Novels like The Meaning of Happiness
Books Chinese readers most often put in the same booklists as The Meaning of Happiness, best match first.
- 1 At Thirty, I Was Forced to Sign a Marriage Contract 30岁，被迫签下一纸婚约 It has been six years since Lin Dan graduated from college. After the holiday, she once again drags her suitcase from her rural hometown, changing buses several times and crossing mountains to reach Beijing. She lies down in her tiny rental room, finally able to rest her exhausted body, but then a message from her mother arrives: “The young man your cousin-in-law introduced you to seems nice. Make sure you talk to him more. You have to get married this year. I can’t take the gossip in the villag —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 2 Between the Cloud Isles 云屿之间 A very, very, very slow-paced story. Thank you all for being willing to read it! [Workplace Romance + Love at First Sight + Mutual Devotion + Six-Year Age Gap + Happy Ending] [Resilient Newcomer in the Workplace + Gentle, Refined Boss] (Reader advisory: The male lead has been in one relationship before, but they never slept together. The female lead has never been in a relationship.) He loves her simply because he loves her, not because he wants someone to bear his children. She loves him becaus 608Reads8.1Score10014d adds
- 3 My Husband's Scheme to Stay Child-Free 丁克老公的阴谋 [Everyday Family Drama]+ [Brutal Revenge on Scumbags]+ [Satisfying Read]+ [Realistic Marriage] After five years of marriage, Ning Zhi earns over a million a year running two flower shops. She is gentle and generous with her in-laws and sister-in-law, bought her husband a 300,000-yuan car as a dowry gift, and lives with him in a wedding home worth several million. Yet he has been sneaking around with his first love, even plotting to take her life and seize her assets. When the truth comes out, s —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 4 I Killed Myself for You 杀了自己还给你 [Obsessive, domineering CEO, intensely possessive, business is a battlefield, marriage alliance] [Innocent bunny, devoted and faithful, conservative, redemption] Qin Ye had always kept Wen Hao, the sunny boy she'd met in high school, tucked away in her heart after losing her mother. Years after graduation, she turned down every chance at love, waiting for the day she might meet Wen Hao again. But when she finally did, and they got together and married just as she'd hoped, Qin Ye discovered that 2Reads—Score—14d adds
- 5 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—14d adds
- 6 After Discovering the Secret to Making Money, I Reached the Pinnacle of Life 喜得生财之道后我走上人生巅峰 [Feel-Good, Superpowers, Scummy Male Lead, Pure-Hearted Female Lead, Money Talks, Urban, Infinite Flow, Play the Pig to Eat the Tiger…] Song Xiaoqiang is an ordinary wage earner. He has spent years trying to make it in the big city, yet still has nothing to show for it. Now, facing a major life decision, he has no choice but to break up with the girlfriend who has been by his side for three years. And then, on the way to pack his things and move out of his rented apartment, an extraordinary 15Reads—Score—14d adds
- 7 Ice Blue 冰蓝 (Completed) An urban tale of men and women, with two shameless, strong female leads. Na Qiao and Qian Lichuan, the “Deadly Beauties” who made a splash in the investment world. They are powerhouses at work, but their personal lives are full of setbacks. After losing her marriage and her job, Na Qiao went on a trip to clear her head and, in a fit of spite, gave herself to a man. By a twist of fate, she healed his loneliness... A wealthy young woman from a small town insists on heading north to sta 3Reads—Score—14d adds
- 8 The Itch of Thirty 三十之痒 An elite wife carefully devises a “second-child plan” for her ordinary husband. But when the man painstakingly uncovers the whole truth, he decides to give them three keys to revenge! This story is entirely fictional and has nothing to do with the author. Readers are earnestly asked not to draw comparisons with real people! 633Reads7.0Score—14d adds
- 9 A Frugal Girl’s Survival Diary 节俭女孩的生存日记 This is a savings diary by an ordinary girl with no savings. My short-term goal is to support myself; my ultimate goal is FIRE. Just an ordinary diary. Please don't be mean, and feel free to drop by! 6kReads8.4Score60914d adds
- 10 When Will I Meet You Again in This Life? 今生何时能逢君 In her youth, the protagonist loved a man and never truly let him go. From the age of twenty to fifty, she repeatedly falls in love and gets divorced, each time going to great lengths to find flaws or incompatibilities in her partner. In truth, every man she meets has both strengths and weaknesses. She simply doesn't realize that the problem lies with her own heart, which has never been willing to make room for anyone else. Only at the end does she finally understand: that relationship and that 1Reads—Score—14d adds
- 11 Waiting for You to Fall Into My Arms 等你思思入怀 Sweet, outspoken Chen Sisi & her gentle, devoted Mr. Zhang Test Director & startup CEO of a chip company [Everyday urban life + sweet romance + devoted boyfriend + mutual commitment + slow and steady love] You work hard to build your business, and I’ll be right there by your side. You embrace life, and I’ll cherish and protect you. Chen Sisi and her Mr. Zhang fell in love at first sight in college. After graduation, they supported each other, lived life with optimism, and chased their dreams tog 8Reads—Score—14d adds
- 12 The Wind Blows Through Green Fields, Sweet as Can Be 风吹青禾有点甜 [Breast Specialist] VS [Divorced Chinese Literature Department Beauty]. [Sweet Romance]+ [Younger Man]+ [Second Marriage]+ [Second Male Lead Wins Her Back]. On the tenth anniversary of her wedding, Shen Qinghe was confronted by her husband's mistress. It turned out that the perfect husband in everyone's eyes had not only cheated on and betrayed her, but had also gotten the other woman pregnant. Furious, she divorced him, but her stress led to the discovery of breast nodules. Introduced by her be 597Reads8.4Score10114d adds
- 13 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—14d adds
- 14 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 117Reads—Score—14d adds
- 15 Mr. Fang’s Sweet Husband 方总的小娇夫 Hot-tempered female boss & young master looking to be kept Fang Yu was famous in the Fang family for her fiery temper. Her family life was a complete mess, so she had no choice but to work hard and make money on her own. A well-connected new student joined her high school class. “I know you got into our class because you have connections at home. You do your thing, I’ll study, and we’ll stay out of each other’s way.” “Why should I listen to you? When you make it big, will you support me?” Fang Y 149Reads—Score11114d adds
- 16 I Opened My Eyes Twenty Years Ago, on My Wedding Day with My Husband 睁眼回到二十年前，和老公婚礼上 In their previous lives, she and he both dropped out of school at a young age, and their family was left destitute when their daughter became seriously ill. After a gas explosion shocked the entire city, she found him, still looking young and green, at the modest wedding they had held twenty years earlier. She made a pact with him: no physical contact until they had officially registered their marriage. They overcame every obstacle and fought their way forward, finally seeing a brighter future i —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 17 A Fortune-Making Life After Divorce 离婚后的暴富人生 (A short, sweet story.) I'm a county government clerk, earning the same meager salary every month. My wife, who works at a bank, thinks I'm a loser, so she cheats on me and divorces me. After the divorce, my hometown is demolished, and I receive 80 million in compensation. I marry my neighbor, who's also from a relocated household, and we have triplets in a year. Life is happy and carefree. Seeing my ex-wife regret everything and go crazy with frustration is so satisfying. 17Reads—Score—14d adds
- 18 Ordinary Is Best 平凡才是真 Life gives us more than experiences; it leaves its mark on us as we grow. When we were young, many of us felt lost and unsure of where to go. But after weathering countless storms, we learned to accept, understand, and embrace our ordinary selves, and to become the best versions of who we are. For the first two or three years after Mo Ran started working, she felt adrift. Faced with the challenges of the workplace, complicated relationships, and the pressures of everyday life, she gradually lost 9Reads—Score—14d adds
- 19 Blooming for the Second Time 第二次绽放 Women should never underestimate themselves, and they shouldn't trap themselves in a vicious cycle of living just for their children. Women should be themselves. You can never imagine how strong you are. I hope every woman will have the courage to step out and become the person she most wants to be. 7Reads8.4Score—14d adds
- 20 A Woman at Forty Is in Full Bloom 四十女人一朵花 The story begins with the childhood of its protagonist, Lin Yuling. It follows her struggles with school as a child and how the college entrance exam changed her life, from workplace grudges to the ups and downs of the business world, from the comforts of ordinary life to working as a nanny during the pandemic... Beginning in the 1980s, the story spans rural urbanization, the rise and fall of the real estate industry, and the conflicts triggered by reform of state-owned enterprises. It covers ma 25Reads—Score—14d adds
- 21 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—14d adds
- 22 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 31Reads—Score—14d adds
- 23 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! 1Reads—Score—14d adds
- 24 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—14d adds
- 25 A Windfall Makes a Life 横财成就人生 One lucky blow brings him a windfall. The real problem is how to launder it into legitimate personal income. It's like telling one lie and needing a hundred more to cover it: the problems just keep snowballing. Watch how the protagonist gets himself out of this mess. 445Reads6.1Score—14d adds
- 26 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—14d adds
- 27 The Post-Marriage Era 后婚姻时代 The novel follows Zhuang Jing through thirty years of work and life, telling the story of marriage, family, and career from the perspective of a professional woman. The book recounts the protagonist's experiences in three stages of life. The first stage, from age 22 to 30, is marked by the passion and stumbles of starting a career, and the happiness and struggles of falling in love, getting married, and having a child. The second stage, from 40 to 45, sees the pressures of her career gradually e 335Reads8.9Score10414d adds
- 28 Marriage: A Promise to Protect 婚姻，守护 Fang Ying and Liu Fan were the golden couple in everyone’s eyes back when they were students. Their marriage was even more enviable, but once they settled into the daily grind of meals and household chores, how could everything possibly go smoothly...? 1.4kReads—Score11114d adds
- 29 One, Two, Three, Take Your Seats 一二三儿，请对号入座 In this world where values had gone mad, Xu Yiyi was like so many women in marriages today, trapped in a miserable, abnormal relationship that was like being widowed while still married: she left home but didn't divorce. Her turning point came after she greedily enjoyed the pleasures of being with Luan Han, a college student in his early twenties. Then she unexpectedly ran into her first love, Song Ning, who had “come back from the dead,” and paid a price for it. The appearance of her first love 126Reads8.2Score—14d adds
- 30 The Alluring Woman in the Red Envelope 红包尤物 The poor guy gets cheated on from the start by his breathtakingly beautiful fiancée! How will Ye Xiu make a comeback against all odds? Watch him climb step by step to the pinnacle of life. This is a fresh, one-of-a-kind novel. Set against the dramatic rise and fall of the real estate market, it tells a compelling and tangled story of buying, selling, renting, planning, researching, building, renovating, investing in, expanding, and beautifying property, as well as workplace struggles, marital up 8Reads—Score—14d adds
- 31 Flowers in Adversity 逆境花 For Zhou Yan, Ye Yunxi, and the others, work pressures and marital troubles at home had already left them physically and emotionally exhausted. Then the pandemic broke out, making their situation even worse. Facing adversity at work and in their personal lives, they were at times utterly drained, both physically and mentally. But they refused to give up. When faced with unemployment, pay cuts, marital problems, and more, they found positive ways to tackle each challenge. Through their own hard w 26Reads—Score—14d adds
- 32 Listening to Snow in Jiangcheng 在江城听雪 They meet in Jiangcheng for an appointment to listen to the snow~ They were senior and junior at university, went their separate ways after graduation, then let go of past grievances when they met again. They were also Dunhuang princess Song Fanyin and Han dynasty general Qi Dingchu in a radio drama, as well as Chang'an (A Man), sect leader of the Yun Yin Sect in the cultivation world, and Guli, young master of the Medical Sect… They met when they were young, weathered many storms, and grew into —Reads6.5Score—14d adds
- 33 Twenty Years of Marriage 结婚20年 The familiar hurts of marriage, the casual disdain, indifference, and manipulation... They have the power to wear away even stone, drop by drop... Watch as three middle-aged couples, Chen Zhu and Fang Wenqing, Hong Chunying and Ji Changhua, and Ren Yan and Yu Bin, fight their way out of their emotional dead ends... 865Reads8.1Score10314d adds
- 34 Fall in Love on the Island 恋爱吧，在海岛 [Online fiction writer × architectural designer] [The male lead’s secret crush comes true]+ [The female lead falls in love over time]+ [Lighthearted sweet romance]+ [Happy ending]+ [Everyday affection] Jiang Yue was still a little dazed about how she ended up on Xingyu Island. Her nine-year secret crush had ended with the words, “We’re better off as friends.” When she got back to the office, she found her department in chaos too. In the space of one night, she lost both her job and her love, the 48Reads—Score—14d adds
- 35 Blue Is Still Romantic 蓝色依然浪漫 [Pilot & florist * a love all their own * simple happiness] After more than thirty years alone, the pilot is lucky that the Matchmaker has taken notice and brought new color to his life. Maybe the right person takes a long time to arrive, but that's all right. If they do come, they're worth waiting for. The florist has been hurt by love and no longer wants to trust it easily. It takes time for her to realize that matters of the heart need just the right cure before they can heal. You never need —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 36 The Ordeal Written in Fate 命数里的劫 Our fates began when I saw you in the crowd; they ended when I saw you in the crowd. You were like a ray of dawn, lighting up my life. But fate played a cruel joke on us. You were the reason I succeeded, and the reason I failed! —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 37 The Young Matchmaker 年轻的媒婆 Lin Yanzi got married and divorced in a flash at the age of twenty, but she still believed in love. As she searched for her other half, she kept accidentally giving the men she liked away to other women, earning herself the nickname of matchmaker. Finding the one was still a distant dream, while she ventured further and further down the path of matchmaking. 6Reads8.1Score—14d adds
- 38 A Mindless Farce Between a Doctor and a Security Guard 大博士和小保安的无脑之戏 With the Lunar New Year approaching, the annual matchmaking pressure arrived right on schedule. Su Qingyi, a PhD graduate from a prestigious university, was hounded by her family to get married. She was over thirty and still single. On the campus of Jinghua University, she ran into Lu Yuan, a fellow hometown native and former soldier who now worked as a security guard. They were around the same age and in similar situations, both overwhelmed by their families’ pressure to marry. To appease their 3Reads—Score—14d adds
- 39 After Tricking and Pressuring My Ex into Having Someone Else's Baby, I Disappeared and Ran 哄骗怂恿前女友生下别人孩子后，我失联跑路了 After tricking and persuading my ex-girlfriend to give birth to another man’s child, I cut off contact and ran away. 1Reads—Score—14d adds
- 40 A Husband’s Punishment 丈夫的惩罚 The heroine was a beautiful, fair-skinned woman from a family of officials, with an outstanding husband. But her husband mistakenly believed she had cheated on him and chose to take revenge. As time passes, they both grow into mature, accomplished people, yet their relationship remains full of twists and turns, with no end in sight. The heroine can never let go of this love. What fate will the two of them ultimately meet… 682Reads5.4Score—14d adds
- 41 Far from Home 在他乡 One-on-one romance, both pure-hearted, with ten years of devotion and love A career-driven heroine who seems cool but is warm inside (Qi Yu) A steadfast, warm, and devoted hero (Mu Yunfei) “I’ve already moved in. Do you really think I’m going to move out?” Mu Yunfei looked at her with a sly grin. “It’s not living together, we’re just sharing a place,” Qi Yu muttered, her head lowered. Mu Yunfei’s eyes shone like stars. 8Reads—Score—14d adds
- 42 I Went Broke to Save Him, Only for My Boyfriend to Marry Someone Else 倾家荡产救得男朋友和另一个人结婚了 She bankrupted herself to save her boyfriend, only for him to marry someone else. —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 43 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 101Reads—Score—14d adds
- 44 Wang Xiaomi’s Springtime 王小米也有春天 Wang Xiaomi, the protagonist, is an ordinary college graduate. Unlike traditional heroines, she's completely unremarkable, and it is through her ordinary perspective that we follow her rise in the workplace. She brings warmth to those around her with her kindness, and her outgoing, carefree personality leads her through all the sweet and bitter ups and downs of life. Through her own hard work, Wang Xiaomi finally reaps the rewards of a decade's effort, becoming a workplace winner and finding bot 22Reads6.9Score—14d adds
- 45 Truck Driver 卡车司机 [No System, no formulaic tropes, no mindless plot, ensemble cast, realistic style] At eighteen, Li Jianguo took the wheel. Over thirty bumpy years on the road, he witnessed the rough-and-tumble world of freight transport, its warmth and kindness, the glory and decline of state-owned enterprises, and life's triumphs and sorrows. Everyone around him lived through each turn of the times, together forming an epic of ordinary people. People from every class and every walk of life became unlikely lege 7kReads8.6Score52814d adds
- 46 Peaceful and Warm 安暖如斯 They were childhood sweethearts, growing up together as close as could be. They had the unspoken understanding of childhood friends, the innocent joy of carefree companions, the tender care of confidants, the sweet whispers of devoted lovers, and the selfless devotion of intimate partners. They missed out on none of it. 371Reads8.4Score—14d adds
- 47 Don't Pity Those Who Sell Their Own Fate for a Pittance 不要同情那个贱卖自己命运的人 This is a tragedy caused by a dysfunctional family. If nothing had changed, Wang Chengcai would most likely have spent his whole life under his mother’s thumb, reduced to a study machine born to pass the civil service exam. Even his awkward, old-fashioned name was chosen for that purpose. By chance, he meets the love of his life, Lin Man, in the one place where he can find refuge. When the childhood friends become lovers, Lin Man vows to protect the boy who has suffered at the hands of his famil —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 48 Our Little Journey to Find Love 我们的追爱小时光 [Childhood sweetheart and first love + sweet romance + flirtatious banter + intense push and pull + equally matched leads + helping each other succeed] [Devoted, scheming, and talented male lead + spirited, stubborn fashion designer female lead] She frantically lifted the covers and let out a startled cry. “Awake?” The handsome man slowly opened his eyes and smiled at her. “Who are you? Why am I here? You, you, you didn’t...” She clutched the covers tight and peppered him with questions. “Didn’t —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 49 Oh No! The Amnesiac CEO Got Tricked Into Butchering Pigs 糟糕！失忆总裁大佬被她骗去杀猪 [Room-Rental Fiction] [Amnesiac Big Shot] [One-on-One, Both Chaste] [Sweet Romance] Shu He lured a six-pack guy home to her pig farm to slaughter pigs. Only later did she learn he was Huo Tingyu, an amnesiac CEO from one of the most powerful families in Jing City. She was selfish and greedy, vulgar and money-hungry, treating the amnesiac Huo Tingyu like a hired hand. But after she awakened to the truth, she realized she was nothing more than a cannon-fodder supporting actress in a novel. I 63Reads—Score—14d adds
- 50 Fan Hua Like Brocade: Taking Down the Scumbag, the Vixen, and My Cold-Blooded Parents 樊花似锦【撕渣男贱女冷血父母】 A realistic story of a woman’s growth, blending satisfaction and heartbreak. There’s no floating comeback powered by a golden finger, only an ordinary woman ground into the dirt by life, slowly crushing the mess of her past and turning the chaos into something beautiful. The more stifled you feel watching her in the first half, the more satisfying the second half will be. Love yourself first, and everything else will fall into place. Everyone and everything that wronged her will have to pay her 2Reads—Score—14d adds
