down to tie her shoelaces on a busy campus... Everyone thought the playboy had turned over a new leaf. Even she almost b 5.9kReads—Score26314d adds
- 156 My Boyfriend Is the Ultimate Boss of a Horror Game!! 我的男友是诡异游戏的终极boss！！ My Boyfriend Is the Final Boss of a Horror Game!! 117Reads—Score—14d adds
- 157 Listening to Rain Studio 听雨工作室 Tingyu Studio —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 158 I Came Back for a Divorce, but the Abstinent Tycoon Begged His Wife to Come Home 归来离婚，禁欲大佬跪求太太回家 CEO Romance + Marriage First, Love Later + Two Strong Leads + Rekindled Love + The Long Road to Winning Her Back + Adorable Child Everyone in Jiangcheng knows that Bo Yan, the decisive, disciplined business magnate who keeps his private life strictly controlled, calls the same person three times every day, without fail. For 732 consecutive days, every call has gone unanswered. Two years ago, his wife, Shen Ling, left everything behind and went abroad. She even left their son behind. Everyone tho 495Reads—Score—14d adds
- 159 No Divorce Allowed: Mr. Fu Kneels to Apologize Every Night 禁止离婚，傅总夜夜跪地忏悔 After two years of keeping their marriage secret, he hands her divorce papers, saying his childhood sweetheart is pregnant and he has to give her a home. She obediently agrees, but after she signs, he regrets it... 5.6kReads8.6Score71914d adds
- 160 Has Young Master Huo Finally Gotten His Proposal Accepted? 霍少今天求婚成功了吗？ This is the story of a jerk’s long road to winning back his wife. At the 22nd Golden Shadow Awards ceremony Onstage, Sheng Yiyi held up her trophy. “Huo Shaoqing, will you let me be your wife?” The man below the stage glowered. “Who would marry an actress? Have I spoiled you so much that you’ve gotten the wrong idea? Hmm?” “Then let’s break up,” Sheng Yiyi said coldly. “Sheng Yiyi, don’t you dare regret this!” Huo Shaoqing stormed off. Six months later, at the Huo family’s old residence Huo Sha 163Reads5.5Score—14d adds
- 161 After the Divorce, My Ex-Husband Begged Me to Love Him One More Time 离婚后，前夫哭着求我再爱他一次 [Love After Marriage + Cozy, Sweet Romance] “Let's get divorced.” “Okay!” During their three years of marriage, Xu Yiwan loves Mu Nianxing with painstaking care, asking only for the tiniest bit of love in return. Even that small wish is slowly crushed by one misunderstanding after another. Wounded all over, she takes their daughter and divorces him... For Mu Nianxing, she was a wife he married simply to avoid trouble. He never imagined that one day she would ask for a divorce. But after they spl 895Reads8.8Score10214d adds
- 162 Zhou Jingchuan, You're Too Late 周敬川，你来迟了 [Two male leads + terminal illness + chasing your husband back + angsty romance] The thing Pei You regretted most in his life was following someone into an alley that night. He lost the prayer beads his older brother had given him, saved a girl, and then caught the attention of her brother, Zhou Jingchuan. Zhou Jingchuan was gentle and considerate, maneuvering closer one step at a time. Pei You thought it was love, until he saw the prayer beads bearing his own name fall from Zhou Jingchuan. 6.9kReads8.3Score58914d adds
- 163 I Work as a Matron in the Imperial Palace 我在深宫当嬷嬷 I Work as a Matron in the Imperial Palace 4Reads—Score—14d adds
- 164 Absurd 荒唐 Jian Ning pursued Fu Jinyan by every means possible. Everyone knew it. Fu Jinyan did everything he could to avoid Jian Ning, even setting traps to shake her off. Fu Jinyan: “I've always thought of you as a little sister!” Jian Ning: ... When they met again, Fu Jinyan's gaze fell on the high slit of the qipao at Jian Ning's thigh. His voice was stern. “You may only wear that qipao at home.” Jian Ning glanced at Fu Jinyan's female companion, her red lips curling into a smile. In a sweet, se —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 165 A Book by Chu Mo Hua He 楮墨画鹤的一本书 [Both leads are inexperienced + sweet romance + household intrigue + historical setting + mutual secret crush + rekindled love + groveling to win her back] When Shen Yunwan first arrives in the capital, all she wants is to live quietly as a cousin in the Marquis of Zhenbei’s household. Through a twist of fate, she spends a passionate night with her older male cousin, Wei Hanzhou, even though they’ve barely exchanged a few words. If this scandal gets out, her reputation will be ruined and she’ll 46Reads6.9Score—14d adds
- 166 He's Gone! 他不在了！ When Gu Chang’an was three, his father remarried and his mother left. His family was shattered, and so was he. From then on, home was no longer Gu Chang’an’s harbor or his refuge from the storm. When he felt wronged, he had nowhere to hide. Until Ding Tingting appeared. She was like a beam of light shining down on Gu Chang’an… 716Reads8.2Score—14d adds
- 167 Soft Fishbone 软鱼刺 Yu Wen is the envied Mrs. Sheng, admired by everyone in their social circle. She plays the part of a devoted wife, living in perfect harmony with Sheng Wen. Little do they know, there is someone she has loved all her life but can never have. 2.1kReads8.6Score12514d adds
- 168 So What If I Threw Up at the Marriage Bureau? I Want a Divorce, and I Want It Now 民政局孕吐又怎样，婚说离就要离 [Both leads have only ever been with each other × One-on-one romance × Will shamelessly do anything to win his wife back × Their bodies swap for a short time] Everyone knows Xie Yuci has no feelings for his secretly married wife, including Cheng Sheng herself. She knows it perfectly well. When their two-year agreement expires, Xie Yuci doesn’t want to wait another moment. “Let’s get divorced at the civil affairs bureau tomorrow.” Cheng Sheng feels a sting in her heart, but doesn’t want to hold h 3kReads8.0Score16514d adds
- 169 Dirty Rose 脏玫瑰 A murder case eight years ago cost Wen Li everything, but with crucial evidence missing, the real culprit is still at large. Years later, she meticulously lays her plans, determined to make the killer and the accomplices who turned a blind eye pay for what they did. Xu Changchuan of the criminal investigation squad never imagined he’d end up on a blind date at a breakfast shop, only for his date to become a suspect at a case analysis meeting the very next moment. Using his position to get close 1.2kReads8.9Score15714d adds
- 170 The Day I Dropped Dead, I Sent My Boss Trending 猝死当天，我把老板送上热搜 The Day I Dropped Dead, I Sent My Boss Trending 6Reads—Score—14d adds
- 171 Front Teeth 2. 门牙2. Front Teeth 2. 16Reads—Score—14d adds
- 172 The Rich Young Masters' Plaything 贵少爷们的玩物 [Angsty Romance] [Multiple Male Leads] [Not a Clean Romance] [Exes Begging for Forgiveness] Have you ever loved someone like this? Loved every strand of his hair, every glance he gave you, so that even the most insignificant thing he said could make you feel giddy with happiness. Knowing full well he wasn't the right person, yet still throwing yourself into the flames like a moth, with no regrets even as you burned. When Cheng Xiaoxiao was eighteen, she loved someone just like that. I'm too laz 41.2kReads—Score4.2k14d adds
- 173 He Sent Her to the Crown Prince, Then Regretted It and Took Her Back by Force 亲手将她送太子，王爷后悔强夺回 Main story complete! Extras complete! The second male lead takes the crown in the main story! The extras offer a happy ending for some readers! [Angst + physical and emotional torment + possessive abduction + forced love + not mutually chaste] Sold to a brothel by her sister-in-law, Chu Niaoniao became the chosen plaything of Ji Xunzhi. He hired renowned masters to teach her music, chess, calligraphy, painting, poetry, and literature, and forced her to master dance and seduction. Yet he took eve 1.9kReads8.2Score12314d adds
- 174 After Tormenting Me, the CEO Won't Leave Me Alone and Begs to Get Back Together 虐完我后，总裁死缠烂打求复合 (Male lead suffers + both angst and sweetness + extreme possessiveness + coercive romance) Three years ago, Su Wu, the most celebrated socialite in Nan City, lost her family and everything she had. The reason: she was accused of causing Si Mulin’s sister’s death. Three years later, Si Mulin sees her with a child who looks just like a miniature version of him, but there is no longer any love for him in her eyes. “Si Mulin, I never want to see you again!” He hears Su Wu tell him, “I loved the wron 353Reads8.4Score—14d adds
- 175 Front Tooth 1 门牙1 Front Tooth 1 102Reads—Score—14d adds
- 176 On Our Wedding Night, He Sent Me to the Military Camp 大婚夜，他把我送进了军营 On Our Wedding Night, He Sent Me to the Military Camp 9.2kReads—Score16014d adds
- 177 Mr. Zhan, Stop Tormenting Me. Miss Zhuang Has Been Reborn 展总别虐了，庄小姐已重生 Zhuang Mingyue died on the anniversary of her wedding to Zhan Yan. She had been married to Zhan Yan for eight years, spending most of her life compromising and enduring, only to be thrown out in the end. After their divorce, she was diagnosed with terminal cancer. She clung to life in the hospital, hoping he would come see her one last time. Snow fell heavily. It was Valentine’s Day, but he still never came. She regretted it bitterly: “Zhan Yan… If I could start over, I would never fall in love 312Reads6.5Score12614d adds
- 178 After the Divorce, She Runs and He Chases, but She Can't Escape 离婚后，她逃他追，她插翅难飞 [Husband Chases Wife After Losing Her + Adorable Child] Chi Yanning returned to the turning point in her life from five years ago. Facing the icy man she'd crazily loved all her life in her previous one, only for him not to spare her a glance even as she died, she decided that in this life, she was done loving him! She'd been blind, and she owned it. She was done with a block of ice that couldn't be melted! She handed him the divorce papers first, then left with their baby to start a brighter li 196Reads8.7Score—14d adds
- 179 Who Says Xizhou Doesn't Understand? 谁言西洲不知意 When they first met, Gu Xizhou gave her a cold, mocking smile, with a hint of flirtation. “Miss Xu, your waist is so slender and soft. I wonder if it would break easily...” “Scoundrel!” Xu Zhiyi was furious. Later, he underestimated her and lost. “Of all the women I've met, Miss Xu is the most cunning, the most vicious, and the most ungrateful.” He gave her one last look, then disappeared into the vast snow. After many twists and turns, she eventually became his wife. After they married, he said 584Reads8.9Score10314d adds
- 180 The General Only Said He Loved Me After I Died 我死后将军才说爱我 The General Only Said He Loved Me After I Died 584Reads—Score1514d adds
- 181 Was It Just for Fun? Why Are You Crying Now That I Have a Terminal Illness? 不是玩玩而已？我得绝症你哭什么 Original title: Can You Leave a Sweet Orange by My Grave? Cool boxer bottom × seemingly nice-guy but actually wicked, flirtatious top (First person + chasing the spouse into the crematorium + melodrama + tragic ending) Li Feng is a coward. After learning he has a terminal illness, he decides to earn enough money and then die. Before then, a man named Qin Xiao suddenly barges into his life. Suddenly, he doesn’t want to die anymore. He wants to live. Just as he’s about to tell Qin Xiao ever 17.3kReads9.2Score2.3k14d adds
- 182 The Stand-In Left, Keeping the Child and Leaving the Father Behind. The CEO Panicked 替身退场去父留子，总裁急疯了 A year of marriage, and it had all been a joke. It was also the price Su Xi paid for bringing this on herself. "Let's get a divorce!" Su Xi placed the divorce papers on Fu Yanci's desk. The man's expression darkened. His voice was cool. "Su Xi, playing hard to get won't work on me." "Your true love is back. A fake like me has no place in the Fu family." Su Xi hid the fact that she was already one month pregnant and resolutely left the Fu family. Five years later, Su Xi had become a renowned inte 25.5kReads8.6Score2.4k14d adds
- 183 When Love Burns Out: Mr. Li, Be Good and Pamper Me 爱意燃尽：厉先生乖乖宠我 [A powerful, high-ranking gentleman gangster and a soft, ethereal ballet beauty] (He's great in bed and she's gentle) [Rebirth + Taking by force] In her previous life, Wen Rong had been secretly in love with Li Zhenting since high school, following him around like a little shadow for seven years. She married him and spent three years chasing after him with all her heart. To Wen Rong, he was the one who had saved her from the abyss. Only later did she realize that the most powerful and privileged 778Reads7.4Score10214d adds
- 184 Reborn, I Gave Up on My Cold-Hearted Husband, and Now He’s Desperate 重生后放弃冷心夫君他急红了眼 One-on-one romance, both leads have only each other Song Yue Bai designed a marriage to the Chief Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard to escape her predicament. For three years after their wedding, she greeted him with a smile every day and went to great lengths to please him, hoping for a husband who would care for her and share her troubles. She never managed to warm the heart of this cold-blooded man. When she was about to give birth, he broke his promise to her. In the end, this indir 2.4kReads8.7Score14314d adds
- 185 The Sweet, Gentle Secretary Is Actually the CEO's Uncontrollable Obsession 乖软秘书，竟是总裁的失控偏爱 (Both leads are inexperienced, ex-lover regret, contractual lover, rekindled romance) By day, Anna is Gu Chen's capable secretary. By night, she's his irresistible bedmate. A humiliating contract is all that stands between her and the debt she must repay to save her comatose mother. After two years of passion, he thinks it's nothing but a transaction, yet he falls deeper and deeper for her sweet but stubborn ways. When he coldly ends their “nighttime services” and his first love, Xia Ran, makes 2.5kReads7.7Score21814d adds
- 186 After Tearing Up 99 Divorce Agreements, Mr. He Turns into a Mad Dog 撕碎99份离婚协议，贺总变疯狗 After a car accident, Song Wanzhi finally saw that she wasn't the most important person in He Siheng's heart. When she lost their baby, her heart died completely, and she decided to leave. But when the proud, aloof man saw the divorce agreement, he thought she was being unreasonable. Irritated, he tore it up, caressed her face, and said, “Wanwan, stop making a fuss. I'll buy you a gift.” Her passionate love had made him think she would never leave. It was only when He Siheng saw their empty home 979Reads6.3Score10214d adds
- 187 Quick Transmigration Into a Hemorrhoid Specimen, Then Becoming a Caged Bird 快穿成痔漏标本，变囚中雀 Quick Transmigration into a Hemorrhoid Specimen, Then Becoming a Caged Bird 688Reads—Score214d adds
- 188 After Mrs. Sheng's Miscarriage, Mr. Sheng Hand-Copied Buddhist Scriptures Three Thousand Times 盛太太流产，盛总手抄佛经三千遍 [Both devoted to each other + possessive love + groveling redemption + obsessive male lead who grows more forceful + replacement lover + she suffers first, then he does] Jiang Wan has been married to Sheng Lianjue for three years, giving him her whole heart and taking meticulous care of him. In the end, she nearly dies on the operating table. She sees the truth, understands, and lets go. From then on, she’s cold and aloof, with no interest in anyone. On a night of torrential rain, the man, soake 7.3kReads5.4Score56714d adds
- 189 Held Close in Tender Warmth 温软在怀 After a sudden upheaval, Wen Qian became a child with no one to care for her. Wen Siyu brought her home and spoiled her like a little princess. As they spent their days and nights together, he cared for her tenderly, and her girlish feelings began to bloom. One night, emboldened by wine, she kissed him. Crying, she clung to him and pleaded, “Uncle, please don’t get a girlfriend.” Wen Siyu remained calm and composed. “Xiaoqian, you’re drunk.” When they met again years later at a lavish banquet, W 1.2kReads6.5Score10514d adds
- 190 How Shameless! You Asked to Break Up, Now You Want to Get Back Together? 贱不贱！你提的分手你又要求复合 [Ex-girlfriend regret and groveling + face-slapping power fantasy] Xu Yi spent seven years by the side of Huo Tingyu, the crown prince of Beijing’s elite circle. He doted on her and indulged her, turning her from a D-list actress into a hugely popular movie star. Everyone thought Huo Tingyu would never marry anyone but Xu Yi. Then, after a night of passion, he tossed her a check and broke things off. “I’m getting engaged. Don’t contact me again.” She quietly took the check, sold the villa he’d 3kReads7.3Score16814d adds
- 191 The Taking 欲夺 [Extreme push and pull + flirtatious games + BE, proceed with caution] Fei Yu had seen women try to seduce his good third brother, Fei Xiaochuan, before. But Xia Shu was the first one who’d also had a history with him. Fei Yu admitted that men were born bad, and that he had a bit of a cruel streak. He would even offer her pointers now and then on her grand plan. “He doesn’t like red.” “If you want to seduce Fei Xiaochuan, you’ll have to put in some effort to learn what he likes.” “He has his own 1.6kReads9.0Score15114d adds
- 192 Stop Torturing Her, Young Master Lu: Three Men Proposed After She Left 陆少别虐了，分手后她被三人求娶 Song Zhiyu stood by Lu Heyang for ten years, accompanying him from having nothing to basking in glory. He kept putting off making good on his promise to marry her and tangled with other women, while she clung to their past until she drove herself half-mad. Then, during yet another argument, Lu Heyang said coldly, “Even your own parents don’t want you. Why should I?” At last, Song Zhiyu realized he was no longer the boy who had once loved her more than life itself. She finally gave up on him, tur 57Reads—Score—14d adds
- 193 After I Gave Up Loving Him, My CEO Husband Regretted It 我放弃爱他后，总裁老公后悔了 After I Gave Up on Loving Him, My CEO Husband Regretted It 33Reads—Score314d adds
- 194 A Tamed Relationship 驯养关系 [Domineering, short-tempered heir to a powerful family × clear-headed, rational lawyer. The male lead is not chaste and acts like a total jerk and a shameless playboy early on. A true rogue-turned-devoted-lover story.] [Content warnings: 1. Lots of mistresses, so avoid if that bothers you. 2. The male lead has a fiancée. 3. The female lead is incredibly lucky, to an absurd degree, and somewhat saintly. 4. An unapologetically brainless wish-fulfillment story.] Jiang Wan went to Lu Huaiqi for mone 90Reads9.2Score—14d adds
- 195 The Shattered Glaze: A Song of the Marquis's Household 琉璃碎侯门赋 She was the legitimate daughter of the Shen family, renowned for its silk weaving in Jiangnan. When her family was suddenly destroyed, she became the lowest-ranking scullery maid in the marquis’s residence. He was Xie Heng, heir to the Marquis of Zhenbei, Beijing’s most celebrated young gentleman, cool and noble, with a beloved cousin he had been engaged to since childhood. When they first met, her face was smeared with mud. He casually lifted her chin. “That face of yours is an eyesore.” He tre 960Reads—Score11414d adds
- 196 He Fell Like Fireworks 他似烟火陨落 He was like a firework, bursting brilliantly into her world before plunging resolutely into darkness once he burned out, leaving her alone in the long night to savor that fleeting warmth again and again. Shen Zhi is a literature student with a sweet face and an innocent nature. She believes love should be as pure and enduring as gardenias. When she meets Lu Siheng, a handsome, wealthy upperclassman who radiates dangerous charm, she thinks she is the exception fate has chosen. He holds an umbrell 59Reads5.5Score114d adds
- 197 Bittersweet Peach 蜜桃微苦 After graduating from college, Pu Lanyi moves to Jiangzhou alone, a big city where desire and dreams intertwine. She has a secret quirk: whenever she's in a relationship, she keeps a few peach-flavored hard candies in her pocket. Before every kiss with her boyfriend, she feeds him one herself. To save money, she finds a room in a shared apartment in Xingluoli, a neighborhood where celebrities live. Her roommate is Wen Senyi, an unknown actor from the lowest tier of the industry. He has played bi 213Reads—Score—14d adds
- 198 Only Idle Mortals Dream of You 唯梦闲人不梦君 Before the divorce. “Prince Consort, this osmanthus cake…” “Leave it aside.” “The princess sent it…” “Throw it away!” “Prince Consort, today is your birthday. The princess sent you this gold-threaded robe.” “Burn it.” “Prince Consort, the princess wishes to see you…” “Get out!” After the divorce. “Your Majesty, these almond pastries…” “How could I, the mighty ruler of an entire nation, eat something like this!” “Miss Mo sent them on her way…” “How could I, the mighty ruler of an entire nation, b 870Reads6.9Score10414d adds
- 199 I Burn Brighter Than the Sun 我比骄阳炙热 [Youth + redemption + obsession + pure love + winning her back + happy ending] She poured out all her passion and all her pride, only to get one answer from Zhou Jiaze: “I’m sorry. I can’t leave her alone.” She pulled him out of the mire, only to fall into an abyss from which there was no escape. Nian Cen: “This was never a love that could come true. I crossed ten countries and flew over 19.88 million feet of oceans and mountains, all because I wanted to forget. It took me a long time to underst 53Reads5.5Score—14d adds
- 200 Middle-Aged and Still at Sea, I Was Forced to Become a Web Novel Superstar 中年不惑，我被迫成为网文大神 Real Life + Urban Fantasy Chen Wang was turning forty this year. Today was his birthday, and as it happened, he had also been laid off. Back home, he threw himself onto the sofa and pulled out his phone. He opened a novel-reading app. It had been his habit for over ten years. He read everything: wuxia, fantasy, urban fiction, historical novels. When the workshop got too noisy, he'd spend his lunch break crouched outside reading. When he couldn't sleep at night, he'd turn off the sound and read i 24Reads—Score—14d adds
