Novels like That Bittersweet Love
Books Chinese readers most often put in the same booklists as That Bittersweet Love, best match first.
- 101 Second Marriage 二婚 An Ran was a full-time housewife. On their seventh wedding anniversary, her husband divorced her, after cheating with her closest friend. After the divorce, An Ran reentered the workforce and landed a job as a personal assistant with an annual salary of 300,000. She thought she would be caring for a bedridden old man, but it turned out to be a young, handsome CEO with an extravagant lifestyle. The young CEO wants to marry her, but she has no interest in getting married again... In short, this is 18.8kReads9.0Score32414d adds
- 102 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. 275Reads8.8Score—14d adds
- 103 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... 628Reads5.8Score—14d adds
- 104 The Azure Wutong of the Cloud Scrolls 云笈苍梧 The Azure Writs of Cangwu —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 105 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
- 106 Clouds Veil the Vermilion Tower 云锁朱楼 The second time Mu Yun embroidered her wedding dress, her husband, Zhu Lou, found her and demanded coldly, “Madam Mu, have you forgotten that you're a wife of the Zhu family?” “No! I'm not!” What did it mean to be a wife of the Zhu family? It was a death sentence! A story about the hardships of marriage, the struggles of life, and the pain of living. A thoroughly unhappy read. The male lead is not chaste, so proceed with caution if that bothers you! It's not a satisfying or empowering story. It' 677Reads8.8Score10014d adds
- 107 I Might Fall in Love with You 我可能会爱你 At thirty-four, Zhang Xiaonan, an older unmarried woman, finally got married. She hadn't wanted to. She'd already decided to spend her whole life alone. But life is unpredictable: she went on a blind date with a real catch, and married him. After breaking up with his first love, Liu Wenjing thought he would never date or marry again. Then he met an older woman who didn't want a bride price, a house, or a car, and didn't even want him to love her. He figured people had to get married eventually, 3.5kReads8.8Score29014d adds
- 108 I've Been a Joke for Three Years, and You Still Won't Let Me Leave with Dignity 做了三年笑话，你还不让我体面离场 After three years as a laughingstock, you still won't let me make a dignified exit 19Reads—Score—14d adds
- 109 A Girl and Nine Men 一个女孩和9个男人的故事 A story about one girl and nine men 52Reads—Score—14d adds
- 110 Tides Over the Capital at Night 京夜潮渡 [She Won't Turn Back After He Comes Crawling Back + Second Male Lead Takes the Lead + Sweet 1v1 Romance + Powerful Beijing Socialite] At eighteen, Jin Ting was sincere and passionate. He got into fights and was injured protecting Wen Er. He ran three streets in the rain to buy the soy milk and fried dough sticks she liked. His friends described him as devoted and romantic. On the day he graduated from college, he wrote his wish at the graduation party: “Become a business leader and marry Wen 3kReads8.7Score29314d adds
- 111 Mr. Lu, Stop Hurting Her. Your Wife Is Getting Married 陆总别虐了，夫人要嫁人了 “Shen Muqing, if you want the title of Mrs. Lu, it's yours. I don't care. But if you want my heart...” “Maybe in your next life.” Throughout her three-year marriage to Lu Jingshen, Shen Muqing kept giving in, kept getting hurt, and kept loving him. Lu Jingshen thought he had never loved Shen Muqing. Lu Jingshen thought Shen Muqing loved him so much that she could never bear to leave. Lu Jingshen didn't know that at the end of humility comes acceptance. No matter how deep the love, it will eventu 337Reads8.4Score—14d adds
- 112 We Already Broke Off the Engagement. I Married the Crown Prince Instead. Why Are You Crying? 都退婚了，我闪婚太子爷你哭什么 [The heroine won’t look back after the ex’s desperate attempts to win her back + secret love comes true + sweet romance + both leads are virgins] After years together, her fiancé suddenly arranged an engagement alliance with the Song family, then declared righteously, “Miss Song and I are only pretending to be engaged. After everything I’ve done for you all these years, can’t you put up with this for my sake?” Mu Sheng’s heart died, and she instantly became the laughingstock of Yuncheng. She wen 1.8kReads8.8Score22814d adds
- 113 Oops, I've Become the Female Supporting Character in a Novel 不小心，穿成书中女配怎么办 Lu Lin opened her eyes and discovered that she had become a supporting female character with the same name in a novel. In the original story, the supporting character had a husband, Zhou Sui, who was 188 centimeters tall, broad-shouldered and slim-waisted, with an eight-pack and a net worth in the hundreds of billions. And she didn't want him. Instead, she was dead set on a gold-digger who used women to climb the social ladder. After they had a child, neither of them cared for the baby. She was 12Reads—Score—14d adds
- 114 Loving You, Even If It Was Only a Fleeting Splendor 爱你纵使繁华一场 After five years of marriage, Mo Sheng still hadn't made Li Yunan fall in love with her. When she learned she had a terminal illness, all she asked for was ten months. “After ten months, I can divorce you. Please, don't hate me.” “What are you playing at?” “I'm tired. I want to be free.” Childhood sweethearts may grow apart as time goes by. Mo Sheng had loved Li Yunan for thirteen years, while he gave all his love to another woman. As she suffered through a pain unlike anything she had ever endu 23Reads6.8Score—14d adds
- 115 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 808Reads5.9Score—14d adds
- 116 After the Breakup, Mr. Wen Finally Came Out on Top 分手后，温总他上位成功 [Marriage first, love later; secret crush; not an overbearing CEO; second male lead wins] Gu Qinghan pursued Sheng Zijin from high school through college, and the two naturally got together. Then, at twenty-three, she received a picture from her best friend Su Qing, and everything finally made sense. Sheng Zijin disappeared from Gu Qinghan’s world. He searched for her everywhere, but couldn’t find her. * When they met again, Gu Qinghan saw Sheng Zijin leaning against the man beside her, his eyes 307Reads6.7Score—14d adds
- 117 Until We Meet Again 不見不散 [Reunion after years apart + bickering couple + modern romance + second chance at love + heartwarming healing story] The hero and heroine meet in middle school. When they go off to different universities, their immature, youthful personalities gradually drive them apart. Years later, they reunite and rekindle their relationship. It's a little story about finding their way back to each other. For a relationship to blossom and bear fruit, the right people must meet at the right time in the right f 59Reads—Score—14d adds
- 118 The Broken Bridge Can Be Crossed Alone 断桥能自渡 [No golden finger + grounded, strong female lead + a 15-year comeback + equally strong male and female leads + inspiring and healing + work and family] What can you do in 15 years? What might you go through? She is the woman people say has no close ties with her family! Starting from nothing, she is battered by one blow after another from her family of origin, workplace bullying, and a lousy boyfriend. She stops hoping for anything and accepts her fate! From then on, she relies on neither heaven 4Reads—Score—14d adds
- 119 Four Seasons in the Mountain City 山城四季 2023 marks the 20th anniversary of the Three Gorges Dam beginning to store water. The Three Gorges migrants of that time left their hometowns with reluctance and hope, and years later, some returned for one reason or another. Xiao Ying was born in the reservoir region and moved to another province with her family as a young child. After graduating from university, she worked in Beijing, but when a misdiagnosis led her fiancé’s family to look down on her, she angrily called off their engagement. 1.9kReads9.5Score19514d adds
- 120 The Truth Unfolds: I Give My Life While He Watches the Show 真相上演，我填命他看戏 On the 1,096th day since my younger brother went missing, I, Lin An, a standard, human-shaped office worker and clock-in machine, decided to put an end to this meaningless wait with my own hands. Instead, I floored the gas pedal, drove myself off a cliff, and crashed into another world. The good news: When I opened my eyes again, a faceless creep was standing in front of me, saying: “The Hall of Fairness... is absolutely fair. Complete the scenario, find the truth, and anything you wish for can 6Reads—Score—14d adds
- 121 A Wanton Kiss Beneath the Camellias 肆吻山茶 [Married first, fall in love later + secret love + second male lead takes the lead + the heroine’s regretful ex gets no second chance] Shen Xingzhi is a noble young master from a prestigious family. Everyone in their social circle knows Jiang Wan has loved him for ten years, but it never crossed his mind to marry her. When they broke up, Shen Xingzhi laughed. “I’m just making her suffer a little. She can’t live without me anyway.” Later, Shen Xingzhi begged her to come back, eyes red with tears, 257Reads6.7Score—14d adds
- 122 After the Divorce, I Slap My Ex-Husband Across the Face Every Day 离婚之后，我天天抽前夫大嘴巴子 [Wealthy Families x Face-Slapping the Scum x New Male Lead x Second Marriage x Sweet Romance x Made for Each Other] Before the divorce. Jiang Tong's scumbag ex-husband laid three curses on her. First, after leaving him, her life would be miserable. Without him, she wouldn't be able to survive. Second, she was past her prime, and even if she practically begged someone to marry her, no one would take her. Third, even if someone did marry her, he would surely abandon her again. But what actually ha 814Reads9.1Score10214d adds
- 123 More Than Dawn 不止黎明 A down-to-earth story of youth and ambition in the entertainment industry, with a slow-blooming romance. The male lead grows from an extra into a top actor, while the female lead goes from a rookie to a top agent. They pursue their dreams together, every step of the way. Pure sweetness, no angst, melodrama, or tired tropes. 1v1, love at first sight, pure romance, both leads are each other's first and only. A brave, resilient heroine and a gentle, conflicted hero: a top agent and the actor she he 25Reads—Score—14d adds
- 124 Mr. Gu, Your Wife Sent You These Divorce Papers 顾总，这是太太给您的离婚协议 (The male lead loves his first love without realizing it. After she dies, her replacement takes her place. The heroine leaves without looking back, while the second male lead quietly stands by her. In the end, the lovers are together.) The day Shen Zhiqiu found out she was pregnant with twins, her husband, Gu Qingyan, brazenly moved his first love, Xiao Wanqing, into their marital home. Heartbroken, she hid her pregnancy and asked for a divorce! “I am officially separated from Gu Qingyan, presi 134Reads8.3Score10314d adds
- 125 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
- 126 Let Me Build You a Home 我来给你装个家 Who would lose the house they worked so hard to earn just because they fell in love? Jiang Ning. Who would scrimp on everything, from food and clothes to housing and travel, just because they fell in love? Yang Wu. They were both willing to do it for each other. The road may have been hard, but together they were always happy. In the end, they found a home and a life together, sharing three meals a day through all four seasons. 1.5kReads9.4Score14914d adds
- 127 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
- 128 A Small-Town Girl's Ten-Year Secret Crush 一个小镇女孩暗恋的十年 [Ten years of secret love × running away while pregnant × groveling to win her back × reunion after years apart × powerful man finally bows his head × both are each other’s first and only] This is not a mindless wish-fulfillment story!! The heroine is not love-brained!!! This is not a pampered-wife story!! People will die, so if you only want happy endings, this isn’t for you! No rebirth, no golden finger, no evil female rival, no women competing against each other, and no putting the heroine th 4.3kReads8.2Score32614d adds
- 129 Fallen Blossoms Still Drift Toward the Jade Steps 乱红犹向玉阶飞 Xiao Seru said to Wen Jinchub: “A Chu, I know you still think of Miss Lu. I'm envious, but I'm not jealous. I don't expect you to truly let her go. I only hope you'll let me stay by your side... I may not be as talented or beautiful as Miss Lu, but my love for you is just as true!” Xiao Seru also said, “A Chu, I'm so happy I can be your wife. A Chu, I like you. I really, truly like you!” But later, Xiao Seru said to Wen Jinchub: “Wen Jinchub, she pushed me!” “Is Lu Liulian's child the only one w 119Reads8.0Score—14d adds
- 130 A Carefully Planned Seduction 蓄谋诱婚 One-on-one, both leads are romantically inexperienced [Marriage first, love later + second male lead takes the lead + scumbag regrets losing his wife, but the heroine never looks back] Sharp-tongued, possessive nobleman vs. the unattainable first love Everyone knows Fan Xiyue, the eldest daughter of the Fan family, is a scheming swan who loves nothing more than taking whatever her younger sister wants. But the tables turn without warning. To fulfill her grandmother’s final wish, Fan Xiyue must g 6.8kReads8.6Score63714d adds
- 131 The Eighth Winter 第八年雪 The Eighth Year of Snow —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 132 Perfectly Complementary 极致互补 [Short drama now streaming] [Emotion-led brand strategist Zhang Xinbei × rational investor Gao Jiawei] Modern romance / cerebral love / workplace maneuvering / mature push and pull A power couple who complement each other · One-on-one · Mutual salvation · (Those who mind a non-virgin heroine should proceed with caution. No rivalry between women, just a normal romance with sound values.) * She is a top-tier brand strategist who breaks through by understanding human nature; he is a capital markets 3.1kReads8.7Score34014d adds
- 133 The Teahouse Owner Who Cut Through the Martial World 那个茶馆老板杀穿了江湖 The Daily Life of a Green-Robed Teahouse Owner Forced to Work Su Buyan had planned to open a teahouse in a small town and spend his days in retirement, but a puppet-murder case toppled his signboard. The puppeteer’s mechanisms, the shifting lights and shadows on the stage, the silvery-gray powder beneath the victim’s fingernails... How could this be an ordinary murder? Someone was clearly treating human lives like puppets on strings! Even more absurdly, three strange people suddenly barged into 6Reads—Score—14d adds
- 134 Surrender to Your Tenderness 沦陷你温柔 [They don't get back together after breaking up + He grovels to win her back + The second male lead wins her heart + Sweet romance] Fang Yulan had secretly loved Lin Jingchuan for a year and dated him in secret for three. She spent four years on him, only to end up hearing him say, “I'm not interested in her. She's just a free maid. She did all this willingly. I never asked her to like me. She's the one who threw herself at me.” Heartbroken, Fang Yulan turned and walked away. Lin Jingchuan pan 68Reads7.6Score—14d adds
- 135 A Marriage at a Crossroads 婚途陌路 Strangers on the Road to Marriage 49Reads—Score714d adds
- 136 This Is Where It Ends 到此为止 [Angst-heavy story. Read with caution. The male lead is not chaste.] “Ru Yi, when you act like this, it makes me think you still can’t let go of me.” All the pain and torment must have begun with those words. Or perhaps it was “You haven’t been able to forget me, Ru Yi.” Much later, when Ru Yi thought back on her tangled history with Pei Shiyu, that was what she believed. He would remember the scent from deep in his memories, carried on a gentle breeze, but he wouldn’t remember how much he h 4kReads8.5Score19514d adds
- 137 So Satisfying! After Being Bullied, She Takes Out Everyone Equally 爽爆！被虐后她平等的创死每个人 [Absolutely No Forgiveness + Second Male Lead Takes the Lead + Male Lead's Redemption Arc] As Nan Zhi signed the divorce papers, she thought back on her seven years with Huo Shaoting and felt it had all been for nothing. When disaster struck the Huo family, she lived with him in a basement and collected bottles. She went through every hardship by his side. At the peak of her career, she chose to leave the entertainment industry and marry him. But after he became successful, he paraded one mistre 1kReads8.8Score10414d adds
- 138 Tearing My Heart Apart for You 为你撕心裂爱 What does it mean to love deeply? To be doomed beyond redemption, or ground to dust? Ruan Zhenzhen's heart died at the moment she lay dying, her child was lost, and her grandfather was grieved to death. After rising from the ashes, the man who regretted everything knelt before her and begged for forgiveness. But how can a dead heart come back to life? “Huo Sinian, the only way I'll forgive you is if you die!” 188Reads5.7Score—14d adds
- 139 After Sharing a Milk Tea with My Guy Best Friend, the Family Group Chat Exploded 和男闺蜜喝同一杯奶茶后，家族群沸腾了 The Family Chat Exploded After I Shared a Cup of Milk Tea with My Guy Best Friend —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 140 Searching a Thousand Miles for the Way 万里寻途 A Thousand Miles in Search of the Way —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 141 The Newcomer Who Triggers My Stress Response 那个让我应激的新人 The Newcomer Who Triggers My Trauma 53Reads—Score—14d adds
- 142 Captive Wild Rose 囚禁野玫瑰 Angsty romance + unhinged male lead (if you dislike this, don’t read) + no reconciliation Another warning: the male lead is obsessive and unhinged. If you dislike that, don’t read. Aloof, noble doctor Shi Yi VS gentle, well-behaved teacher Yu Huan From the moment the first rose bloomed, the Creator had been plotting this encounter, one called redemption. Shi Yi was like the moon reflected on water. Yu Huan had gazed up at him for five whole years, loving him humbly as her bright, clear white ros 2.3kReads8.7Score10314d adds
- 143 Bo Yu, I Don't Dare Love You Anymore 薄欲，我不敢再爱你了 Su Qingwu had been married to Bo Yu for five years, and he had trampled her sincere love until it was shattered to pieces. She thought he really was as cold as the rumors said, even in bed, utterly devoid of emotion. But after Bai Xiaoxiao returned, Su Qingwu realized that Bo Yu hadn’t been born cold and indifferent. He knew better than anyone how to treat someone with tenderness and affection. Su Qingwu was left battered and broken, eventually losing all feeling. When she returned in full fin 933Reads7.0Score10214d adds
- 144 I Divorced My Husband to Set Him Free for His First Love, but He Refused 离婚成全丈夫和白月光，他却不干了 I divorced my husband to reunite him with his first love, but he refused to go along with it. 69Reads—Score—14d adds
- 145 He Left Me for Dead in the Wilderness, Then Suffered Backlash and Began a Countdown to Death 重伤我弃于荒野，他惨遭反噬，生命进入倒计时 He left me for dead in the wilderness after grievously wounding me. He suffered a vicious backlash, and his life began counting down. 61Reads—Score—14d adds
- 146 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
- 147 Three Years After My Cancer Diagnosis: I Died, and He Went Mad! 癌症三年后：我死了，他疯了！ [The ex-husband can't win her back, the second male lead rises to the top, reborn and gets his comeuppance] I died the day before my husband married his new love. After six years of marriage, he said he was tired of me and turned around to find a younger, more delicate girl. I had cancer, but he never even came to see me. On the day I died, I couldn't help calling him one last time, pleading, “Ah Huai, I'm dying. Can you come see me?” He hung up impatiently. “We'll talk after you're dead.” The n 2kReads7.1Score10414d adds
- 148 Mr. Qi, Loving You Is a Living Hell 祁先生，爱你是人间炼狱 The story begins with the words, “This woman is yours.” Then Jiang Zhiyu is framed by Qi Han’s fiancée, who hires an assassin to kill him. Because of this, Qi Han destroys the Jiang family and sends her brother to prison. In the end, does he love her, or does he just feel guilty? Let’s find out. 173Reads6.1Score—14d adds
- 149 Midsummer Is Eternal 盛夏是永恒 A girl with heart failure × a cold, short-tempered boy Mutual salvation [School-life tragedy] An eternal, unchanging love, yet it was in the brief span of my life that an eternal love was created... The little sun warmed everyone, but in the end, she couldn't escape the endless cycle of summer. Under the stars, she made a wish: "May my Luoluo have peace year after year." Little scenes: "Hey, would you be interested in dating?" "Why are you such a stick-in-the-mud?" "Why is my darling so cute?" " 312Reads8.4Score10114d adds
- 150 Once Unfaithful, Never to Marry Again 一次不忠，终身不娶 Once Unfaithful, Never to Marry Again 2Reads—Score—14d adds
