Novels like The Echo of a Secret Crush, and Then It Ends Badly
Books Chinese readers most often put in the same booklists as The Echo of a Secret Crush, and Then It Ends Badly, best match first.
- 1 Five Points Short: We Missed the Cutoff by Just Five Points on the High School Entrance Exam, Yet Missed Each Other for a Lifetime 差五分：当年中考只差五分，我们却错过了整整一生 Five Points Short: We Missed the Cutoff by Just Five Points on the High School Entrance Exam, Yet Missed Out on an Entire Lifetime Together 2Reads—Score—14d adds
- 2 My Secret Crush Became a Top-Tier Star 我的暗恋对象成了顶流 My Secret Crush Became a Top-Tier Star 10Reads—Score—14d adds
- 3 The Last Art Exhibition 最后一次的画展 [Sweet Campus Romance × Angst] They met at an art exhibition. The exhibition ended. “We met in the height of summer, and parted in the height of summer.” He was about to become a police officer, but illness kept him at eighteen. She was about to become a painter, but for him, she stayed eighteen. 14Reads—Score—14d adds
- 4 Her Departure 她的远离 Can a sensitive, conflicted girl and a devoted, warmhearted boy really make it to the end together? Maybe separating is the best choice. Cheng Ning kept thinking, “If I could start over, I’d choose not to meet you. Then there would be two fewer people in this world who wasted their youth...” But Shi Sangye had never regretted meeting her. “Xiao Ning, my heart aches for you.” Those words slowly taught Cheng Ning to rely on others, to express herself, and to love herself. The years I spent studyin 18Reads—Score—14d adds
- 5 In the Twentieth Year of Loving Her, I Decided to Let Go 爱她的第二十年，我决定放下 In the twentieth year of loving her, I decided to let go. 2Reads—Score—14d adds
- 6 Love Is a Bubble, Ready to Burst at a Touch 爱如泡沫一触就破 Gu Zechen said I didn’t deserve to have his child and forced me to have it aborted. He treated me like an enemy, and the love I’d held onto for ten years finally burst like a bubble at the slightest touch… 22Reads—Score114d adds
- 7 Secretly Stashing Candy Wrappers 偷藏糖纸 [Mutual secret crush + school life + tragic ending] Wen You played the role of a friend throughout her entire youth. She liked Xu Xiao, but could only get close to him as a friend. The gentle boy with the lovely voice appeared at the very moment Wen You felt most anxious and afraid. At that moment, sunlight fell across his face, dazzling and warm. She kept the candy wrappers he gave her, wrapping her true feelings in the guise of friendship. She secretly savored those rare, sweet moments, h 19Reads—Score—14d adds
- 8 Lovers in the Heart of the Sea 爱人海中央 [Secret crush] [Tragic romance with a tragic ending] Meeting doesn't always lead to a future, but it always means something. In the fanfare of youth, Lu Zisu and I had something beautiful. Though it was full of regrets, neither of us ever regretted starting. In the sea of love, let's swim against the current! 2Reads—Score—14d adds
- 9 I Call You a Friend, but I'm Secretly in Love with You 以友为名暗恋你 [A secret crush ending in heartbreak + beautiful tragedy + lightly ensemble-cast + two people who keep missing each other] [Cool, beautiful girl Xu Chuhe] [Sunny boy Ruan Xingchi] “Ruan Xingchi, please forgive me for loving you for so many years under the guise of friendship.” At twelve, Xu Chuhe fell in love with the person she disliked most: Ruan Xingchi. The tragedy was that, in the boy's heart, she would always be just a good friend. Ruan Xingchi had helped her break the chains fate had plac 362Reads—Score—14d adds
- 10 The Cat’s Hideaway 猫匿 Dedicated to the youth I regret. In the summer of 2016, Su Huai and Jiang Nan'an crossed paths for the first time. That boy, dressed in white, was bold and carefree. Just standing there, he seemed to shine. She, on the other hand, was merely an ordinary girl in his class, insignificant among his many admirers. When she confessed her feelings, Su Huai thought her years of unrequited love had finally found an answer. But reality played a cruel joke on her. The boy who shone so brightly quietly lef 23Reads—Score—14d adds
- 11 First Thoughts of Summer 初念夏 One heroine, multiple male leads: a gentle, resilient girl | a sunny, cheerful top student | an obsessive, gloomy puppy | a proud young master with a surprising side | a long-suffering, pitiful Xu Lin Tropes: regretful pursuit | rekindled love | melodramatic love polygon | possessive pursuit by force... After a car accident took her parents, Xu Nianxia had no choice but to move in with her uncle’s family in Xuancheng. Transferring to No. 3 High School, she hoped to quietly start a new life, but 2Reads—Score—14d adds
- 12 I Wait for Yan to Return 我等燕归来 (Completed + mutual healing + bad ending) A dead man. A torrential downpour. The boy who said he would protect her forever had been missing for five years. She turned around, and he was standing right there. He didn't call out to her or say, "Let's go home." 3Reads—Score—14d adds
- 13 Better to Laugh in the Spring Breeze 不如笑春风 A Capitalized BE From the moment she arrived until now, she had kept her head down or looked the other way. Did she know what was over there? Where was the tall man, who was barely older than her and called her a little girl, sleeping now? She would never hear his voice again. There are so many people in the world, but none of them are you, and she can never see you again. 7Reads—Score—14d adds
- 14 Once, the Sun Shone on Me 曾被阳光照耀 What is a secret crush? For Yang Zhi, a secret crush is a little flower suddenly blooming in a barren wasteland, a ray of sunlight appearing out of nowhere in endless darkness, and him barging into her world before she could even react. But... he is a dazzling light, the moon in the distant sky, someone forever beyond her reach... So, as long as... as long as she can gaze at him... from afar... she is content. 7Reads—Score—14d adds
- 15 Maybe He Once Loved Me 或许他喜欢过我 [Gentle girl × calm, sharp-tongued guy] [secret crush · tragic ending] [Two super-sweet supporting couples]+ [A pair that leaves you wondering what might have been] Even though I knew a secret crush was a road with no return, I still walked down it without hesitation. At first sight, there was only one photograph. When they met again, she didn't know that the person at the stairwell corner was him. Zhao Jin posted her first ever social media update for him and tried all kinds of new things. Bu 647Reads8.1Score14114d adds
- 16 She Died from Her Husband's Tenderness 她死于丈夫的温柔 She Died by Her Husband's Tenderness —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 17 The Woods Are Too Deep to See the Deer, and Love Spreads When Imagination Runs Wild 林深不见鹿，爱在臆想蔓延时 [Sweet at first, then heartbreaking x angsty school romance x fantasy romance x making up for regrets...] [Devoted Mr. Lin vs. sweet, self-conscious Miss Bai] On every quiet night, Longing grows wildly like a vine, winding around my heart. Like a sealed spell, It has never been spoken aloud to the world. Whenever leaves drift down, Whenever snowflakes fall, That surging emotion Rises wildly within me. I would use every bit of warmth in the world to shield you from the cold of fate. I would se 2Reads—Score—14d adds
- 18 The Spring Breeze Fades at Dawn 春风烬晓 (Complete) [Romance with a Happy and Tragic Ending + The Aesthetic of Bittersweet Romance + The Thrill of Youth + Mutual Secret Crushes + Bittersweet Longing] “Shen Xiuxu, you have to be okay.” Shen Xiuxu gazed at the slightly overcast sky and gripped Jiang Ruanruo's hand tighter. He looked confused and asked as he gazed at her face, “What's wrong?” She shook her head and said softly, “Nothing. I just wanted to tell you that you have to be okay.” That night, Jiang Ruanruo suddenly said, “Brothe 17Reads—Score—14d adds
- 19 Spring Breeze Never Comes 春风不至 [Proud, privileged Li Chang’an] VS [Timid, insecure He Suiyu] [Bittersweet, tragic romance] They say the person you meet at sixteen is the hardest to forget. He Suiyu met that person in the bright days of March. The first time she saw him, the boy was giving a speech, bathed in sunlight, as if a god had descended. From then on, she could never take her eyes off him. The boy said he wanted to study medicine, and from then on, she dreamed of going to medical school, too. But their happiness did 471Reads—Score10214d adds
- 20 You Were My Secret Crush When I Was Young 你是我年少的心事 When I was eighteen, I fell in love with a truly wonderful boy. We'd never spoken, never crossed paths or interacted. He didn't know I existed, and he didn't need to. He didn't have to do a thing. As long as he appeared, my gaze would find him. Just standing there was enough to make me love him. 262Reads—Score—14d adds
- 21 The One I Secretly Love 暗恋的TA [School Romance] [Tragic Ending] Shao Yuan never imagined that the person she fell for at fifteen would stay in her heart for the rest of her life. That boy stood out from the crowd and pulled her out of the darkness time and time again. The bravest thing she had ever done was confess her feelings. But sometimes courage isn’t a good thing, and their relationship plunged into an icy freeze. With someone else’s help, she and the boy who had once seemed forever out of reach became friends. Afra 33Reads—Score—14d adds
- 22 Thirty Blossoms 三十次花开 There are only two possible endings to a secret crush: Either be brave once and give your feelings an answer, or quietly step aside and keep your tenderness for yourself. Neither choice is right or wrong. Those who speak up have fewer regrets; those who stay silent carry a little more longing. Confessing isn’t about forcing the other person to answer or demanding a relationship. It is this: I’m placing the feelings I’ve kept hidden for so long in front of you, with all sincerity, and telling you 3Reads—Score114d adds
- 23 The World Keeps Me Here, But the Years Pass Without You 人间留我，岁月无你 The world still has me, but the years have no you. —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 24 Entangled in the Dark of Night: When You Think I've Been Assaulted 暗夜缠情：当你以为我被侵犯时 Entangled in the Dark: When You Think I’m Being Assaulted —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 25 Summer Has Passed, and You Have Not Returned 夏去人不还 Summer is gone, but the one who left has not returned. 28Reads—Score114d adds
- 26 You Live in My Memories 你存在我的回忆里 [Unrequited love + BE + youth on campus] (From the male lead's perspective, in the discussion section at the end of the final chapter) They say unrequited love is a kind of courtesy, secretly building a castle behind someone's back. For He Tongyou, it meant spending her entire youth weaving a lie that she didn't like him. They say unrequited love is when the teacher calls your name and I look up before you do. For Xu Jing, it meant embracing the breeze that had passed over her, then missi 26Reads8.1Score—14d adds
- 27 Hiding in the Fog 藏身与雾 “Plain boiled water with no sugar: it tastes mild, and so does the person.” [An introverted boy, a depressed girl, two-way healing, and the blank spaces they leave for each other in their uncertain youth.] [A series of bittersweet stories, a plain-water-style tragic romance. This book is complete. Let’s celebrate🌸.] Sixteen-year-old Cheng Wulong said: “Come back on your own. Your ice cream’s about to melt…” My name is Chen Xiang, but I’m not fragrant at all. My favorite food is probably cream ic 3Reads—Score—14d adds
- 28 I'll Sing Forever for You 为你唱永远 The day Xu Zhiyuan first saw Ye Mingxuan in their first year of high school, he stepped into her world. The boy sitting in the back row became the leading man of her youth. Xu Zhiyuan thought that having a crush in school meant this: when you’re dozing off in class and suddenly hear the teacher call his name, you look up before he does. Then one day, Ye Mingxuan added Xu Zhiyuan as a contact. She never imagined they would get this far. When she was with him, she wanted to take things further, bu 6Reads5.6Score—14d adds
- 29 In the End, I Long for Freedom 我终究向往自由 [Youthful campus romance + secret crush + mutual devotion + tragic ending] The first time Shen Huai saw Xu Xiawei, it was as if something struck him in the heart. In an instant, he was certain that Xu Xiawei was the person destined for him. He loved Xu Xiawei, but love made him timid. He was always careful, constantly afraid of disturbing her. Shen Huai said, “I don’t want my feelings to become a burden to her.” Yet he was always sneaking glances at Xu Xiawei. When he wanted to give her a card, 4Reads—Score—14d adds
- 30 The Third Person in the Villa on Our Wedding Night 新婚夜别墅里的第三个人 The Third Person in the Villa on Our Wedding Night —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 31 Chasing the Astral Trail Is Hard 星轨难追 Also known as A Silent Farewell, a short tragic ending. Resilient girl Lin Yuyao + frail boy Qin Zhiyu We are all observing starlight that died long ago, and I love you as one loves a star that has already vanished. We met in the folds of time and space, like two meteors knocked off course. You burned yourself to light the future I could never reach. Rather than let the begonias fall one by one, I’d rather pluck the last branch of spring. —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 32 A Silent Marriage: The Culprit Is in My Bed 婚途无声:真凶竟在我枕边 A Silent Marriage: The Killer Is Right Beside Me 2Reads—Score—14d adds
- 33 Never Failing to Keep a Promise 不失允 [School + society + tragic ending + loyal puppy + younger male lead + mutual secret crush + sweet and angsty + contrast] Shi Qi × Yun Si Shi Qi was born into an oppressive family, an unexpected presence. Frail and often sick, she was loved by her parents, but they always used her poor health to keep her in check. When she was hospitalized at thirteen, she saw a bold, carefree person in the ward. A mutual secret crush, a school romance, a younger male lead, and a tragic ending. Proceed with cauti 4Reads—Score—14d adds
- 34 He Hid in the Midsummer 他藏在盛夏里 A lonely girl, Xu Zhinan, and a sunny boy, Gu Bei A secret love can never see the light of day. When you can no longer hide your feelings, remember to walk away while you still can. The story begins when sixteen-year-old Xu Zhinan falls in love with Gu Bei at first sight. By the end, the boy she loves has married and started a family, and his bride is not her. To forget him, she starts dating, and eventually gets married. Two days before the wedding, Xu Zhinan receives an anonymous package sent 160Reads8.4Score—14d adds
- 35 Reunited in the Heart of the Lake 重逢，在湖光深处 One shake brought two people thousands of miles apart together, but their growing connection was burdened by too many things beyond their control. What is meant to be will come to pass; what isn’t, cannot be forced. It’s just a shame… 1Reads—Score—14d adds
- 36 A Confession Hidden Away 告白难藏 [Redemption + healing + tragic ending + unrequited love + reunion after a long separation + lingering heartbreak + slice of life] A gloomy, aloof girl x a brash, sunny boy They first met when Chi Zhiyu mistakenly thought she was about to kill herself and saved her. He said a lot of things. She wasn’t wearing her hearing aids then, so she couldn’t hear him. From Qing Yi’s perspective, that was their first meeting. The second time they met, she smelled smoke in the alley on her way to school. She 80Reads—Score—14d adds
- 37 After Reuniting Years Later, I Thought We'd Be Together 久别重逢后，原以为我们会在一起 “Sensitive girl | Devoted boy” “Reunion after years apart | Mutual secret crushes | Bittersweet campus romance” The first time Ye An saw Ji Nian, he knew their paths would cross more than once. But so many hardships kept him from being there for her throughout her childhood. The girl became the only light in the boy’s darkest days. At last, after overcoming countless obstacles, he returned as a transfer student and saw her again. But she… She seemed different. Everything about her had changed. W 2Reads—Score—14d adds
- 38 The Breeze I Sent You 送过了清风 During the summer break after ninth grade, Song Qingfeng was diagnosed with terminal stomach cancer. The doctor said he didn't have much time left. His parents moved him to Huaijing, home to the best hospitals in the country. He transferred to a new school without a hitch. Before that, he had met Zhou Yanyi. As they spent time together, he stumbled upon the painful truth about Zhou Yanyi's home life. He told her to stop putting up with the beatings and to fight back... A young girl's first stirr 31Reads—Score—14d adds
- 39 The Prince Who Married Me by Proxy Wiped Out My Family, Then Begged Me to Cure His Poison 替嫁王爷灭我满门，跪求我解毒 The prince married me with an imperial decree, then personally wiped out my entire family and had me thrown into prison. Only after he sat on the throne did he lower his head to me, because only my blood could cure the deadly poison that was killing him! I am Shen Hanzhi, daughter of a military commander. At ten, I fell into an ice cavern, and all four of my limbs ache in the wind. I could never learn martial arts, but I mastered medical skills unrivaled in the world by studying a medical text. 1Reads—Score—14d adds
- 40 Alley Number Seven 七号巷 Campus + BE + unrequited love Free-spirited, honest boy vs. well-behaved girl “May the free and honest sun never set. Someone will always take my place and keep loving you. Happy birthday, Jiang Si.” “She died on the day he turned eighteen. His coming-of-age day became her death anniversary.” “Jiang Si, don’t cry.” Beep The ECG line went flat. The room fell silent for a moment, then sobs swept through it. “I won’t cry anymore. Please, just look at me, okay?” The boy tried to hold back his sobs s 744Reads—Score19214d adds
- 41 I Designed Your Bride's Wedding Dress with My Own Hands 我亲手为你的新娘设计了婚纱 Cover image source: XHS, Snowy Day Originally titled “Out of Focus” A secret crush is one person out of focus; loving someone you can’t have is two people on parallel lines. When you appeared, the whole world went out of focus. The first time we met, I tripped in front of you. From then on, I’ve always stumbled right where you are. Jian Lushun, goodbye forever. 20Reads—Score—14d adds
- 42 A Coward's Secret Crush 胆小鬼的暗恋故事 The insecure and sensitive An Lan secretly loves Chen Yu, a dazzling boy who shines like a beacon. “Because he shines, I want to do my best to get closer to him.” Throughout her three years of middle school, An Lan struggled forward through pain and hope. At fifteen, Chen Yu was so outstanding that he earned an early admission to the Beiqing class at Qingnan Affiliated High School. But fifteen-year-old An Lan defied her parents, shouting, “I don’t want to go to City No. 1 High School. I want to 65Reads—Score—14d adds
- 43 Fourteen Blades 十四刀 Fourteen Blades 7Reads—Score—14d adds
- 44 Your Name Is Farther Away Than the Stars 你的名字比星星遥远 Angst! Angst! Angst! That's how important it is, so we're saying it three times! [Double top students × mutual salvation × tragic ending] A bright, fragile ray of sunshine suffering from a serious illness vs. a cold, merciless class monitor who can't feel pain “Xu Xingxia, you're crossing the line.” “Xu Xingxia, know your limits.” “Xu Xingxia, are you always like this?” “Xu Xingxia, Song Qichi is yours and yours alone.” “Xu Xingxia, without you, this life would be far too long...” Dying for 4kReads8.4Score85114d adds
- 45 Beneath the River of Forgetfulness, A Cherry Blossom Promise 忘川河下，赴一场樱花之约 Beneath the River of Forgetfulness, keep an appointment beneath the cherry blossoms. 19Reads—Score—14d adds
- 46 Sacrifice to Spring 祭春天 In the first spring after the college entrance exams, Yu Xiaoxiao is sitting in the library at Peking University when it suddenly dawns on her: that pitch-black night when he laughed until he couldn’t breathe, he was crying. [Love at first sight + mutual healing + angsty campus romance, tragic ending] Gentle boy who pretends to be a school bully × girl who pretends to be aloof but is really a top student [Boy pursues girl + devoted one-on-one romance + the clear-headed one falls hard + equal par 937Reads8.9Score19014d adds
- 47 The Light of the Thirteenth Month 第十三月的光明 Hello, my name is Ji Xiaochuan! Hello, my name is Su Li! From now on, I'll call you Su Pear, sweet and juicy! Ji Xiaochuan, look! The light is here. My light is here! Little Pear, if there's another life, I'll spend it making it up to you! Ji Xiaochuan, if I could do it all over again, maybe I'd choose never to meet you! I walked through a dark abyss, and seemed to smell something rotten. Instinctively, I looked back. Countless wolves and tigers charged toward me, their sharp fangs 22Reads—Score—14d adds
- 48 When the Golden Rain Trees Bloom 栾树花开 Campus tragedy × mutual healing An ordinary girl with heart disease × a dazzling young artist In 2014, during high school, an ordinary girl who had been abandoned by her parents and suffered from heart disease since childhood met Li Yi’an beneath a golden rain tree at a bus stop. He was eighteen, full of youthful spirit, and dazzling with his sketchpad. After all our twists and turns, you had already taken root and blossomed in my life, 95Reads—Score—14d adds
- 49 Waiting for the Next Clear Day 等不到下一个天晴 "Mutual secret crush + tragic ending + ensemble cast" [Cool and reserved He Wanqing] [Reckless and uninhibited Lin Zhifei] Her life was always drenched in the rainy season. She had seen a sunny day, but it had appeared only once in the drifting downpour of her youth. After Lin Zhifei left, she never saw a day like that again. He Wanqing could no longer wait for Lin Zhifei, nor could she wait for the skies to clear again. There was a rumor at Experimental High School: the beautiful top student He 273Reads—Score10614d adds
- 50 Reunited Across Lifetimes 隔世重逢 [If They Both Die, It’s a Happy Ending] Seventeen-year-old Shen Yuexi is a glimmer of light on her high school campus. She dreams of faraway places and looks forward to the promise she made with her crush, Fang Chenyun: after the college entrance exams, they’ll go see the sea. Its deep blue waters hold all her youthful dreams. But the calm of campus life is shattered by Lin Weiwei’s malice. Rumors surge like a raging tide, accusing her of improper behavior. Photos and lies, one after another, te 3Reads—Score—14d adds
