Novels like The Top Scholar Came from a Dump
Books Chinese readers most often put in the same booklists as The Top Scholar Came from a Dump, best match first.
- 101 Farming in Ancient Times, I Married the Village Fool 我在古代种田，嫁给村里那个憨夫 Synopsis: [Transmigration + ancient romance + farming + sweet romance + raising children + a simple life + not a power-fantasy comeback story + no bizarre relatives] Chen Jiaojiao's soul transmigrated after a car accident. Her parents were dead, her family was dirt poor, and she had no golden finger, let alone riches and honor. All she had was endless work and a stomach that was never full... Life was simple: growing crops and raising children. But there was something odd about that man from t 775Reads8.5Score10014d adds
- 102 Under the Influence of Dopamine 多巴胺作祟 [Mutual pining + reunion after years apart] Sweet, with a little angst, moving moments, warmth, and plenty to relate to. "Sweet, gentle, restless small-town exam ace" vs. "handsome, gentlemanly, brooding ABC" Everyone says Liu Yuqiu is the ideal man. Only Zhou Lingwei knows just how bad he can be. Everyone thinks Zhou Lingwei is harmless. Only Liu Yuqiu knows how ruthless she is. Where’s the love in the CBD? Where’s the romance? It’s all a contest between "bad guys" and "ruthless women." A thou 775Reads8.9Score10714d adds
- 103 Mr. Ye and Me 我和叶先生 First person / shifts in perspective / slice-of-life diary format Who gets married at such a young age? Me? Well, then, no problem. Disclaimer: This story isn’t based on real people. Anyone who sees themselves in it is asking for trouble. P.S. This story was written in August 2021 and completed in September 2022. I dedicate it to the people I love. 290Reads8.8Score—14d adds
- 104 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] 9Reads8.4Score—14d adds
- 105 The Age of Their Happiness 她们的幸福时代 A coming-of-age memory for those born in the 1960s. In 1986, the youngest daughter of the celebrated Guo family graduates from university and returns home in triumph, only to face a string of family upheavals: her eldest sister's divorce, her second sister's pregnancy before marriage and her boyfriend's imprisonment, and the revelation that her own love rival is actually her “missing sister”... Watch as the sisters lean on and comfort one another, wade through life's muddy waters, find happiness 128Reads8.1Score1114d adds
- 106 Xue Mei's Story 雪梅的故事 Bare, barren loess hills. Ravines and ridges wind their way into the distance. This is where the story’s heroine, Xuemei, spent her childhood, grew into a shy young woman, and endured until she became a mature wife. She works hard, cultivating this poor yellow earth, and sings the praises of the diligence and simplicity of rural women in the new era. 148Reads—Score—14d adds
- 107 At 21, I Worked Every Kind of Odd Job at the Bottom of Society 21岁，我打遍了底层的各种零工 For four years, I've been trying to cure an incurable illness by working odd jobs. [A slice-of-life story, light comedy, nothing too dark, personal growth, and a comeback. Give it a try...] Everyone cries at some point in their twenties. I'm no exception. What about you? Have you found a job? How is it going? At an age when our ambitions reach for the sky, I want to be the master of my own life. If I work fast enough, even the capitalists can't keep up with me! In the bustling city, everyone in 10Reads—Score—14d adds
- 108 Reborn with a Terminal Illness, I Won’t Treat It This Time 绝症重生后，这病我不治了 One-on-one warmth and everyday life + leisurely travel [A heads-up: no backstabbing or face-slapping, no domineering CEO or powerhouse heroine, and no sweeping aside all opposition. This is a pure slice-of-life story.] In her previous life, Qiao Qian was diagnosed with an illness and diligently followed her treatment, but sadly, it did little good. Later, she decided to spend what time she had left seeing the world, only to get into a car accident… After being reborn, Qiao Qian decided not to se 1Reads—Score—14d adds
- 109 My Small-Town Girlfriend 我的小城女友 No matter how long people live in a big city, they eventually return to a small town. Xiyang, a genius who made his fortune through stock trading, finds his life going nowhere after his girlfriend cheats on him and his career hits a wall. He leaves Chengdu, a city full of memories, and returns to his hometown, where he meets the girl who will become his small-town girlfriend. This is an ordinary book, but the small-town life it tells of is anything but ordinary. 66Reads—Score—14d adds
- 110 It Began in the Republic of China 始于民国 What a shock! Chen Caiyou somehow reincarnated in 1920. She struggled for ten years in an era full of natural and man-made disasters. She only lived for ten years, so she had no idea how people started saying she was twelve or thirteen. Just as she was about to be married off, or sold, a natural disaster struck the whole village, and they began fleeing famine. Chen Caiyou boarded a train and escaped to the distance. She tagged along with her aunt, who was also her master, for food and lodging, a 804Reads5.9Score—14d adds
- 111 At Thirty-Two, I Found a Love That Took Its Time 三十二岁，遇见慢半拍的爱 [Modern romance]+ [Heartwarming]+ [Everyday life] Synopsis of "At Thirty-Two, I Found a Love That Took Its Time" Betrayed on a rainy night in London, Su Ruowan gives up her dream of becoming an architect and returns to China, wounded and worn. She takes refuge in Wutong Lane, running “Late-Night Reading,” the used bookstore her father left her, and soothing her heart with old books and her cat, Pu'er. When the bookstore faces the threat of redevelopment, she meets Lu Zeyan, an architect who sp 1Reads—Score—14d adds
- 112 Love Song by Nightlight 夜灯恋歌 Everyday romance + an ordinary person’s rise to success + nostalgia for the 2010s + no System or golden finger + a somewhat slow start I’m Chen Mingyao, a small-town exam grinder about to graduate from college. At a 24-hour convenience store, I meet Long Ge, a tough girl with a head of bright golden hair. Having been single my whole life, I’m captivated by her and decide to pursue her. The good news is that Long Ge seems to like me too. The bad news is that she has a boyfriend with a complicated —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 113 Ma Dao's Failed Attempt 马稻不成功 In the eyes of refined scholars, the countryside is a place of poetry and picturesque dreams, a source of inspiration for verse and visions of faraway places. But for those born and raised there, it means the weary lot of facing the earth from dawn till dusk, and the countless absurdities that accumulate over the years. The ugly faces forged by hardship, the secrets hidden before the sun sets: Ma Dao handles them all with ease! 3Reads—Score—14d adds
- 114 Love for Purple Baby's Breath 爱给紫色满天星 A wish that went completely wrong somehow led me into the one-of-a-kind tenderness of Wen Ziqian. He wears soft purple hoodies and is quiet and aloof, the unattainable dream boy everyone else can only admire from afar. He ignores everyone’s advances, but gives all his affection to me. He gives me the desserts girls bring him, and, wanting to protect me with his jealous little schemes, creates a special prize so I’m the only one who can win. He helps my mom get her flower shop back on its feet, 3Reads—Score—14d adds
- 115 The Wife I Met at the Civil Affairs Bureau Turned Out to Be a Millionaire 民政局捡到的老婆竟然是个富婆 Zhao Muyuan was delivering divorce papers to his boss when he found himself a wife outside the Civil Affairs Bureau. “Why do you carry your household registration booklet around with you?” Xiang Qiu was at a loss for words. Zhao Muyuan held the booklet, eagerly waiting for her to act on impulse. “Congratulations, you are now legally married.” 1.7kReads6.6Score24714d adds
- 116 Be Brave and Pursue Love: Falling for a Police Officer 勇敢去追爱，追着警察叔叔谈恋爱 This book is all about romance. It is not a story about a strong female lead! It is not a story about a strong female lead! When Chen Youyou was eight, she was in danger and was rescued by a young police officer. He became the man of her dreams, but by a twist of fate, that young officer later became her father’s sworn brother. More than ten years later, Chen Youyou is finally all grown up. Watch her overcome every obstacle on the road to love without fear! She bravely pursues romance, falling i 9.6kReads8.8Score81514d adds
- 117 The Fire Burns Bright 炉火正红 A person’s life is like a lump of coal. Only by resisting the lure of superficial pleasures, enduring crushing pressure, and quietly growing stronger can you kindle a bright, fiery tomorrow! This book faithfully records the rise of a coal-mining family worth tens of billions, giving readers a glimpse into how the first generation of wealthy entrepreneurs made their fortunes in the 1990s. The title itself is ironic: the wave of private appropriation back then made a great many well-connected peop 628Reads8.9Score10014d adds
- 118 May the Gardenia Bring You Peace 望栀为安 A ditzy, book-loving girl × a burly bear who’s cold on the outside but warm inside My dull, stifling senior year of high school found its color because of you. “You’re a bright, sunny sunflower.” “You really are wonderful. So, so wonderful.” … Later, you said again, “An Ning, you’re so wonderful. Could you look at me?” But what you didn’t know was that you were the only one I ever saw. … Your affirmation swept away the clouds weighing on my heart, letting the sunflower grow toward the 8Reads—Score—14d adds
- 119 My Beloved Has Waited So Long 良人久候 [Marriage before love + whirlwind marriage + sweet mutual devotion + everyday life + romance and marriage + love that grows over time] (The leads aren’t exceptional prodigies, princes, or princesses. They’re ordinary working stiffs: no wish fulfillment, no grand romance, just a realistic story.) A sweet romance that starts bitter and ends sweet. After setbacks at work leave Bai Zhanying physically and emotionally exhausted, she returns to her hometown, only to face her parents’ relentless pres 13.8kReads9.0Score1.7k14d adds
- 120 Retirement at Twenty 二十岁的养老生活 [Farming + everyday life + devoted couples + sweet romance] Graduation means unemployment. Unemployed? Then it's time to settle into retirement~ Li An doesn't want to be a corporate cog working nine to five, so she heads to the countryside to live at her best friend's grandmother's place. She buys the old house, tears it down and builds a new one, then sets up a few vegetable patches to grow produce as a relaxing hobby... Villagers: You've set up your vegetable garden like you're playing hous 2.1kReads8.8Score22114d adds
- 121 The Radiance of Jade 如玉之莹 [Dual Female Leads] Student and Teacher Perspectives Based on real events that took place at a high school over the course of three years. She struggles to hold on to herself in the midst of hardship, while the other searches for a way out from deep in the mire... You are sure to see a little of yourself in them. 7Reads—Score—14d adds
- 122 Transmigrating Through the Famine Years: My Ties to Sidaogou 穿越荒年之情系四道沟 What on earth is going on? She looked up at the yellowed, old-fashioned mosquito net overhead. A roar filled her head, and as images flashed through her mind one by one, she realized she had transmigrated! She had transmigrated into the body of a seven-year-old girl in the capital in 1957, whose mother had just died in the line of duty and whose father had gone missing... Transmigrated into a turbulent era, she had no desire to get rich. All she wanted was to stand on her own two feet, work with 772Reads8.8Score10014d adds
- 123 About How I Suddenly Became a Dad 关于我突然变成奶爸 A 27-year-old single man suddenly finds himself at 34, unemployed and living at home, with a child about to start school and his wife sleeping in a separate room. Watch how he navigates these conflicts, falls in love after marrying first, and gradually builds a happy, wonderful life. 869Reads7.5Score10014d adds
- 124 Sweet Military Marriage: The Strong Army Wife Makes a Fortune in the 1980s 甜蜜军婚大力军嫂在八零赚翻啦 [Devoted Husband, Military Marriage, Love After Marriage, Husband's Long Road to Winning Her Back, Twins] Wang Xiaoli transmigrated to the 1980s and found herself in the body of a married woman born with superhuman strength. Her husband was a handsome military officer, tough on the outside and gentle within. A handsome soldier with a tender heart meets a charming little beauty who doesn't realize how seductive she is. She keeps stirring his passions until he has dark circles under his eyes. Xi 12Reads7.0Score—14d adds
- 125 Rural Chronicle 乡村纪实 The little details of life, all those everyday moments, come together to paint a picture of a changing countryside. Generation after generation pursues its dreams, working hard in the mountain valleys. They make it through the winter, then the hills turn green in spring. Summer crops blanket the mountains, and autumn is always a season of joy. 212Reads8.4Score—14d adds
- 126 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—14d adds
- 127 Kicked Out of the Family, I Followed My Stern Bodyguard Back to the Village 被逐出家门，跟着冷硬保镖回村 [Guiding Lover] [Both Pure] [Slow-Burn Romance] [Power Couple] [Desire Beneath the Surface] - Wen Ran is a young heiress with a wild reputation in high society. To make her obediently accept a business marriage, her father assigns her a walking surveillance device: Ji Zhao, her stern, no-nonsense bodyguard. He's disciplined and unyielding. And Wen Ran loves to tease him whenever she has nothing better to do. "Ji Zhao, how good is that guy in bed? Can he compare to you?" "Miss, that's not part of 2kReads—Score13614d adds
- 128 Little Seedling Beneath the Shade 树荫下的小禾苗 Miao Yihe loses part of her memory in a car accident, including memories of her high school deskmate, who always looked out for her. But the connection between two people never really goes away. After all the twists and turns, they meet again. Lin Mingyue says he's the shade beneath a vast forest; Miao Yihe says she's a little seedling striving to grow. It was all meant to be. Lin Mingyue cherishes his little seedling, and she loves and supports herself too. They don't ask for much: a cozy littl 164Reads9.4Score—14d adds
- 129 Back to the 1980s: My Wife Has a Pocket Dimension 重回八零：媳妇她有空间 [Everyday family life] Su Ying dies of old age, then opens her eyes to find herself back at twenty, four months into her marriage and three months pregnant. After being reborn, she gains a pocket dimension for farming and raising livestock from an ancestor. She takes care of her husband's health, grows vegetables, and raises chickens. Before she knows it, her small business has grown into a major enterprise, turning her from a peasant woman into a businesswoman. She leads the whole village to pr 307Reads8.8Score—14d adds
- 130 The Easygoing Life After Financial Freedom 财富自由后的咸鱼日常 A lottery ticket as my start-up capital from the start, plus a transmigration investment System. What? The System can generate returns while idle, and even make money off the Americans when it manages investments for me?! Then it’s time to take off! I don’t want to be a domineering CEO or the richest man alive. Jiang Yuan just wants to enjoy a laid-back life after achieving financial freedom. Living like a couch potato, he sets off alone on a motorcycle trip across the Yunnan-Tibet Highway, thro 721Reads7.3Score—14d adds
- 131 The Chronicle of Zhinnan 知南录 [The hero fiercely protects his own + extreme romantic tension + sweet romance + devoted to each other + two powerful leads] ☆ Gentle, resilient top student ✖️ Free-spirited musician Feng Xiangbei: “I want to invest! I’ll give you my money and myself. You can read any page of my book you want, and I’ll give you whatever you want.” Chen Zhinan: “I’m afraid you’ll lose money.” Feng Xiangbei thinks: Losing money is no big deal. I can earn it back. But if my future wife gets away, where will I find 6Reads—Score—14d adds
- 132 Reborn in the 1980s 重生八零年代 Reborn in the 1980s, he arrives as the winds of reform and opening up sweep across China, and the nation awaits renewal. Faced with his family's poverty and his stepmother's tearful pleas, he makes a different choice from the one he made in his previous life. Through hard work and foresight, he takes one steady step after another toward wealth. Starting with trading mountain produce, he moves on to buying and selling bamboo mats, leasing mountain forests, and developing tourism, transforming the 222Reads7.9Score11914d adds
- 133 Leading the Whole Family to Wealth in the 1970s 七零年代带领全家发家致富 [Period Setting + Childhood Sweethearts + Military Marriage + Sweet Romance + Business Rivalry] You can’t get away from me, Jiang-ge, my childhood sweetheart! Lin Ziqing carefully leads her whole family to prosperity, taking the Lin family to new heights. There’s a sly old fox of a grandfather, a grandmother shrouded in mystery, and a shocking secret hidden at her maternal grandparents’ home. One careless move could cost her her life. 158Reads—Score—14d adds
- 134 The Whole World Knows You Like Me 全世界都知道你喜欢我 [School life + childhood sweethearts + mutual pining + both leads have no past relationships + reunion after a long separation] Everyone in the world knew you liked me. I was the only one who didn’t. But what you didn’t know was that I liked you just as much. A youthful crush is like a dream. Only after waking up do you realize that all the signs were there. The figure I could always see in the distance, our fleeting glances, and that summer breeze brushing my face as you carried your easel over 14Reads—Score—14d adds
- 135 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
- 136 A Ten-Year Dream in the Officialdom 十年官场梦 What ordinary people see as a grassroots success story may actually be nothing more than a pawn in the hands of powerful figures, sent out to fight on their behalf. To make the pawn serve its purpose, those figures grant it a measure of power and status for a time. Perhaps that's all a grassroots rise to success really is. The protagonist, Chi Mingyu, may be just such a pawn. During the ten years after leaving university and entering public service, he once enjoyed great success. But in the end, 9Reads6.7Score—14d adds
- 137 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 7Reads—Score—14d adds
- 138 An Ill-Matched Marriage 不般配的婚姻 After Cheng Ruojia, a small-town girl, married her boss, Tang Yixuan, she spent the next ten years as a housewife, looking after Tang Yixuan and their daughter, Tang Qi. But as Tang Yixuan's business grew and his handsome looks drew attention, a marital crisis crept closer and closer... 646Reads5.8Score—14d adds
- 139 Two Abnormal Humans and a Motorcycle 两个非正常人类与摩托车 Love that defies social norms has often been seen as a symbol of courage and freedom, admired and celebrated. This is the one kind of love people will always despise. This is not a novel, just a story from real life. There are no thrills, no climaxes, no pacing, only despair and oppression. It might be of some small help to people who truly love motorcycles, but be prepared to be mocked. This story has an unconventional outlook on life, values, and the world, and portrays a world of abnormal peo 2.2kReads—Score38114d adds
- 140 After My Daughter Jumped to Her Death, I Was Reborn 女儿跳楼后，我重生了 After my daughter jumped to her death, I was reborn in the year she turned three. On this day, my wife hadn't gone missing yet, and my daughter still looked up to me with hope… 488Reads8.4Score10014d adds
- 141 Reborn: The Tumultuous Year of 1982 重生：激荡1982 Also known as: Reborn in 1982, a Groom from the Start. Zhu Yunqing is unexpectedly sent back to 1982, where he starts out as an illiterate young gambler and groom in a remote, impoverished village. He wants to run away from his wedding and escape an era of utter poverty. But he comes to understand how much his family hopes for him, and ultimately decides to make a fresh start. Drawing on the life experience he gained in his previous life, he discovers the unique charm of the era, where treasures 678Reads8.6Score—14d adds
- 142 Don’t Leave Me in a Hell on Earth Without You 别把我丢在没有你的人间炼狱 Don't leave me in a living hell without you. 1Reads—Score—14d adds
- 143 The Wang Family in the 1990s 老王家的九十年代 (Period setting + courtyard homes + ordinary folks + small businesses) After reading Reborn in the 1960s: Back at the Factory as a Cook, you can treat this book as a sequel, but it also works fine on its own. Against the backdrop of state-owned enterprises going into decline in the 1990s, the everyday lives of a young couple serve as the thread connecting a colorful cast of ordinary people and their bustling neighborhood. There are local police officers, state-enterprise employees, people with r 3.4kReads8.9Score25714d adds
- 144 An Auditor’s Daily Life Back in the Village, Living Off His Parents 审计狗回村啃老日常 [Healing country life + everyday moments + sweet romance + anti-hustle culture + childhood friends] Looking at a health check report with more abnormal results than an audit, Li Ruisheng suddenly burst out laughing. This wasn't a health report at all, it was a workplace edition of Death Note! In a daze, Li Ruisheng seemed to see Grandpa lounging in a rocking chair beneath the grapevines. The sweet aroma of grapes from her memories wafted over, and the recollection of a gentle summer day filled 1.3kReads8.3Score11114d adds
- 145 A Thousand Miles of Longing Beneath the Moon of Home 千里相思故里月 Pure historical romance + marriage first, love later + cozy country life + some political maneuvering later on 1v1, both devoted to each other and each other’s first and only love; a slow burn, sweet at first and angsty later (only a little angst, emotional rather than physical) Jiang Xiaoyu was only fifteen when she married Lu Yin. He was dirt poor, with nothing but the clothes on his back. On their wedding night, he placed a gentle kiss on her forehead. “How long do I have to wait?” she asked, 99Reads8.3Score—14d adds
- 146 Miss Mu Marries Mr. Chu 嫁给楚先生的慕小姐 [Flash marriage + falling in love after marriage + love grows over time + both leads are virgins + mutual devotion + sweet everyday life] [Libra novelist VS Libra high school Chinese teacher] Mu Yao marries Chu Beichen, whom she met on a blind date. They tie the knot just ten days after meeting! On their wedding night, Mu Yao shyly points to the big bed and looks at her new husband. “You can sleep on the bed.” Chu Beichen teases her. “Aren't you afraid I'll devour you in the middle of the night? 27Reads—Score—14d adds
- 147 Reborn in 2002: I Won’t Become the Richest Man 重生2002，我不做首富 [Reborn in 2002]+ [A flood of memories]+ [Everyday life]+ [Building the nation through industry]+ [Web fiction superstar]+ [Patriotic] When Yan He woke up, he had returned to 2002, the year he started seventh grade. Reliving his youthful days, he battled against the current, and forged a very different life. 16Reads—Score—14d adds
- 148 Snow in Winter, Flowers in Spring 冬有雪，春有花 When Nan Xiu was fourteen, her father told her, “Be good, don't cry. Smile. When you do, you look like a little fairy from another world.” When she was twenty, her older brother told her, “Be good, don't cry. Find a good man. He'll take good care of you.” At twenty-two, Nan Xiu rode her little electric scooter back and forth between school and her mentor's shop, smiling sweetly as she called out, “Old Liu, I've finished today's tasks!” At twenty-four, Song Shimo told Nan Xiu, “I'll love you for 120Reads8.4Score—14d adds
- 149 A Light in the Sea of Books 书海拾光者 A Gatherer of Light from the Sea of Books 17Reads—Score—14d adds
- 150 A Motherless Child, Cared for by His Sister-in-Law 没妈的孩子，嫂子疼 [Period drama + No System or storage space] After my adoptive parents died in a car accident, my older brother Zhang Dakui and I depended on each other. Ever since Dakui brought my sister-in-law Liu Chunmei home, our lives changed. And so did my life... 98Reads6.2Score11214d adds
