Novels like The Blue Gum Tree Waits in Vain for the Mistletoe Bird
Books Chinese readers most often put in the same booklists as The Blue Gum Tree Waits in Vain for the Mistletoe Bird, best match first.
- 1 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
- 2 The Dream I Can Never Return To 再也回不去的梦 “A guitar, a white shirt, and my boy” Lu Huai, my love is pure. Lu Huai, you are like my shelter from the storm. Lu Huai, you are the only person I want to love for the rest of my life. “Then, goodbye.” The boy woke from his dream, and I disappeared too. 5Reads—Score214d adds
- 3 Giving You Back Last Winter 还予去岁冬 [School bullying + a dream of a lifetime + unrequited love + dream sequences + one-sided love + tragic ending + female lead suffers] Someone has always lived in Huan Qudong's dreams. If Song Zhifei had not died, they would have had a wonderful life together, despite all the hardships. But she died, bullied to death. The lively girl in Huan Qudong's eyes. Song Zhifei x Huan Qudong Unrelenting angst, a drawn-out plot, and a slow pace. Tragic ending. Don't read if that's not for you. 8Reads—Score—14d adds
- 4 A Cool Breeze Rises 萧萧凉风生 I love the wind! The wind is free, boundless, and unfettered. It can turn the leaves, lift a skirt, and travel the world. But I’m trapped in my own endless darkness, locked inside a prison of my own making. 3Reads—Score—14d adds
- 5 Youth Is a Grand Illusion 青春是一场盛大的幻梦 Youth is a magnificent dream. Those first meetings, growing closer, and keeping one another company shimmered like stars, drawing us into the dream called youth. Looking back, the once-burning promises have scattered on the wind, and those deep, tender feelings have become regrets too painful to touch. On quiet nights, when memories drift through our minds like smoke, we may smile or we may cry, because that was our youth, true and unvarnished. [A Dream of Youth: My Twelve Years with Him] Cheng 41Reads—Score—14d adds
- 6 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
- 7 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
- 8 The Rainy Season Is a Secret Signal 雨季是潮湿的暗号 [Mutual first love | Campus | Bad ending] “I hope your wish comes true, that everything in the world becomes the backdrop to your life. May you go anywhere you want and become the bravest person of all.” “Qi means a prayer, and Zhao means light. It’s a beautiful name.” The rainy season at seventeen is long enough to leave an indelible mark. The boy who leapt down carried mud all over him, but angels would catch them and cleanse their purest souls. “Zhaoqi, you idiot.” “I love you.” “May the ligh 31Reads—Score—14d adds
- 9 The Ninth Autumn 第九个秋 [Innocent and carefree Mi Yicheng vs. taciturn Shen Jingjun] Everyone talks about meeting again in the next life, but he is a firm materialist. Love may bring partings and reunions, but there is no next life. On a rainy autumn day, Mi Yicheng waits beneath her office building for the rain to stop. As she gazes at the curtain of rain before her, an image of Shen Jingjun comes to mind. The dashing young man in a dark blue jacket stands across the road, smiling at her. He waves, the corners of hi 85Reads—Score—14d adds
- 10 I'll Meet Her Again When Summer Comes 无夏再逢她 (Just received a rating; completed) [Heartbreak Youth Fiction | BE | Schoolyard Secret Crush | Healing] Cheng Wang had loved Lin Yiwan for years and years. He secretly wrote twenty-one letters, each one holding a piece of his heart. After the college entrance exams, Lin Yiwan suddenly kissed him of her own accord. But on the very day Cheng Wang planned to confess his feelings, she took her own life. All she left behind was a notebook containing every one of her secrets. Cheng Wang: “What’s the w 245Reads8.3Score10514d adds
- 11 Ember Frequency 余烬频率 “The Nokia E71 vibrates 600 times per minute, while the fatal heart rate for someone with congenital heart disease is 300 beats per minute. And the odds of us meeting were a miracle: one in 1.7 billion.” In late autumn 2011, the gloomy mathematical prodigy Cheng Ye met transfer student Su Tang beneath the library's tin awning. Wisteria petals clung to the hem of her water-blue skirt. Half a fingernail was missing from her left pinky, yet a single grape-flavored hard candy was enough to stop his 6Reads—Score—14d adds
- 12 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
- 13 Until Winter 【止于冬】 Qu You has a childhood sweetheart named Xu Nanshan. Xu Nanshan has someone he likes: Qu You. “I'm Xu Nanshan. The ‘Nan Shan’ in ‘Leisurely, I gaze at the southern mountain.’” “I forgot to mention, she's Qu You. The ‘Qu You’ in ‘Leisurely, I gaze at the southern mountain.’” 8Reads—Score—14d adds
- 14 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
- 15 Thoughts and Longing 念与望 Campus | Mutual pining | BE A gloomy boy plagued by misfortune | A sensitive girl always afraid of losing what she has The breeze swept past the window, lifting an orange-yellow journal that shimmered in the sunlight. On the first page, someone had written: “If you can't forget, your feelings will be answered.” Jiang Wang, the name that ran through Shen Nian's teenage years. Her first crush, at eight. Then, at fourteen, she saw him again. She stayed by Jiang Wang's side in silence. She didn't da 35Reads8.0Score—14d adds
- 16 Fallen Leaves Gardenia 落叶Gardenia [Jiang Yi, gentle and thoughtful & Ye Shuang, sunny and handsome] A secret crush at school They knew each other for twelve years. Though their love was mutual, their story always ended in tragedy. She was always there with the scent of gardenias. She passed away with the scent of gardenias. And the scent of gardenias was gone from his side forever... “Ye Shuang, I'm sorry.” 13Reads—Score—14d adds
- 17 Listen, the Sound of the Wind 铃听,风的声音 Qingqing is deaf and mute. A promise brought them together, and he became her voice. In his eyes, she was the exception. The character “Ting” in Xia Ting’s name sounds like “you can hear.” He spent a week learning sign language for her. He captured the sound of the wind for her, hoping to grant her wish. He gave her his voice, but wasn’t satisfied with it, and wanted to give her the best gift of all. A sensitive, insecure girl x Xia Ting, who promised to stay by her side He treated her well in k 8Reads—Score—14d adds
- 18 Mountains and Seas, Different Schemes 山海不同谋 Dedicated to the memory of my friend. A heroine who seems strong but is actually sensitive and introverted x a hero who seems cold but is actually gentle. Tragic ending. “Why is Qingchuan called Qingchuan?” “I confessed to you long ago. In every glance I gave you.” Maybe we should all be a little braver in our youth. “Can we take a photo together?” “Wu Cangting, goodbye forever.” 5Reads—Score—14d adds
- 19 Half a Letter in Winter 冬天的半封信 They met in winter, grew close, parted ways, and found each other again. “See you in winter.” I’ll see you in winter. It turned out to mean goodbye until winter comes again. 70Reads—Score—14d adds
- 20 Gu Nian's Deep Love 顾念情深 He said, “Gu Nian, wait for me a little longer. I promise I’ll make you happy.” She remembered what he had said so many years ago. Four years later, he came back. He returned as Jiangcheng’s most powerful man. Pinning her against the cold wall, he gritted his teeth and said, “Love me? You’re not worthy!” “Why don’t you just die?” And she really was going to die. 109Reads6.0Score—14d adds
- 21 The Day the Wind Blew 风吹过的那天 He Lin, congratulations on your wedding. On the day you got married, the wind blew. I thought I was finally ready to let go. 174Reads8.0Score3814d adds
- 22 The Camellia Tree 山茶花树 “A Huai, the camellias on the mountain back home are blooming. I really wish you could go see them with me again.” “The camellias on the mountain bloom and wither, then bloom again, but the camellia in my heart will never fade.” 89Reads—Score—14d adds
- 23 The Sky Will Clear Eventually 天终会晴朗 [Based on a true story + mutual unrequited love + everyone gets a bad ending + regrets + growth] Reserved girl × sunny boy Twelve-year-old Xiang Jin spent every year of her life in a world of damp, endless rain, until a boy named Fang Ji barged into it. “I hate the rain.” The boy grinned. “I know how to make it stop raining in your world.” Suddenly the sky cleared, and the rain really did stop. At fifteen, she casually remarked that someone else's wedding candy tasted so sweet. The boy ran his 1kReads—Score23014d adds
- 24 Peach Oolong Only Wants to Love You 蜜桃乌龙只想喜欢你 Meigui and Xu Xiangyang grew up together as childhood sweethearts. Meigui came from a troubled family and was sent to the countryside as a child, where she was raised by her mother. When she started middle school, she became Xu Xiangyang's neighbor. In her third year of middle school, with her parents away, she stayed at his home. Sensitive and insecure, Meigui was eventually helped out of her shell by Xu Xiangyang. Her parents came home when she started high school. After they abused her, Meigu 2Reads—Score—14d adds
- 25 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
- 26 Seeing Spring: Please Don’t Leave Me 见春天:求你别离开我 Du Siqiu, who has a blood disorder, transfers to Linjiang High School and meets Xia Zhiyu. They first meet at sixteen, and their story begins. The male lead seems like an aloof, untouchable heartthrob who dislikes girls, but is actually devoted, sensitive, and fragile. Xia Zhiyu x the female lead, Du Siqiu, seems delicate and frail but is actually resilient and prickly as a jasmine flower. The spring breeze was gentle and fresh, and Du Siqiu became Xia Zhiyu’s deskmate. At first, Xia Zhiyu paid 257Reads—Score—14d adds
- 27 An Orange Summer for You 予你橙夏 [Sunny, lively hero vs. aloof, cold heroine + Mutual Secret Crush + Devoted Love + Tragedy (Bad Ending) + Love That Goes Unreturned] In 2006, during a hot, damp summer that seemed to stretch on without end. Yuan Man and her mother, Wang Xiaozhi, moved from Yancheng to Wutuo Town. The first time Yuan Man met Xu Jiayi, his mother was yanking him by the ear and scolding him. He was covered in mud and filthy from head to toe, and he clearly wasn't one for keeping clean. Yuan Man didn't like him much 47Reads—Score—14d adds
- 28 Living Alone 一个人过 Living alone 119Reads—Score414d adds
- 29 One Last Rainfall Before We Part 最后一阵诉别雨 [Mutual pining | A little campus romance | Short BE | Male lead dies, female lead finds peace] The sky waits for the rain, and I wait for you. Song Ting'an never got to see his rain. From that song by Jay Chou, with lyrics by Vincent Fang. “The sky waits for the rain, and I wait for you.” He listened to it again and again. Song Tianqing, the character in Song Ting'an's book, got to meet his Yue Yuyu. But Song Ting'an never got to meet his Li Yanyu. His chance of survival was only twenty perc 377Reads8.0Score11914d adds
- 30 Keep Moving Forward, Don't Look Back 向前走,别回头 At 18, Zhao Xingyang fell in love with someone. To her, the boy was a ray of light in her life, the best gift heaven had ever given her. He was brilliant and flamboyant, carefree and unrestrained. Unfortunately, he didn't know she existed, and she was too much of a coward... Perhaps because she'd met someone so dazzling in her youth, it took her a full ten years to let go. At 28, Zhao Xingyang told herself: “Keep moving forward. Don't look back.” 132Reads8.2Score2114d adds
- 31 A Love Letter in the Shadows 影子情书 When we were young, most of us probably had a crush on someone. We knew his back, his profile, even his voice better than we knew his face. The girl he loved remained forever seventeen, while she quietly stayed by his side for many years. Then she received his wedding invitation, and the bride at the wedding looked just like someone. Her secret love began in silence and ended in silence. He never knew she had loved him year after year. 134Reads—Score—14d adds
- 32 Blank Space and Paper Pages 空白与纸页 In the bloom of youth, unrequited love is both rare and commonplace. A few remain unrequited, while most succeed. Unrequited love is a pain you can't put into words. Only you know how hard it is to love someone in secret, and how much harder it is to let go. Do you, with your blank slate, know? 6Reads—Score—14d adds
- 33 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
- 34 Summer in Xiachuan Town 下川镇的夏天 Summer in Xiachuan Town was a passionate, heartfelt regret. I never had him, yet it felt as if I’d lost him a thousand times over. A bus approached from afar. Jiang Yihuan couldn’t tell if it was the right one. She looked up through the window and saw Li Chengze’s face. He was standing by the bus door. As soon as the bus stopped and the doors opened, he rushed down and pulled Jiang Yihuan into his arms. “Jiang Yihuan, I’ve missed you so much.” Li Chengze rested his head on her shoulder and spoke 78Reads—Score—14d adds
- 35 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
- 36 Rose and Lychee Candy 玫瑰荔枝糖 [Love at First Sight, Two Academic Stars] [Tsundere Demon King x Tough Little Airhead] [If They Both Die, It’s a Happy Ending] On the first day of school, Lu Ziyao fell in love with Shi Nian at first sight. All Lu Ziyao remembered was that the weather was beautiful that day, so beautiful he couldn’t remember it clearly, because he had met her. The boy approached her cautiously, afraid of frightening the girl he liked. He just didn’t know that once you get close to some things, they can stay with 61Reads6.7Score—14d adds
- 37 A Winter’s Last Letter 冬日遗书 [Mutual Secret Crush + Angst + Youth and School Life + Both Leads Die | Slow-Burn Style | Hero's Secret-Crush Diary] When Fang Li was sixteen, her mother remarried, and she transferred to Nanshi No. 1 High School. There she met Jiang Zheng, the “bad boy” everyone talked about. As she got to know him, she realized this quiet boy wasn't as bad as everyone said. On the contrary, he was wonderful. So wonderful that Fang Li would never forget him for the rest of her life. The boy wasn't a savior, but 2.1kReads8.2Score54714d adds
- 38 The Phoenix’s Summer 不死鸟的夏 The gardenias bloomed, but the person watching them with me wasn't the boy who had dazzled my youth that summer long ago. He had gone to protect another girl for the rest of his life. I love white magnolias in summer. They usually bloom during the season, and their fragrance, like that of orchids, evokes an image of pure, jade-like beauty. After meeting Xu Yue, I fell in love with gardenias. They bloom every year around the summer solstice, their petals a pure white that symbolizes a promise to 27Reads8.0Score—14d adds
- 39 A Little Regret in Three Words 三个字的小遗憾 A sensitive, overthinking girl versus a sunny, oblivious boy When Shen Xiaoxu is sixteen, she happens to catch sight of Lu Qingyang, who had been about to head home despite the rain, suddenly slowing down. He gently crouches to feed a kitten soaked through by the downpour. Though his shoulders are already drenched, he casually glances up a few times, seemingly not bothered at all. What an utterly hopeless idiot! Watching from the side, Shen Xiaoxu can’t help whispering under her breath. But even 36Reads—Score—14d adds
- 40 Everyone Knows This Secret Except You 除你之外都知道这个秘密 [Scatterbrained little ray of sunshine × sharp-tongued top student] You ask what happened after that. Well, after that… Xiang Nan was once Sheng Gu’s light. When they meet again, Sheng Gu decides to become the one who chases the light. You just stand in the light. I’ll stay behind you and protect you, whether you can see me or not. Xiang Nan watches the sharp-tongued college genius who keeps showing up in front of her every day: “Oh no, why am I starting to fall for him?” “Does he actually lik 17Reads—Score—14d adds
- 41 Infested 入蛊 “Why does my heart race uncontrollably whenever I see you?” “So that’s what it means to be bewitched by you.” “Bewitched, and loving you to the bone.” 630Reads8.5Score10214d adds
- 42 A Damp Late Autumn 潮湿深秋 [Angst] [Two Top Students] [Mutual Pining] Proud heiress × sunny boy with soft curls At seventeen, everyone was talking about their crushes. Yun Shuang was the only one working through problems. In everyone's eyes, she was a cool, quiet top student whose only focus was studying. No one noticed that when someone asked if anyone liked Nian Song, Yun Shuang's writing hand paused and the tips of her ears turned red. Liking Nian Song was the secret she had kept buried in her heart throughout her scho 1.6kReads8.5Score19514d adds
- 43 Even a Broken-Winged Butterfly Wants to Kiss the Sea 残翅蝴蝶也想亲吻大海 “Sunny Boy with a Heart Condition, the Transfer Student × Kind Girl with Depression” [Mutual Devotion + Bad Ending + Willing to Die for Love + Tragedy + Vicious Supporting Female Character] The girl Ruodie suffers from depression. In her black-and-white world, there isn’t a glimmer of light. Her one and only wish is to see the real sea just once. Then transfer student Qi Hai enters her world, bringing her endless warmth and making her feel for the first time that the world has color. He is a boy 1kReads8.2Score33714d adds
- 44 Captive Phoenix in His Arms: The Ruthless Emperor's Prisoner 俘凰入罗帷,狠戾帝君掌心囚 When the Cangxuan Kingdom fell, its legitimate eldest princess, once revered and surrounded by every luxury, was cast from her heavenly heights into the deepest hell. Chu Yan had once been held hostage in Cangxuan. When he was being humiliated, the kingdom’s eldest princess, Fan Hua, came to his rescue. They grew up together and fell in love, but a conspiracy made Chu Yan hate the entire Cangxuan royal family. After years of plotting, he destroyed her kingdom, trampled on her dignity, and forced 285Reads6.3Score—14d adds
- 45 I Know Sorrow and Autumn 我知悲与秋 [College campus + youthful angst + reunion after years apart + sweet at first, then heartbreaking + BE ending + realistic + female coming-of-age] (The main story is complete. The latest bonus chapter has been posted in the Stories section on the homepage.) One autumn, Jiang Nian saw her eighteen-year-old self at the other end of the road. She held the eighteen-year-old girl tight, as if she had returned to that autumn five years ago. That day, nineteen-year-old Jiang Yiming stood amid the crowd 35Reads8.1Score—14d adds
- 46 Her Ninth Year 她的第九年 The rating has just come in, but it’ll go up later~ ❤️ [Quiet and reserved Li Wu × gifted Chen Yi] In the splendor of youth, she once loved someone. When she saw him win an award, she felt proud; when she saw him smile, she was happy. She kept a little star hidden away for year after year. At the freshman welcome ceremony in late August, he wore a simple white T-shirt and black track pants. His eyes crinkled with a smile, and his clear, cool voice rang in her ears. In an instant, her cheeks flu 703Reads8.2Score—14d adds
- 47 The Sound of Fine Rain on the Bridge 桥绵细雨声 [Depressed girl Qiao Mian x gentle doctor Wen Rouyu] Qiao Mian wanted to throw herself into the river, but Wen Rouyu pulled her out. Suddenly, she wasn't sure she wanted to die. Was it fate? Tugging timidly at Wen Rouyu's clothes, she asked, “Can you love me?” “I do. I love you so, so much. I like you more than anything.” Qiao Mian's depression was caused by her family. To help Qiao Mian break free from her birth family, Wen Rouyu secretly made a plan. Qiao Mian's parents beat her until both 13Reads—Score—14d adds
- 48 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
- 49 When We Meet Again, We’ll Be Worlds Apart 再见已是天上人间 While Nan Sheng was still alive, she climbed the ninety-nine stone steps behind the Chenghuang Temple and prayed devoutly for Mo Beichen to return safely. But the day before she died, she fulfilled her vow. She said, “In my next life, I don’t want to meet him again.” After Nan Sheng died, Mo Beichen retraced the path she had taken, kneeling three times at every nine steps as he begged the gods to return his wife to him… He said, “If there is another life, may she live a carefree life, free from 205Reads5.3Score—14d adds
- 50 My Friend, Mr. Zhong 我朋友的钟先生 From school days to the real world, a doomed unrequited love 1. Mr. Zhong belongs to my friend, not me. I have always been a despicable person, secretly in love with my friend’s boyfriend. So I deserve whatever punishment fate has in store for me. 2. Li Ying would always remember that day. In the filthy bathroom, a carefree, languid young man suddenly appeared before her like a god. Without hesitation, he took off his own jacket, looked away, and held it out to Li Ying, whose clothes were in dis 113Reads—Score—14d adds

















































