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.
- 51 The Runaway Housewife 逃跑的家庭主妇 At forty, Su Meng was manipulated by her husband into having a second child. Her younger daughter’s birth was an impulsive decision, and the start of a nightmarish life. Standing on the balcony of her home on the eighteenth floor, she suddenly thought that jumping might be the only way to find true release… The loneliness, helplessness, pessimism, despair, and weariness with everything made her realize she was ill, seriously ill. And the only thing that might cure her was to run away… Escape, ge 1.1kReads—Score102Shelves
- 52 A Stepfather Is Like a Dog 继父如狗 A love story about a man who gives everything for love. Newly married, he takes a second-hand wife with a son, and from then on, muddles his way into becoming a man treated like a dog. Based on a true story, this book perfectly captures the awkward position of a stepfather, as well as human selfishness and the sorrow of marriage. 51Reads—Score—Shelves
- 53 King of the Reverse Scales 逆鳞之王 1Reads—Score—Shelves
- 54 The Rise and Fall of Rongcheng: A Life of Gambling and Dust 蓉城浮沉：半生赌与尘 Set in Chengdu from 2005 to 2025, this novel follows the life of Xiao Bei, an ordinary man swept up in the tides of the times. The story revolves around secondhand home sales, gambling at arcades, jianghu feuds, real estate investment, and business rivalries. Woven through it all are Xiao Bei and Xiao Bai’s rise to success and fall into hardship, alongside vivid characters like Yejigong, Bang Ye, Long Ge, and Su Wan. Facing the clash between desire, loyalty, and human nature head-on, the novel c 6Reads—Score—Shelves
- 55 Back on My Feet: I Paid Off 500,000 Yuan in Online Loans with My Own Hands 上岸：我靠双手还清五十万网贷 On a farm in Northeast China, Wang Chen, a 33-year-old married farmer, falls deeper and deeper into online-loan debt as he struggles to pay for his daughter's medical treatment and keep his agricultural business running. This is the story of how he eventually turns his desperate situation around. —Reads—Score—Shelves
- 56 My Wife Didn't Reply for Three Minutes, So I Cut Ties with Her 媳妇三分钟不回我消息，我直接断绝关系 My Wife Didn’t Reply for Three Minutes, So I Cut Ties with Her on the Spot 1Reads—Score—Shelves
- 57 My Mother-in-Law Forgot She Was Once a Daughter-in-Law Too 婆婆忘了自己曾经也是媳 The moment a woman marries into her husband’s family, she is sincere and wholehearted in the way she treats her in-laws. Yet some mothers-in-law insist their daughters-in-law go through the same hardships they once endured. They suffered as daughters-in-law themselves, so why make life hard for another woman? In the phrase “mother-in-law and daughter-in-law,” the mother-in-law comes first. If she can’t be a good mother-in-law, how can she expect a good daughter-in-law? Relationships go both ways 96Reads—Score—Shelves
- 58 In Tribute to Our Middle-Aged Years 致敬我们的中年岁月 This is a contemporary urban novel inspired by and shaped from real life. There are no golden fingers, supernatural powers, or wild flights of fancy. Readers who enjoy realistic urban life are welcome to read and follow along. Yao Chen and Piao Zong were classmates in middle school, good friends and close buddies, but they fell out over love. Ten years ago, Piao Zong took advantage of the situation and violated Yao Chen’s wife, Bai Jingjing, who died by suicide after being dishonored. The two me 55Reads—Score—Shelves
- 59 A Woman's Perspective 女性视角 Three women make quite a show. Two of them were once best friends, then became rivals in love. To see the world of men clearly, they even join forces once more. Together, the three women see through not only the men’s business dealings, but also the hypocrisy, cunning, and schemes behind them... Once they see the truth, they’ll take back what belongs to them and make those who hurt them pay… When the dust settles, whether they acted out of helplessness or took matters into their own hands, th 3Reads—Score—Shelves
- 60 An Ordinary Person's Unordinary Journey Through Life 平凡人不甘平凡的人生路 An ordinary person’s life has its occasional ups and downs, but where does a life without guidance lead? After three years working in a factory, a twist of fate sends him into real estate brokerage! He grows immensely proud after enjoying some of the real estate boom. But after the tide goes out, how will he face the decline and deal with family, love, and friendship? This is your story, and it’s mine too. So I’ve heard... 14Reads—Score—Shelves
- 61 A Working Girl’s Life Through Wind and Rain 打工女孩的风雨人生路 In the 1990s, a wave of migrant workers swept across the country, and countless young people left their hometowns for the big cities. The dazzling neon lights of the metropolis conjured one fantasy after another, while burying the youth of so many. Longing for a fresh start, the naive young Zhou Jie joined the great wave heading south. From getting a factory job to running away, from falling on hard times to fighting her way forward, she had to tread carefully at every step. She thought that a 267Reads8.2Score—Shelves
- 62 Marriage Before Love: Mr. Fu’s Beloved 先婚后爱：付先生的掌心宠 Because of her family background, Xiang Zhaozhao had always been determined never to marry. That same family background left her with no choice but to compromise and go on a blind date with Fu Shiyu. Xiang Zhaozhao thought their marriage would be nothing more than two people sharing a life. She never imagined it would turn out so blissful and sweet! A love story about a first-generation entrepreneur and a woman marrying later in life! 1.1kReads8.7Score119Shelves
- 63 Running Toward the Far Side of the Mountain 向山那边奔跑 Why we recommend it: This is an uplifting novel for young readers... A story that helps children develop a better understanding of growing up. Life is full of all kinds of challenges, and this book teaches readers how to think clearly and face them with optimism and a positive attitude… Synopsis: The protagonist, Xiaoyong, grew up without a father, born at the foot of the mountains and subjected to endless humiliation. He has many battles of wits along the way. The brief time he spends livin 1Reads—Score—Shelves
- 64 The Hidden Wife 隐妻 [The comic adaptation is now available! Tap “Adaptation Theater” in the lower-right corner of any page of this book to watch instantly. The original novel and short drama each have their own appeal. Share it with your friends!] No rebirth, no transmigration, and no System golden finger, just the true golden years of an entire generation! Having fled an arranged marriage, he joins the tide of migrant workers heading south. In a southern metropolis brimming with both opportunity and challenges, he 805Reads6.2Score104Shelves
- 65 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. 127Reads—Score—Shelves
- 66 Nothing Major in Life 人生无大事 I was born in the abyss and raised in the netherworld. Lost, struggling, helpless, despairing. The hardships along the way shaped my body and mind. When everything had finally calmed down, when spring had come and flowers were blooming, when everything was just right, I finally reached the most important moment of my life. 3.8kReads8.1Score409Shelves
- 67 Stories from the Construction Site 工地上的那些事儿 [No System, entirely hand-written. Men and women on a construction site, struggling to survive in the workplace.] They say construction sites are chaotic, women are scarce, and beautiful women are even rarer. After graduating from college, I started working at a construction site. On my very first day, I met Sister Xiaoya, who was already married, and accidentally offended the site boss. It turned out that the construction site held more than just men and women. There were also stories few peopl 10.9kReads7.5Score835Shelves
- 68 Secrets in the Rose Villa 蔷薇别墅里的秘密 Chen Xiaorong was born in the countryside. Her parents didn’t love her, and her prospective in-laws were all awful people. She was clever and decisive, beautiful and poised, and brimming with ambition. She earned top marks to get into university, but nobody supported her. She was willing to run away from her wedding and travel far from home to study on her own. The road ahead was difficult. When she faced endless darkness, the warmth he gave her became a ray of light that illuminated her heart. 12.6kReads8.8Score737Shelves
- 69 A Woman from a Poor Family 寒门女人 (Family melodrama + romance + revenge) Bai Xue's birth brought her mother untold hardship. Crushed by feudal beliefs, she and her mother struggled just to breathe, hoping to escape that man's clutches as soon as they could. Overwhelmed with grief, she could no longer face the love her boyfriend gave her. Every day was agony, and the hatred in her heart drove her to swear she would find the man who had violated her and make him pay. Will she find him? What will become of her and her boyfriend? R 2.2kReads9.0Score264Shelves
- 70 On the Seventh Day of the New Year, I Poured My Life into a Nongfu Spring Bottle 正月初七，我把人生倒进了农夫山泉瓶 On the seventh day of the first lunar month, I poured my life into a Nongfu Spring bottle. 4Reads—Score—Shelves
- 71 My Tenth Year as a Simp 我当舔狗的第十年 Mo Ziyan screamed because Yang Dun had knocked her to the ground, and the fall hurt. Yang Dun screamed because he had accidentally pressed his hand against Mo Ziyan’s chest... Embarrassed, Yang Dun quickly scrambled to his feet, then awkwardly helped Mo Ziyan up. But Mo Ziyan thought Yang Dun had knocked her down on purpose. “Team Leader Yang, how could you be so naughty? You told me to stand right here and not move, but it turns out you were lining me up so you could knock me over!?” —Reads—Score—Shelves
- 72 The Distance of Love Is Just Right 爱的距离刚刚好 Yu Kai saw the morning light streaming through the skylight fall across Qi Ji's face. Her eyes lowered slightly, and her long lashes veiled them like a mist. Her smooth forehead, straight, graceful nose, and faintly upturned lips formed a delicate, alluring profile in the sunlight. With her gaze lowered yet oblivious to everyone around her, she walked briskly past Yu Kai toward the South District office, her steps light but purposeful. A breeze followed in her wake, lifting her shoulder-length s 15Reads8.2Score—Shelves
- 73 An Unlawful Marriage 不法婚姻 This is a slice-of-life story that doesn’t follow conventional web-novel genre formulas. One unmarried woman is devoted to a married man, while another woman, his wife, swears to defend her rights and dignity. In the end, the devoted woman cannot let go of her obsession, while the woman who fought for her dignity lets go of hers and frees herself. 6Reads—Score—Shelves
- 74 Fallen into the Mortal World 坠落红尘间 His father is critically ill, and she can’t scrape together the money to save him. A poor college girl grits her teeth and steps into the late-night world of KTV! She masks her youth with cigarettes and alcohol, trading her dignity for medical bills. Can she make it to the end of this road? Will she succumb to the temptations of the neon lights? 78Reads—Score—Shelves
- 75 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 1.4kReads8.8Score139Shelves
- 76 Since I Stopped Putting Up with My Marriage, I've Been Living My Best Life 自从婚姻不再忍着过老娘我爽爆了 Hua Roulan stayed in the big city of Hailing after graduating from university. Her husband, Cheng Chuanhe, had a doctorate and ran a company. “You don't earn as much as I do. What gives you the right to make me do the housework?” Whenever Cheng Chuanhe flew into a rage, he erupted like a landslide, completely hysterical. Arguments between married couples are inevitable, but he resorted to verbal attacks and emotional abuse... She really couldn't take it anymore. She didn't want to keep enduri 43Reads7.1Score—Shelves
- 77 On the Brink of Divorce 走在离婚的边缘 A friendly reminder: This is a work of realist fiction, and many readers may recognize people they know in it. Please enjoy the story, but don’t assume it’s about you! People say marriage is the grave of love, yet so many still rush toward it. The paths love can take are painfully few: either you part ways and become strangers, or you enter the marital home and stay together for life. When passion fades and love turns into familial affection, marriage becomes the daily routine of meals and chore 99Reads—Score—Shelves
- 78 Those Things That Happened in the Mountain Village 山村里的那些事儿 A young man from a mountain village leads the villagers on the road to prosperity. With the help of the women by his side, he overcomes every obstacle, makes his mark on the world, and ultimately rises to wealth and success. 215Reads8.9Score105Shelves
- 79 The Riddle of Time: A Nightclub Girl's Redemption and Rise 岁月如谜：夜场女的救赎与逆袭 As Yu Wei walked along the entrance to an alley behind the school, he suddenly heard someone calling, “Hey, handsome! Handsome!” Yu Wei looked around, bewildered. “Over here! Come here!” Only then did Yu Wei notice a flamboyantly dressed woman waving at him from the roadside alley entrance. She had brashly dyed yellow hair, heavy eye makeup, and a thick layer of powder on her face. A leather miniskirt hugged her hips as she waved energetically at Yu Wei. Could she be...? Yu Wei’s heart skipped a 1Reads6.7Score—Shelves
- 80 Drifting in Shenzhen 深漂 The brash young Lin Qiang comes to Shenzhen for the first time and happens upon Huaqiangbei. The gears of fate begin to turn for Zhang Ruoying, a female business owner… At the end of 2003, college student Lin Qiang and his girlfriend were facing their graduation internships. She went to Dongguan, while Lin Qiang headed to Shenzhen to build a career, and they gradually drifted apart. After their breakup, Lin Qiang gained a whole new understanding of relationships between men and women. In Shenz 7Reads—Score—Shelves
- 81 Shenzhen: The Wave Breaker 深圳，破浪者 This story pays tribute to the grand vision of “Made in China 2025,” with its plans for breakthroughs in new energy, smart cockpits, chips, and other fields. It also salutes all the brave souls on the road to starting their own businesses! 🫡🫡🫡 The sequel to "Shenzhen Drifter", "Riding the Waves": In 2010 Shenzhen, Gao'e Capital invests in Yingke Navigation Group, which has only just emerged from the financial crisis. Founder Lin Qiang feels that capital has stripped him of his power, so he reso 61Reads—Score—Shelves
- 82 The Swimmer 游泳的人 The Swimmer 4Reads—Score—Shelves
- 83 You Made Me Your Nanny, but Heaven Made Me the Heroine 你逼我当保姆，老天让我当女主 Because of her sweet, pretty looks, the female lead was bullied by her cousin from a young age. But fate seemed terribly unfair to her. When she was 28, a car accident killed both her parents, leaving her all alone. Her well-off cousin took pity on her and invited her to move to the city. From then on, her life changed completely. 5Reads—Score—Shelves
- 84 Blueberry, the Leftover Woman 剩女蓝莓 Blueberry is an unmarried woman who’s still living at home. She has two unreliable best friends: Mihua is a bit of a flirt who teases men and ended up kicked out by her husband with nothing, while Feifei loves mahjong and dreams only of marrying into a wealthy family… Three women, and plenty of drama. Love, ethics, human nature… They say hotpot is all about the lively world around the table. Our story begins with a hotpot meal… The story is a slow burn. I hope you’ll enjoy it! 40Reads—Score—Shelves
- 85 A Lonely Guest Outside Gusu City 姑苏城外客愁新 There are no thrilling lives of transmigration or rebirth here, only the naked cruelty of the real world. There is no boundless magic from fantasy or immortal heroes, only the helplessness and sorrow of ordinary people struggling at the bottom. There is no romantic love between princesses and princes, only the unreachable fantasies and longings of ordinary nobodies. There are no glorious achievements by kings, nobles, generals, or ministers, only the desperate struggles and cries of common folk —Reads—Score—Shelves
- 86 Those Years in Dongguan 在东莞那些年 This book tells the story of an ordinary loser who finds love while working at a factory. After his future mother-in-law demands an outrageous bride price, he works hard, sets out to build a business, and pursues his dream. Giving up a high-paying job, he leads his friends back to their hometown to start a business, transforming a place so poor that no one could find a wife into a place young women are eager to marry into. 87Reads7.6Score—Shelves
- 87 The Man Next Door 男邻居 Qiao Mai, a country girl, endures a rough journey from her wedding and childbirth to miscarriage and divorce. Over the course of twelve years of marriage, the special sweetness of being each other’s “darling” fades amid her husband’s disrespect and inaction. Her affection is gradually extinguished by the havoc wreaked by her mother-in-law and three sisters-in-law, until the marriage finally ends in divorce. The story begins with a man living downstairs listening to his neighbors having sex in th 84Reads9.5Score—Shelves
- 88 Official Fortune: Soaring to the Top 官运：扶摇职上 When Chen Fu makes a delivery to his wife Luo Yao's shop, he unexpectedly sees something he shouldn't have. After a huge fight with his wife, he decides, for the sake of their marriage, to rethink his career. As he makes his way through the workplace, he gradually discovers a side of his wife he never knew existed... 200Reads5.9Score—Shelves
- 89 Life Afloat on the Riverbank 江岸浮生 [Contemporary realism + period chronicle + rural ensemble cast + women’s struggles] Spanning half a century of rural China, this book tells the story of three generations of women on the Jianghan Plain. Caught in the tides of history and the shackles of their families of origin, each struggles against fate in her own way and faces her inner demons, ultimately learning to live for herself. (I’m only here to tell the story as it is. I won’t give the characters perfect personalities. I’ll portray h 593Reads8.5Score106Shelves
- 90 A Marriage of Money 钱婚 To become the dutiful daughter, good wife, and loving mother everyone expected, Liu Xiaoqing buried her youthful dreams and deepest desires before the age of thirty-three, living a life of constant compromise. After graduating, she painfully gave up her dream of becoming a writer and took the civil service exam, becoming a government employee. At home, she endured her in-laws' repeated provocations, again and again, just to preserve her marriage. At work, she likewise chose to put up with her 57Reads—Score—Shelves
- 91 Her Secret Thoughts: A Young Man’s Hidden Diary in a Small Village 致她的心事：小村青年的隐秘日记 No formulaic plot | Not a wish-fulfillment novel | Realistic fiction | Zhou Zhiqiang grows up amid poverty and chaos in her birth family, with her father instilling in her the survival rule that “you have to please people to survive.” She gets into college and lands a job at a bank. A well-off man, Ke Qingyan, pursues her, but as the truth about her family comes out, she gradually loses her self-respect and her relationship. Later, burdened with debt, she returns to her hometown and, under he 2Reads—Score—Shelves
- 92 A Conspiracy Within the Marriage 婚内合谋 After the passion fades, the leads settle into a dull married life, paying off their debts and living without intimacy. Then the male lead's best friend cheats, and through a twist of fate, the female lead receives hush money of 300,000 yuan. Her desire to make money suddenly awakens, and she joins forces with her husband to start a business. As they make money hand over fist, they rediscover the passion of their romance. Greed and the desires of love and hate collide in a tangle of human nature 63Reads—Score—Shelves
- 93 Village Chief, Don't Mess with Me 村长，别来惹我 Liang Yuzhen is a widow in the village, beautiful and kindhearted. The village chief is a local bully, but seeing that Liang Yuzhen has no man to rely on, he often stops by to help her with whatever he can, putting on a show of being a good Samaritan. 94Reads7.1Score—Shelves
- 94 His Puppy-Dog Eyes 他的狗狗眼 [Younger man’s secret crush + grown-up flirtation and entanglement + an affectionate puppy who loves to cuddle] [Sincere, green-tea-flavored veterinarian × beautiful top student and lead singer of a band] “Big Sis, you’re the only one with the key to this collar. If I could, I’d hope you never opened it for the rest of your life, because I only want to be your good little dog, and yours alone.” 9Reads—Score—Shelves
- 95 The Corporate World: Mergers and Acquisitions 职场铭之并购江湖 (Workplace intrigue + business rivalry + workplace romance + turning one's life around) In Modu, you dream of owning a spacious home, driving a nice car, and having a beautiful, gracious partner. But you're just an ordinary office worker, an ordinary accountant. What can you do? The protagonist, Ren Jiaming, is in the same boat. Yet through luck and his own hard work, he weathers the deceit and rivalry of the business world and the ups and downs of romance, inching closer to that life day by day 161Reads—Score—Shelves
- 96 Flowers Falling in a Fleeting World 浮世花落 Zhao Yulan was a gentle, virtuous, loyal, kind, and lovely woman, yet she had an affair. Li Fugui was a hardworking, honest, and upright man, yet he went to prison twice. Cao Rui was a village Party secretary and a successful entrepreneur, yet he coveted a married woman. What's wrong with people… This book explores marriage, family, society, life, human nature, and ethics… There's love and desire, life and death, madness, the folly and greed of human nature, and the warmth and compassion of huma 14Reads—Score—Shelves
- 97 Rooted in the Countryside 根在乡土里 Rooted in the Countryside tells its story through a village in Lingnan where everyone shares the same surname. It weaves together vivid accounts of ancestral halls, grand ancestral rites, wedding customs, funeral rituals, religious beliefs, education, rural revitalization, clan elders giving back to their communities, and the continued revision of genealogies. With delicate detail, it portrays the many ways traditional clan culture is passed down, showing how these cultural roots, deeply embedde 2Reads—Score—Shelves
- 98 Fireflies in Daylight 荧火虫的白昼 A great period drama. Ignore the awful title: this realistic work comes from a seasoned writer, about a woman from out of town living in Shanghai, in the vein of Blossoms Shanghai. Neighborhood gossip and jokes that hit you right in the heart. No mystery, no wish-fulfillment, no fantasy, nothing added. Just the daily grind: food, rent, petty squabbles, and family affairs. 8Reads—Score—Shelves
- 99 The Clever Cat 智猫 (A slow-burn futuristic sci-fi urban story, not a power fantasy) (Alternate title of Volume One: The Dour One and the Airhead’s Quiet Everyday Life) The Eternal Era: a crisis of AI brains, darkness lurking, danger at every turn; As great upheaval looms, talents emerge and stars shine, joining forces to save a world on the brink. Who will ultimately shake the world with their name? Come forth, Xiao Zhi, and shatter the darkness with thunder! This is an imagining of the future, though it may also 1Reads—Score—Shelves
- 100 Doesn't It Hurt? 它不疼吗 Doesn't it hurt? 1Reads—Score—Shelves
