Novels like Even a Broken-Winged Butterfly Wants to Kiss the Sea
Books Chinese readers most often put in the same booklists as Even a Broken-Winged Butterfly Wants to Kiss the Sea, best match first.
- 1 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
- 2 Can You Come Back? 你可以，回来吗 Please don’t read this. It’s my cringey middle-school-era writing. orz Please don’t read it, it’ll make you cringe for sure. Please don’t read it, please don’t. I’m begging you. Middle-school-level writing + a painfully clichéd plot. orz orz orz 14Reads—Score—14d adds
- 3 At the End of the Galaxy, You'll Always Be in My Heart 星河尽头，你永远在我心上 At the Edge of the Galaxy, You Will Always Be in My Heart 84Reads—Score—14d adds
- 4 It Was the Wind That Scattered Us 是风吹散了 [Campus / Secret Crush / Regret / Bad Ending] [Bad-boy troublemaker × sensitive, fragile sweetheart] When the wind dies down, so does the story. "Hey, little sis, I've got chalk here. Come get some from me." Jiang Jingyi teases the well-behaved student standing outside the classroom. Laughter erupts inside, while the girl lowers her head, the tips of her ears turning faintly red. "Yi, have you really fallen for her?" "Not that much, it's just... whenever I see her, my heart gets all jumbled up 295Reads—Score10114d adds
- 5 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
- 6 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
- 7 Why Can't I Find You Anymore? 我怎么找不到你了 [Love That Grows Over Time ✘ Angsty Campus Romance] Energetic girl ✘ aloof, handsome bad boy [“A Yan, will you forget me?” “A Ying, where are you? Why can't I find you?”] A bet with a friend brought Lin Wanying into the orbit of the aloof, handsome bad boy Song Yan. [“Hey, were you born unable to talk?”] [“Song Yan, run!” “Why did you save me?”] [“A Ying, I like you. Will you be my girlfriend?” “I like people who work hard.”] [“A Ying, I've tried so hard, so why are you still leaving me...”] 16Reads—Score—14d adds
- 8 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
- 9 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
- 10 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
- 11 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
- 12 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
- 13 Through the Summer 渡夏天 There was only one thing Lin Mumu kept from Chen Yusen in her whole life. She was like a little sun, warming him and slowly melting his cold exterior, teaching him how to smile and how to love. But the sun itself was quietly burning out. She would remain forever in that summer when she was eighteen. He said, “I only ever got married once. My bride was eighteen, wore a white dress, and had dimples when she smiled.” Later, he became the best doctor and saved countless people, but he could never sa 1.2kReads6.0Score27714d adds
- 14 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
- 15 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
- 16 Chasing the Flame 扑火 The night before his wedding, Rong Di told his friend, “I didn’t marry the person I loved most.” Rong Di hated letting anyone sway his emotions. But only when Jiang Fusang vanished from his world did he finally realize that Jiang Fusang was the reason his heart beat. In the games played in the pleasure-seeking world, anyone who falls sincerely in love, indulges in delusions, or longs for salvation is bound to be shattered. 74Reads6.0Score1014d adds
- 17 My Name Is Liang Zhaodi 我叫梁招娣 [Youthful + Healing + Angsty campus romance] My name is Liang Zhaodi. It's a rather tacky name, but it has a lot of meaning. Grandma gave it to me because she hoped my parents would have a son. I'm just a child they took in. When my little brother was born, I became the least welcome person in the family. My father didn't care for me, and my mother didn't love me. As far back as I can remember, I did all the housework. Growing up under my mother's influence, my little brother inherited everythin 529Reads6.8Score10214d adds
- 18 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
- 19 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
- 20 The Last Snowfall in Zurich 苏黎世的最后一场雪 Lin Xigu once believed that staying by Wen Anning's side could dispel the gloom hanging over her and save her from depression. They promised to travel to many places together, letting the world's beauty soothe the scars deep in her soul, and letting the winds atop the snow-capped mountains bear witness to their long-overdue confession. But the storm of fate struck without warning. The last snowfall in Zurich took Wen Anning away and crushed all of Lin Xigu's hopes. Only when Lin Xigu found the 40Reads—Score—14d adds
- 21 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
- 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 I Hate Being Twenty-Three in the Summer 讨厌23岁的夏天 Gentle girl VS sensitive boy At seventeen, in the innocence of youth, she fell in love with him. At nineteen, in the best years of his life, he died in her arms. At twenty-three, Ye Xi was supposed to attend her high school reunion, but unexpectedly she traveled back to the year she was seventeen. Familiar memories washed over her, along with the chance to meet him again… Ye Xi thought Xing Zhou had forgotten the child who used to cling to her all day, insisting on going with her even to the con 20Reads—Score—14d adds
- 24 The Person I Loved as a Teen Ignored My Confession. When I Saw Him Again After Returning Home, I Cried 我少时喜欢的人不理我的表白，回国后再见他，我却哭了 The person I loved as a teenager ignored my confession. When I saw him again after returning to China, I cried. 5Reads—Score—14d adds
- 25 I Died at the Age of Twenty 我死在了二十岁那年 An Ning never imagined that someone would appear before her. He was an excellent student, came from a good family, and stood out from the rest. She was insecure and timid, unloved by her parents, and accustomed to abuse. Her beloved grandmother died, and her best friend from high school ended her own life with a rope. She had doubted the point of living. When she wanted to keep stumbling forward, she had no courage left. Her life came to a standstill that year. She would never be tired again. 12Reads8.7Score—14d adds
- 26 The Little Princess Severed Her Heartstrings, and the Divine Lord Suffered for Twelve Lifetimes 小公主断情丝，神君痛彻十二世 The divine laws of the Nine Heavens forbid love. Any deity who falls in love is punished by Heaven. She is the youngest princess, cherished by the Heavenly Emperor, with a pure heart and eyes filled with admiration for the God of War, Ling Xuan. He is an ancient divine lord who commands countless weapons, aloof for ten thousand years, yet secretly harbors a love for her that runs bone-deep. Their forbidden love is exposed, and the wrath of Heaven descends. Right before his eyes, the threads of l 3Reads—Score—14d adds
- 27 Next Year’s Spring 来年的春 [Signed for publication] [Mutual salvation + sweet and angsty] An insecure, sensitive, well-behaved girl × a rebellious, roguishly handsome boy with a softer side Note: If you’re confused, check out the author’s other short story, Snow in the Eighth Year. When they first met, neither of them ever imagined that one day they would fall deeply in love. One day, she looked up and called to him, “Chen Yi.” He answered. There was a smile in Lin Shu’s eyes, though her expression was calm. She smiled 20Reads6.9Score314d adds
- 28 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
- 29 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
- 30 The Rose Is Lost 玫瑰已失 At the hospital, she inexplicably learned that she did not have long to live. After that, she divorced the man who was her husband in name only. She couldn't bear to let him go, but the diagnosis left her no choice but to set him free. After the divorce, her health deteriorated by the day. Her best friend urged her to be hospitalized, but she shook her head and refused. In the end, she passed away alone at home. Later, under pressure from his grandmother in the Shen family, Shen Shen sent people 18Reads—Score—14d adds
- 31 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
- 32 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
- 33 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
- 34 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
- 35 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
- 36 Letting Go 割愛 [Short tragic ending + obsessive male lead] After my mother remarried, my stepbrother, who shared neither parent with me, was always finding new ways to bully me. But after our parents died, he changed completely. He stopped bullying me and instead stayed by my side, taking care of me without ever giving up on me. It was as if he’d become a different person. 62Reads8.1Score—14d adds
- 37 Waiting for Winter to End, Longing for Spring 等冬尽，盼春来 Youthful Heartbreak | BE Aesthetics | Mutual Redemption | Fated by Life and Death Lose 10 pounds just from reading this [Quiet, Resilient Girl × Wild, World-Weary School Bully] In 2012, in a seaside town, Jiang Sheng and Nan Siye meet in the rundown Nanyang residential compound. She is a silent lamb to the slaughter, bullied by her classmates. Her mother has left home to work, her father disappeared ten years ago and never returned, and she lives under someone else’s roof. He is the school bull 1.6kReads8.2Score50314d adds
- 38 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
- 39 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
- 40 Huai'an 怀安 Xu Sui'an will always love Lu Huaizheng, and Lu Huaizheng will always protect Xu Sui'an. "To be loved is to have a brilliant light shine on the insecure in their darkest hour. It means that even if the whole world condemns you, I will still choose you without hesitation, come to you, and love you deeply." "Dear friend, one day we must say goodbye, but I will remember you forever. Farewell." 4Reads8.1Score—14d adds
- 41 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
- 42 Even If This Love Disappeared from the World 就算这份爱恋从世界上消失 All the love in this world, gathered in twelve short stories. Even if that love disappears from the world, it once burned our souls with fierce heat. "Seven Days" "Because of Daishan" "Remember to Translate It Twice" "A Sea Hidden in My Heart" "He Just Doesn't Like You" "Even Their Names Are a Perfect Match" "Pain So Bad I Can't Breathe" "Spring Never Comes" "Oh, the Mist" "A Missing Heartbeat" "I Hear Poetry in the Mist" "Forty-Two Years" 27Reads7.9Score10414d adds
- 43 Summer, Nowhere to Be Seen 【夏不见】 [Sweet at first, angsty later + Beautiful tragedy] [Main couple: Mutual salvation Cold boy × Somber girl] [Side couple: Bickering rivals] They met in the leafy green of summer. After one chance encounter after another, the cold boy and the somber girl discovered that each shone at school, yet suffered in homes painfully barren of warmth. Slowly, their young feelings grew wild, but in the end, they couldn’t withstand the twists of fate. - “Jiang Leng, it’s snowing. Another winter has come,” “But 1.2kReads8.2Score34114d adds
- 44 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
- 45 A Tortured Love Between Human and Ghost: The Bricklayer 人鬼虐恋之泥瓦匠 A Tragic Love Between a Man and a Ghost: The Bricklayer —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 46 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
- 47 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
- 48 A Reply from the Clouds 云端的回信 A Reply from the Clouds 3Reads—Score—14d adds
- 49 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
- 50 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
