Novels like Love Among the Mountains and Rivers
Books Chinese readers most often put in the same booklists as Love Among the Mountains and Rivers, best match first.
- 1 The Story of Fei Xin’s Daughter 飞新的女传 [Marriage + Domestic Abuse + Divorce + Blind Date + Online Romance + Finding True Love + Sweet Romance + Silent Treatment] At twenty, Fei Xin was set up by her parents, went on a blind date, got married, suffered domestic abuse, and divorced. At twenty-three, she met an online boyfriend five years younger than her. They got married and had a child! Married Life + Sweet Romance + Silent Treatment —Reads—Score—Shelves
- 2 A Comeback: The Most Thrilling Lives Belong to Those Who Never Give Up! 逆袭，不服输的人生最精彩！ Hua Feng was on the verge of reaching the pinnacle of his life. But overnight, not only did his beautiful wife run off with a pretty boy, the woman also made off with the millions he had scraped together through countless hardships, leaving nothing but a complete mess... Life’s dramatic ups and downs came far too quickly. He could only start over from scratch! Want to laugh at me? Get lost! What, you want me to back down? Who do you think you are? Keep dreaming! Watch as a man who has hit rock b 107Reads—Score—Shelves
- 3 Repayment Countdown 还款倒计时 Countdown to Repayment tells the story of Chen Yizhou, an ordinary man struggling between desire and reality. Chen Yizhou is an average office worker in Jiangcheng, working hard to make ends meet. He and his wife and son squeeze into an old rental apartment, living a simple but warm life. At a class reunion, Zhao Yu, the class heartthrob, paints a startup dream so alluring that Chen Yizhou is drawn in. Trying to raise the investment money, he plunges into the world of online loans. Then Zhao Yu 1Reads—Score—Shelves
- 4 The Maid in the Presidential Suite 总统套房的女佣 Born into poverty, a young woman heads south to the city to support her family. She takes a job as a room attendant at a five-star hotel, making beds, cleaning toilets, and vacuuming every day. Along the way, she gets entangled with several male guests and attracts their attention. Naive and inexperienced, she tries to change her fate, but gradually loses her way in the city of desire... 253Reads6.5Score—Shelves
- 5 Real Life: A Middle Schooler's Journey as a Writer 真实人生：一个初中生的写作路 A real life, a painful past: I grew up poor and frail, plagued by illness. At fifteen, I dropped out of school and began pursuing my literary dream at home. After having my work rejected time and again, I finally saw my first-ever piece published. It also became the last thing I ever published in print. Then I turned to the internet and began my journey as a web novelist. 25Reads8.0Score—Shelves
- 6 By the Lotus-Picking Lake 采莲湖畔 [1980s | Rural Coal Mines | The Struggles of an Ordinary Man] In 1991, by the shores of Lianhua Lake in southern Shandong, Zheng Qiang grew up in the countryside. His father worked in the coal mines year-round, while his mother held the family together on her own. The mine's coal dust bore witness to his youth. After graduating from vocational school, he returned home to teach in a village. His meager salary left him facing a choice: Was staying behind in the countryside a way to repay his fami 2Reads—Score—Shelves
- 7 The Candied Hawthorn Skewer Pierces Through 冰糖葫芦竹签儿穿 My new book is out! Everyone is welcome to read it on Tomato Novel. The story is based on real experiences. I'm writing it carefully, and the process has been smooth, without writer's block or made-up details. These experiences are like candied hawthorn skewers: the bamboo sticks pierced my body, yet became the backbone of my life. I hope this honest, heartfelt story brings you joy. Reading brings insight, and I hope you find your own independent perspective along the way. 4Reads—Score—Shelves
- 8 The Loves of Women 女人们的爱情 Women’s Love: Family Memories Across Time is a long-form work of documentary fiction by Hen Jiangyin. Based on true stories from the author’s own family and enriched by extensive interviews with local people, it focuses on the Zhang, Xia, and Li families, vividly tracing the lives of the four Li sisters, the six Xia siblings, and the three Zhang brothers. Their stories are full of twists and turns and deeply moving moments, leaving a lasting impression. The women’s love stories are especially st 2Reads—Score—Shelves
- 9 The City of Woven Sand 织沙之城 [The first online novel set in Nansha District, Guangzhou, the heart of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. A 2023 key project supported by the China Writers Association] A heroine’s coming-of-age story + the gentle flow of everyday life + women’s entrepreneurship What is home? What does one’s hometown mean? As the Pearl River rushes toward the sea, Mai Jiaying, a post-90s small-town exam ace, grows tired of her salt-scented, out-of-the-way hometown. All she wants is to fly to the ca 6Reads—Score—Shelves
- 10 Our Long River of Years 我们的岁月长河 Our Long River of Years is divided into three parts. Following the ordinary lives of three generations of Zhao Jiafu’s family, railway workers, it spans from the 1950s to the 2020s. It recounts the joys and sorrows, happiness and heartbreak, and everyday troubles experienced by the three generations of the Zhao family and the ordinary people around them over the long river of time. It depicts the turbulent lives of ordinary people as the times change and society develops. Time flows like a river 180Reads—Score—Shelves
- 11 Her Game 她的局 She left Beijing with her child and began living apart from her husband. She thought her in-laws back in their hometown would lend a hand, but her overbearing father-in-law pressured her to have another baby because he wanted a grandson. Her mother-in-law had spent her whole life obeying him and hardly dared to resist. After living apart for so long, her husband became infatuated with his beautiful boss. What was she supposed to do... Her parents were disabled. Her mother had risked her life to 360Reads—Score—Shelves
- 12 They All Call Me a Fool 他们都叫我傻子 [Childhood, school, love, memories, partings and deaths, reflections on life] When I was young, I thought that if I stuck with something, I could surely make it happen. Only later did I understand that everything ultimately comes down to fate. When Cao Lina and I hooked pinkies and made our promise, I was sure I could keep it. In the end, though, nothing went as I had hoped. When Han Jiayi told me, “I’ll wait for you at university,” all that awaited us in the end was a curtain call and a crowd d 3Reads—Score—Shelves
- 13 Wading Across the River of Life 趟过人生河 Ren Tianxing was born into humble circumstances, yet he defied the odds. Hoping to change his lot in life, he endured hardship after hardship... only to be left with regrets... This novel pays tribute to all those who spend years away from home, working to support their families. You work so hard. Like all of you, the protagonist Ren Tianxing lives far from home, drifting and wandering through a life at the very bottom, yet he keeps striving... —Reads7.0Score—Shelves
- 14 Shuying Carves Out Her Own Place Amid the Mess of Married Life 淑英在婚姻鸡毛中闯出姐的一片天 A child who never felt loved by their parents believes that the small kindnesses shown by Zhou Xiaotian, the man they meet as an adult, are love. Desperate to hold on to happiness, they never expect Zhou Xiaotian to change completely on their wedding day! The heroine, Shuying, keeps yielding, only to face increasingly brutal beatings and insults. When she finally comes to her senses, the true face of Zhou Xiaotian, the man before her, is gradually revealed. Shuying begins a struggle to resist he —Reads—Score—Shelves
- 15 The Pure Wife Awakens 纯妻觉醒 [Romance]+ [Family and everyday life]+ [Self-awakening and ambition]+ [Urban life] Pure-hearted Liu Zi married Yu Feipeng, a classmate she'd had a crush on for years. She thought their marriage was solid, but her masseuse, Xiao Ling, had her eye on her husband. Yu Feipeng fell deep into Xiao Ling's gentle trap and went out of his way to trample on and humiliate Liu Zi… When Liu Zi finally fought back, she discovered that the pure, innocent flower her husband saw in Xiao Ling was actually filthy 43Reads—Score—Shelves
- 16 It's Only Fifty 不过是五十而已 An inspirational, unyielding story of midlife crisis, workplace struggles, bank managers and tellers, married life, and everyday urban life. This book tells the story of Huang Wenxue, a bank manager facing a midlife crisis. She is at that awkward age when she is considered too old to find a new job, yet still too young to retire. How will she answer the unavoidable questions surrounding her career, marriage, family, children, and caring for her aging parents? Even in middle age, even when confro 452Reads8.9Score—Shelves
- 17 Peeping: The Butterfly Effect 偷窥之蝴蝶效应 The male lead is a complete loser. By chance, he discovers a female colleague's secret, turning his work and personal life upside down. Two mature adults with sharp minds and social skills engage in an intense game of push and pull. Love begins for reasons unknown and grows deeper with every passing day: they love and are loved, hurt and are hurt, grow through their pain, then fade from one another's memories. This is also the story of an ordinary worker's growth. 472Reads6.7Score—Shelves
- 18 The River at the Village Entrance 村口那条河 I once thought this river would flow forever, until that summer, when it carried away every secret and brought new stories in their place. 6Reads—Score—Shelves
- 19 The Victor Becomes King, the Loser a Bandit: The Story of Today 成王败寇话今朝 This book tells the story of three generations from the Chen and Liu families of Chenjiashan, Liuyang County, in northern Sichuan, from 1958 to 2007, tracing how their fortunes rose and fell amid the country’s development and changing times. Through the eyes of two ordinary families, it records the migration of people brought about by rural urbanization, beginning with the First Five-Year Plan. It recounts the course of reform, from the rural household responsibility system and the contracting o 7Reads—Score—Shelves
- 20 Us in Xiangyang Lane 向阳里的我们 [#Real life, #warm neighborhood stories, #healing family bonds, #raising a child and turning life around] Delivery worker Wang Xiaojun had a pain he couldn't put into words: his six-year-old son Xiaobao lived in his own world, like a star. One moment of carelessness nearly resulted in Xiaobao getting lost, sending the entire Xingfuli residential community into chaos. The incident tore open the cracks in Wang Xiaojun and his wife Li Xiujuan's strained marriage, while also revealing the troubles 16Reads—Score—Shelves
- 21 Who Hasn’t Dated a Jerk or Two? Growing Up 谁不经历几个渣男：长大成人 Who doesn’t have to go through a few jerks on the way to growing up? This book explores women’s emotional growth. Drawing mostly on the author’s own experiences and reflections on love, and shaped with literary embellishment, it presents five stages of women’s emotional growth in the hope of offering a little guidance to women who feel lost. 122Reads—Score—Shelves
- 22 A Media Veteran's Career Change in a New Era 传媒老兵降维求职记 If you're looking for a job, about to start looking, or planning to switch jobs, this one's for you! This novel is based on real people's experiences of falling into job-hunting traps. It's practically an online job seeker's guide to spotting scams and avoiding pitfalls. Read Tomato Novel and learn how to protect yourself from fraud. It's fun and useful, a win-win. Dong Shizhang and Zong Jinli's media company is on the verge of collapse, and the online loans they took out are coming due. With no 1Reads—Score—Shelves
- 23 Breaking Free 逃离束缚 Su Yu and Tang Yilan met on a blind date arranged by their university professor. After spending some time together, they both decided they liked each other, so they went to meet each other’s parents. At first, everything seemed to go smoothly, but after they got married, they argued over whether to rent a place of their own. Su Yu also has an older brother, Su Lun, who has been married to Zhao Yanan for years, but still has no children of his own. After finally getting married, Tang Yilan reali 1Reads—Score—Shelves
- 24 The Watcher in the Wheat Fields 麦苗田里的守望者 I'll never forget that rainy summer night. The rain had turned the village's dirt roads to mud. One step could sink you in up to your calves. Clutching half a candle, I hurried home, stumbling through the muck, my heart pounding like I had a rabid rabbit inside me. Mom had promised she'd be home before dark, but it was already nine o'clock. 4Reads—Score—Shelves
- 25 The Woman Beneath the Pear Blossom Tree 梨花树下的女人 [No rebirth + farming + married first, love later + making money] One is a cripple mocked by everyone, and the other is a woman sold off by her own parents. Chunhong initially wants to live like other country women, raising children and taking care of her husband, but life is always full of ups and downs, and one troublesome problem after another keeps coming. How will the couple deal with it all? This is the story of an ordinary life that carries on, told here for you. 2.9kReads8.0Score352Shelves
- 26 The Abandoned Wife Xiumi: Painting Smiles with Tears 弃妇秀米：蘸着眼泪画笑容 Xiumi's story is based on the true story of my neighbor's mother and was adapted with her permission. At seventeen, Xiumi became an abandoned wife just six months after getting married. Her husband ran away with someone else, and Xiumi gave birth to his child. Decades later, Xiumi had seen her parents-in-law off and raised her daughter. Her daughter was studying for a master's degree in Shanghai, while Xiumi remained in the old house until her husband returned... But after coming back, her husba 11Reads—Score—Shelves
- 27 The Working World: A Close-Up Look at 10 True Workplace Stories 职人江湖：直击10段真实职场故事 A look at the hidden side of all kinds of modern professions: a restaurant chef’s secrets, a bar hostess’s romance, a down-and-out painter’s means of survival, online scammers’ traps and lies, a tour guide’s life in chains, counterfeit money production, beauty and ugliness beneath the surgeon’s scalpel... Beneath those glossy surfaces may lie a stubborn struggle, covered in mud! Told in the first person, this takes you face-to-face with lives that are both harshly real and fiercely alive. 97Reads9.3Score—Shelves
- 28 Dustbound Love, Nan Nan 尘缘楠楠 The marriage between Chen Yuan and Nannan, the everyday business of rice, oil, salt, soy sauce, vinegar, and tea, and all the twists and turns of life, its sour, sweet, bitter, spicy, and salty moments, a jumble of emotions... [Urban Life] [Married Life] [Ordinary Lives] 12Reads8.4Score—Shelves
- 29 What the Village Beauty Can't Say 村花不能说的事 The village beauty is the dream goddess all the men in the village adore. What secrets will she experience after she gets married, the kind no one can talk about? She's so beautiful. Will married life bring her happiness and bliss? 2.2kReads6.6Score139Shelves
- 30 Romance on the Construction Site 工地韵事 Ten years working on construction sites not only enriched my résumé, but also broadened my horizons. Among the many stories I witnessed were romances between men and women, including plenty of moving, devoted relationships worthy of praise. There were young couples who drifted apart, and disabled husbands whose wives never abandoned them. Some stayed faithful for years, only to see everything fall apart in a single day. A young man who had wandered aimlessly for more than twenty years finally fo 175Reads—Score—Shelves
- 31 A History of the Death of Idealism 理想主义消亡史 [No transmigration], [No cheats or System], [Realistic], [No feel-good wish fulfillment], [Deep-dive into the inside story], [Scheming] Medical investment is an obscure industry with a lot of hidden complexities. Yan Hui is a professional in the field, as well as an idealist. But as time goes by and circumstances change, his life and work gradually slip beyond his control. (A song will be included in the author’s notes for each chapter. It will relate to the chapter, directly or indirectly, obje 1Reads—Score—Shelves
- 32 Beyond the Walls, Where Do We Go? 围墙之外，何去何从 [No fixed couples, and readers with strong moral qualms should stay away! This novel loves pairing people in unexpected ways, and the ex-husband eventually becomes the son-in-law!] [All kinds of tangled relationships, mutual scheming, love and hate, but in the end everyone gets a happy ending!] [Everyone’s status gets reshuffled, and each person finds their own path to happiness! Hahaha~~] She watches her husband give her the green hat, then returns the favor in kind. Life is this thrilling, and 33Reads—Score—Shelves
- 33 A Collection of Modern Shanghai Stories 上海现代故事集 Volume Two: A New Shanghai Mom. She has a second child, a son and a daughter, though her daughter’s troubles in middle school already have her at her wits’ end. She used to think she’d be happy as long as she had a modestly comfortable life, and at least she could count on her husband. But then her deranged sister-in-law shows up and turns both families’ lives into a complete mess! Volume One: An only daughter who has been abroad for twenty years rushes back to Shanghai to claim her grandmother 208Reads—Score—Shelves
- 34 In Search of Happiness 寻找幸福 This story follows three close friends and the ups and downs of their marriages and family lives. No matter what hardships they face, they keep searching for happiness in their own ways. How will each of their stories end? 6Reads6.6Score—Shelves
- 35 Running Toward the Exit 寻着出口奔跑 In life, everyone has to grow sharp horns and iron hooves, and put on armor. Even if you’re weak, you have to try to become stronger. There are too many things in this world that can hurt you. Even if you never learn to hurt others, you must learn to protect yourself, so you can protect the people you care about. No matter how many difficulties you face, don’t back down. Summon every last bit of fighting spirit and make sure those who have always wanted to see you fail never get the satisfaction 1Reads—Score—Shelves
- 36 Waiting for the Wind in Guangzhou 羊城等风来 (This is not a cuckold story.) (This is not a wish-fulfillment story.) My childhood sweetheart, whom I’d been married to for a year, divorced me and made me take the blame for the breakup! I let you fly free, and I’ll bear the pain! Then a mysterious young girl barged into my life. From that moment on, the wheels of fate began to turn, and I gradually fell into one trap and conspiracy after another. Can ordinary people really never defeat the authorities? 83Reads5.0Score—Shelves
- 37 Simple-Minded Ni 憨妮 Hanni is a woman who seems a little dim-witted to outsiders. She marries three men: the first is an ordinary man, the second a tycoon, and the third a young hoodlum. This is the story of her and the people around her, and how Hanni changes her fate... 77Reads7.0Score—Shelves
- 38 My Flash-Marriage Husband's Love Has Me Spoiled and Proud 闪婚老公的爱让我恃宠而骄 She, Xu Mengyao, a cool, beautiful woman who was once the goddess of first love in everyone's eyes, planned to marry her boyfriend of four years, Chen Hao, after becoming pregnant. But his mother broke them up. He, Li Yuanjun, a warm-hearted man, met Xu Mengyao, a bridesmaid, at a friend's wedding, and fell for her at first sight. Handsome and sunny, Li Yuanjun eventually won Xu Mengyao over with his sincerity. A month later, they had a whirlwind wedding and registered their marriage. After the 22Reads—Score—Shelves
- 39 That Boy Was My First Love 那个男孩，是我初恋 ❗️❗️❗️Dating in your teens may be wrong, but first love is never a mistake. Pen pals, QQ, school arts festivals, basketball, little handheld phones, red date rice balls... This is a story about first love. Deng Yang and Zhang Yan: three years of first love, and never a reunion. The streets they walked side by side, the hands they held, and their first kiss tasting of cake became the gentlest echoes in their memories of days gone by. People say first love is a regret born of youthful chaos. But w 10Reads—Score—Shelves
- 40 A Small-Town Story at Full Speed 小城故事一路狂奔 Having grown up without a father's love, he once had a happy family and a steady career. Then, out of nowhere, he got divorced, lost his job, and was plagued by nightmares. His life hit rock bottom. At his lowest point, he chose to start a business and met her while she was working a part-time job. Fate had other plans: after a change in her mother's identity came to light, she became a wealthy heiress. He raced toward love, never wavering in his devotion despite repeated romantic setbacks. On —Reads—Score—Shelves
- 41 The Desperate Wife 绝望的妻子 Housewife Li Wenqing had been living a comfortable, affluent life. She had an adorable son and got along well with her stepdaughter. But on the eve of their seventh wedding anniversary, Li Wenqing discovered that her husband was having an affair. Longing for a whole and happy family, she endured a painful inner struggle and hoped her husband would see the error of his ways and return to the family. Instead, he went down a path of no return. Betrayed by her husband and stabbed in the back by her 179Reads7.2Score—Shelves
- 42 A Fairy Tale for Myself 给自己的童话 A car accident unexpectedly sends me transmigrating back eleven years, and I immediately get to work on my money-making plans: e-commerce, wedding planning, real estate speculation, beauty reviews... I also want to make short videos and sell products through livestreams. I'm going to reclaim all the love and career opportunities I lost over the years. This time, can I give myself a fairy-tale ending? —Reads—Score—Shelves
- 43 Half a Life as a Boy 男孩子的半生 It's strange, they say that those with no close relatives are destined for a hard life. Zihan never knew who his father was, and when he was six, his mother secretly hopped on a train and ran off to Shandong. From then on, Zihan was raised by his grandmother. She was running a steamed-bun shop with his eldest aunt, so neither of them really had time to look after him. When he reached school age, his uncle by marriage rode an old bicycle, taking Zihan and his older sister to preschool. From then —Reads—Score—Shelves
- 44 Fired for Refusing to Frame Patients, I Became a Lawyer and Took Down My Former Hospital 不会坑病人被开除，转行当律师闪击前医院 He refused to mistreat patients and got fired, so he switched careers to become a lawyer and launched an attack on his former hospital. —Reads—Score—Shelves
- 45 When the Music Ends, We Part: Part One 曲终人散第一部 The protagonist, Chongzi, is a terrible person! Because of relevant laws and regulations, I can't fully write about just how terrible he is. So the ending he gets is only to be expected. This is an ordinary, unremarkable story, not a power fantasy and unrelated to transmigration. It's so ordinary you could see something like it happening in everyday life. It might not be very appealing, but the author did their best. This is the best I can do. If you think it's decent, look for the second book, 8Reads—Score—Shelves
- 46 The Insider 内部人士 In the early 21st century, China’s real estate economy was booming. Many ordinary people caught a favorable wave amid the great tides of history and amassed considerable wealth. The protagonist is an average person with no particular gifts, but as he grows, he continually learns from the wisdom of those around him, including some truly remarkable people. Through constant learning and reflection, he eventually develops a unique kind of wisdom and achieves success of his own. It seems as though fa 10Reads—Score—Shelves
- 47 The Meaning of Happiness 幸福的标准 Ye Han and He Junshan are, in everyone’s eyes, the perfect love story from campus to the altar. But how can a marriage keep feelings safe from the wear and tear of everyday life? Even their careers are gradually facing new crises… 67Reads—Score—Shelves
- 48 A Single Mother’s Road to Redemption 一个单亲妈妈的救赎之路 I was a woman left single, and by the time I reached middle age, becoming a single mother was bound to turn my life upside down. At the halfway point of life, I’ve been through everything you can imagine, and even things you can’t. So what? The middle of life is a battlefield, and I am a shield, guarding a corner of tenderness amid the chaos. Halfway through life, I’ll be my own rock, pressing forward through disorder, gentle yet strong. Through half a lifetime of storms, I give it everything. A 2Reads—Score—Shelves
- 49 Housewife: My Husband Wants a Divorce 家庭主妇：老公想离婚 Chen Mofei is the head of the hospital's gynecology department, and Tao Yan is a housewife. They were once a harmonious couple, but Tao Yan has a sharp tongue and a kind heart. Her cutting, hurtful words repeatedly push her husband's patience to the limit... The messy, petty troubles of ordinary people! The story takes its time getting going. I hope you'll enjoy it! 2Reads—Score—Shelves
- 50 Slightly Downcast: Deleting My Love-Brain 轻颓：删除恋爱脑 [Period Novel] [Realistic Fiction] [Women’s Growth] [Family Life] [Literary] Northeast China at the end of the last century. Su Qing (Qing), a 26-year-old cashier at a state-owned enterprise, is burned badly by her obsession with romance: blind dates bring one oddball after another, and her husband cheats on her. Her in-laws find fault with everything she does, the state-owned enterprise undergoes restructuring and offers buyouts of years of service, and she faces constant trouble at work. In th 1Reads—Score—Shelves
