Novels like After Prison, I Just Want to Live a Quiet Life
Books Chinese readers most often put in the same booklists as After Prison, I Just Want to Live a Quiet Life, best match first.
- 101 The Dragon City Kingpin 龙城枭雄 At the end of the last century, Longcheng was a haven for countless criminal gangs, and most of its people were driven onto a path of no return... In that era of flashing blades and bloody battles, a man named Yao Chutian unleashed a storm of bloodshed and chaos. 5Reads—Score114d adds
- 102 Tempest in the Business World: A Game of Gratitude and Revenge 商海风云:恩仇之局 Jiang He and Hu Kai were college roommates, sharing the bunk bed in their dorm. After graduation, they started a business together. Both fell in love with Chen Hong, but her heart always belonged to Jiang He. As their company grew, tensions arose between the two men. Hu Kai framed Jiang He, forcing him to leave the company, then used underhanded means to marry Chen Hong. Jiang He faked his death and fled to the United States. Decades later, the company Hu Kai took over has become a nationally re —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 103 My First Half of Life: A Bloody Underworld 我的前半生:血色江湖 [The rating just came in and it’ll keep rising, so don’t let it scare you off! This book is entirely handcrafted, and writing it isn’t easy. Hope you enjoy it!] Eight years in the army, decorated for valor, only to have his future stolen by a substitute! He moves to the city for work and tries to keep his head down, but is forced into a dead end! His brother goes to prison, and his sworn brother dies a tragic death. Good people have no way out, while the wicked run rampant! He abandons the strai 1.2kReads8.4Score13014d adds
- 104 The Underworld: A Life in the Jianghu 黑道:人在江湖 What is the underworld? No one can really say. To me, the underworld is the jianghu. The jianghu has its own rules and its own stories. It’s not all fighting and killing. More than anything, it’s about human relationships and navigating the ways of the world. In 1996, a film about young gangsters influenced countless young people, leading them down a path of no return... That same year, after four years in prison, I walked out through those heavy doors and regained my freedom. My name is Fang We 203Reads6.7Score—14d adds
- 105 Shan Jin Underworld: I Took Down the Whole Jianghu 山晋黑道,我打爆了江湖 [Underworld, passionate, multiple heroines, first-person] My name is Xu Haoqiang. I live in Longcheng, Shan Jin, a coal-producing region. In 1997, at the age of twenty, I joined the underworld. I let money do the talking, and even the truth has to bow its head. I let the rules of the underworld do the talking, and both the legitimate and criminal worlds have to make way. From there, my influence spread across Shan Jin and beyond… 913Reads6.4Score10314d adds
- 106 I Killed My Former Self 我杀死了曾经的自己 My new work is out! You can read it on Tomato Novel. I hope you enjoy it. Your support motivates me to write, and I'll do my best to tell every story well! 160Reads8.7Score—14d adds
- 107 The Fire Usurper: Ship Without a Shore 篡火者:无岸之舟 The flames of war left Chen Hao an orphan. San Francisco’s Chinatown in 1985: a land of chaos and gold. His second uncle took him in and looked after him. But in a foreign land, he endured scorn and humiliation! Should Chinese people really let others walk all over them? No! No! No! Stir up the storm, and turn into a dragon when the waters rise! Witness a Chinese man’s rise to godfather! —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 108 Black Shark 黑鲨 I can’t stand you, so I’ll beat you up! You made me unhappy, so I’ll make you pay! White can be black, and black can become white, because even under the brightest lights, shadows are always there. Blunt and revealing, but not judgmental. This may not be the pinnacle of crime fiction, but it is absolutely a trailblazer in the genre! Just wait and see! 605Reads8.4Score—14d adds
- 109 The Underworld as Seen Through a Madman's Eyes 疯子眼中所谓的江湖 His father goes bankrupt overnight. His mother receives a notice that she is critically ill. A carefree young wastrel stumbles into the world of the martial underworld! Confronted with all the different lives in the martial world, and one situation after another where he has no choice, the young man, already mired in the quagmire, gazes around in confusion. The martial world is a road of no return. You have to go mad to become a demon. An unseen hand pushes him ever onward... Can this dashing yo 784Reads7.0Score10314d adds
- 110 Hong Kong Crossover: Starting in Tsuen Wan, Rebuilding a Money Empire 港综:从荃湾开始,重铸金钱帝国 “Big D, you're a big shot now. Stop going around hacking people up, and try to be a little more level-headed.” White smoke rose from the cigarette between Zhang Zhen's fingers as he spoke with a hint of teasing. “Out here, if you don't hack people up or fight for territory, how are you supposed to make money? Ah Zhen, didn't you say there were three things you needed to make it big: people, money, and the guts to take risks?” Big D said from the sofa, holding a glass of liquor. “Remember this, B 42.3kReads5.6Score2.4k14d adds
- 111 He and His Thousand Brothers 他和他的一千个兄弟 A sweeping crackdown on organized crime by the municipal Party committee and government brought Kangcheng ten years of peace. But after a decade, criminal forces sprang up like mushrooms after rain and returned in force. A breakup, having his identity stolen in the college entrance exam, and a construction boss’s schemes led Chen Li’an to give up on making an honest living. In the end, he went down a path of no return, turning against society. 3Reads—Score—14d adds
- 112 Those Years in a Hurry 2 匆匆那年2 His biological father was sentenced to life in prison, and in elementary school he was mocked for having no dad. His mother remarried a street thug; in middle and high school, he got into fights and chased girls. By chance, he got into a prestigious university through the college entrance exam, where he kept his head down and turned over a new leaf. But his college years were full of drama: his campus-beauty girlfriend had a split personality, the girl he loved had feelings for someone else, and 2.2kReads7.4Score17614d adds
- 113 Tales of the Northeast: Wang Pinghe 东北风云往事之王平和 The underworld of Northeast China in the 1990s had no beauty filters, just tough men with hard fists. Wang Pinghe, nicknamed Little Hoodlum, was the second child in his family. He should have lived a quiet life under his parents’ care, but instead plunged headfirst into the underworld. He fought viciously and was fiercely loyal. The iron gates of the detention center could hold him, but they couldn’t contain his wild streak. He would take a knife for his brothers, yet treat beautiful women with 28.8kReads8.6Score1.6k14d adds
- 114 A Ballad of Jianghu 江湖的悲歌 An accident took Man Cheng’s grandfather’s life, but it also introduced him to someone who would become very important to him. The incident changed the way he saw the world and set him on a path of no return. As more brothers joined him, ready to weather every hardship by his side, he found himself traveling farther and farther down that road. Looking back on his youth, some people are still by his side, some have ended up behind bars for good, and some he will never see again. 405Reads—Score—14d adds
- 115 Bad Boyfriend: Possessive Devotion 黑道男友:偏执宠溺 [Possessive, devoted puppy-like guy vs. alluring, domineering little troublemaker] School setting (both pure, satisfying read, fast-paced, no botched ending) That night, Gu Shengya was hanging out with her friends as usual when she unexpectedly crashed into the arms of the new transfer student. The collision itself was nothing, but it tied her to him for the rest of her life. “Jiang Shaozhuo! You’re not at all what you seem. You’re a total creep hiding behind your gentlemanly façade!” Gu Shengya 15Reads—Score—14d adds
- 116 I'm a Hoodlum: Two Strokes, One Vertical, That's How We Do Things! 老子是流氓,两横一竖就是干! “Hello, my name is Fang Xiu. The ‘Xiu’ in ‘to the bitter end’!” In this bloody underworld where people prey on one another, Fang Xiu is swept against his will into one whirlpool after another! Only after stepping into it does he realize that the underworld is a bottomless vat of dye, filled with schemes, treachery, and betrayal! By the time he wants to turn back, he’s already sunk deep into the mire, with no way out! All he has left are the few brothers at his side, standing shoulder to shoulder 39Reads—Score—14d adds
- 117 Li Ran’s Road Through the Underworld 李燃的江湖路 At the notice board of Longcheng No. 1 High School, Li Ran's name had sat at the top of the honor roll for years. With a pen and an exam admission ticket, he could open the door to another world. Until one evening, on a street lined with food stalls, Zhao Tianyu tore it all apart with the roar of his Porsche. His girlfriend, Ding Xiaoxi, was harassed, and his brothers were beaten. When Li Ran charged forward with a beer bottle in his hand, he never imagined that the cut across his skin would bec 4Reads—Score—14d adds
- 118 Where Does the Road Lead? 出路为何 The story takes place in a small city in the north. It explores some of the social conflicts that arose at the time and still exist today. I hope to portray and sum them up through a story, so that everyone can consider these issues more calmly and rationally. But enough about that. Let’s step into the story. 4Reads7.5Score—14d adds
- 119 After Being Hunted, I Went on a Rampage! 被通缉后,我彻底杀疯了! After three years at a military academy and three years as a special forces soldier, Lu Chuan chooses revenge without hesitation after his younger sister’s death! Now wanted by the authorities, the young man makes his way to Wan City. What kind of legendary path will he forge there?! In the days of youth, ride with pride and fine clothes; never let your best years pass without purpose! May you wander for half your life and still return as the same young soul... —Reads—Score114d adds
- 120 You Were Supposed to Be a Delinquent, So How Did You Become a Taisui? 让你当太妹,你怎么混成太岁了? (Gender-bending into a woman, simulator, fast-paced, wish fulfillment, Hong Kong Island, gangland underworld, lighthearted, positive) Bad news: I transmigrated to Hong Kong in 1983, and from the start I was about to get the gangland treatment: three knives, six holes! Good news: I awakened the [Kowloon Underworld Simulator]! Even worse news: What the hell, I've turned into a woman?! Facing the boss's blade, Li Tianfeng fires up the simulator and instantly calculates a hundred ways to survive! F 22Reads6.9Score—14d adds
- 121 The Thirteen Guardians of Tang City 唐市十三太保 The Tang City Underworld Duology, Part One: The Thirteen Guardians The bigwigs of Tang City’s martial world fell one by one during the 1983 crackdown. But wherever there are people, there will always be a martial world, and new forces are already stirring! Who will become Tang City’s next underworld boss? The story of the Thirteen Guardians of Tang City begins after Qin San, Wang Wu, and Ma Liu witness their father’s execution by firing squad! 891Reads—Score—14d adds
- 122 Underworld: My Childhood Friend and I Rule the Middle School 黑道:我和发小,制霸初中 [Positive Energy] [Underworld Intrigue] [Brotherhood] [Decisive and Ruthless] Some say brotherhood has no place in this day and age. That was, until they laid a hand on my childhood friend... Xie Wendong: A man of few words and a ruthless streak, he’s always the first to grab a brick when his childhood friend is bullied. Liu Chuang: Hot-tempered and never blinks when taking a bullet for someone. Xie Wendong is the only man he’ll ever follow. 126Reads—Score—14d adds
- 123 1998: My Bloody Era! 1998:我的血色年代! When I hit the streets, I rely on just three things! Being ruthless, having money, and having tough brothers! These are passionate, fiery times! These are times when tough guys are everywhere! The moment I picked up a three-edged military dagger, I was destined to spend my life battling through the underworld! Don't talk to me about big shots in the underworld. That won't work on me! Welcome to my story of life on the streets! 6.3kReads8.5Score47514d adds
- 124 Black, White, and Gray? How Can You Get Ahead Without Getting Your Hands Dirty? 黑白灰?不涉灰怎么出人头地 Brotherhood + slow-burn ensemble cast + one female lead + not overpowered + first-person perspective Some people say black is black and white is white, and anyone who falls into the underworld is a bad person. I wanted to be a good person. I never wanted to fall into the underworld. But does being a good person mean being looked down on? Does it mean being powerless when trouble strikes? Only later did I realize that society isn’t simply black or white. The world’s true colors are black, white, 22Reads—Score—14d adds
- 125 Tales of the Second High School 二中之风云往事 For all three years of middle school, my whole class ostracized me. Second-year students cornered and humiliated me, and everyone treated me like trash and walked all over me. They thought I was weak and easy to bully, but they didn’t know that a boy backed into a corner has nothing left to lose. From this day on, I’ll give my life to anyone who protects me, and pay back anyone who bullies me twice over. This isn’t a novel. It’s the bloody path of my youth, the one I truly walked. “My name is Ba 258Reads—Score10914d adds
- 126 Wang Hao, the Inverse Scale King 逆鳞王皓 A comeback, a defiance of fate. Bullied for years because of his weight, he finally reaches his breaking point and vows never to be weak again. He fights back, step by step descending into hell, and soon dominates the campus... 116Reads—Score—14d adds
- 127 Blood Prison's Mad Overlord 血狱狂枭 The down-and-out youth Zhao Tian suffered the slaughter of his entire family as a boy. After vanishing for many years, he returned to exact revenge, rise to power, establish the Blood Prison, and dominate the world. With a band of brothers who would lay down their lives for him, he embarked on one journey after another, stirring up waves of bloodshed across the martial world… 16kReads8.5Score1.2k14d adds
- 128 Dongguan, I Am King! 莞市,我为王! What kind of legendary path will Li Feng carve out after leaving martial arts school and arriving in Dongguan? In the bright days of youth, ride proud and true. Make the most of your time, and know where you’re headed. May you roam the world for half your life, then return still young at heart... (The original cast of strongmen who rose from vocational school reunites. A new story, a fresh start!) 449Reads7.3Score—14d adds
- 129 Bad Boy: King of the Streets 坏小子:街道之上,我为王 Li Yizhen was an ordinary student at Jiangchuan No. 1 High School. But the school bully, He Min, singled him out, teasing and tormenting him as she pleased. Too timid to fight back, he endured group beatings and was even forced to eat ice pops mixed with dirt. She also led him astray, getting him to smoke and drink. Day after day, year after year… Then, when Li Yizhen finally confessed his feelings to the school belle, she mocked him in front of the whole class. He Min joined in, too. Overcome w 282Reads—Score—14d adds
- 130 A Song for the Underworld 混子的挽歌 [Raise our cups and toast the rugged road through the underworld.] [Through blood and fury, a brotherhood that lasts a lifetime.] A naive, timid young man, to keep from losing the brothers at his side again, chooses to take up a three-foot steel blade and step into a world stained red with blood. Behind the brotherly bravado and drunken revelry of the underworld, the only things that never change are ruthless exploitation and cold reality. The people he meets make him sick. And little by little, 2.4kReads7.3Score22114d adds
- 131 This Time Around, I'll Rise to the Top and Become the Boss 这一世,我要翻身当大哥 In this world, there are only two kinds of people: those who wield the knife and those who lie beneath it. Su Yun spent his whole life quietly accepting whatever came his way, letting others walk all over him. Given another chance at life, he swears he'll be the one in control of his own fate. I don't care who you are. If you come after me, be ready for us both to go down together! The meek fear the tough, the tough fear the ruthless, and the ruthless fear those with nothing to lose! Now I'm the 714Reads8.6Score10614d adds
- 132 The Absolute Kingpin 绝对枭雄 After transferring schools, I find out my beautiful desk mate is actually my former enemy. And then... New book: Call Me a Con Artist. I hope you’ll check it out and show it some support! 279Reads8.8Score—14d adds
- 133 Forced to Fall! The Gangland Boss Won’t Stop Fighting to Claim Me 强制沦陷!黑道大佬他又争又抢 [Arrogant, obsessive foreign power broker VS beautiful, strong, and tragic stubborn agent] [Combative couple + star-crossed love + mortal enemies + devoted power couple + unrequited love + twisted obsessive forced romance] Born the only son of one of the world's most powerful families, Bai Jinghe was destined to get whatever he wanted from the moment he came into the world. He excelled at school from a young age and made a name for himself early. Later, he crushed every local gang and claimed th 656Reads8.1Score10314d adds
- 134 From School Bully to Big Shot, I Fought My Way to the Top 从校霸到大佬,一路杀疯了 The rating is still low, but it will rise as more people rate it. Read without worry: the characters won’t suddenly become stupid. [Underworld fiction + play the pig to eat the tiger + master strategist + resource consolidation] Lin Feng was born the second young master of an underworld family, yet he was determined to conquer the world through his wits. He gathered his brothers, advanced step by step, and struck decisively. Just as everyone thought he was aiming to become the school’s top bully 93Reads7.3Score—14d adds
- 135 Tales from the Lower Streets (Complete in Three Volumes) 下街往事(全三册) An unforgettable memory of raw courage, a brutally honest chronicle of human nature: sharp, wild, and burning hot. The shock forged from love, hate, and passion swells through every line, leaving you breathless. The novel’s protagonist spends his entire childhood surrounded by frenzied violence and bloodshed. The decade of disaster leaves an indelible mark on him, leading him to believe that violence is the best way to protect himself and that he can make something of his life through force. Ins 153Reads9.0Score—14d adds
- 136 Reborn, So Why Would I Still Be the Big Boss? 都重生了,谁还当大哥啊? [Reborn + Business + Powerful father-in-law + Lots of brothers + The straight and narrow + Law-abiding] Back in 2006, Chen Tianjun, who had taken a bullet to the back of the head, suddenly finds himself returned to the day his father-in-law showed up at his door with a dozen men... Now that I'm back, I can never get mixed up with the underworld again. I'll lead my father-in-law, my wife, and all my brothers down a golden road paved with money! “Chen Tianjun is the real deal! He's got nearly a th 164Reads5.5Score—14d adds
- 137 No One in the Underworld Hasn't Heard of Yu Chengfei 不良之无人不识宇城飞 [Bad Boys: The Reckless Years] [Passionate] [Underworld] [Youth] [First Person] [Yu Chengfei] [Wang Hao] Everyone wants to get the better of me? They say outsiders have a hard time at the vocational college? I’ll show you what a legend looks like! What secrets did my father and Uncle Wang once share? Why am I so drawn to the underworld? It turns out the blood running through my veins has always destined me for greatness. The king of the underworld in Beiyuan City? That’s only the beginning of my 9.6kReads—Score45314d adds
- 138 A Blood-Red Underworld 血红色的江湖 The martial world is a blood-red place... This is not a power fantasy. Through real-life experiences, it shows everyone just how cruel the martial world is, and warns them to stay out of it. Yang Hai, a young man from somewhere in Northeast China, was determined to enter the martial world. Ten years later, his heart has turned cold. The glories of the past have vanished like smoke, and all that awaits him is judgment! 1.7kReads—Score12714d adds
- 139 Underworld Storm: Rising on Campus 黑道风云之校园崛起 The protagonist, Chen Yu, was a student whose life revolved around campus. But after a series of chance encounters, he was swept into the vortex of underworld conflicts and unexpectedly embarked on a perilous quest to uncover mysterious powers. Along the way, Chen Yu meets companions with wildly different personalities and extraordinary skills, including Ye Feng and Black Panther. He also encounters a mysterious old man who knows many secrets. Together, they struggle to survive in the underworld 55Reads—Score—14d adds
- 140 King in My Youth 年少称王 A seductive woman at his father's side set Chen Jiaoyang on the path of the underworld. This was a world of violence and bloodshed, but also of human relationships and worldly wisdom. Chen Jiaoyang didn't believe in youthful recklessness. He believed only that the winner takes all. He sought neither wealth nor status, only the freedom to settle every score! 786Reads6.6Score—14d adds
- 141 The Road of No Return 明知不归路 [A passionate story + decisive and ruthless action + unexpected twists + brotherhood] A group of children driven to the brink by evil forces are brought together by the King of Assassins. They endure hellish training every day, all so they can rise to the top and wipe out their enemies! They've lost their youth and their families. All they have left is a heart full of rage! The heavens cannot contain the myriad paths of the Dao, My fate is mine to control, not Heaven's! 449Reads7.1Score—14d adds
- 142 Eight Years of Blind Dates 相亲八年 A man from a family made rich by demolition compensation? No! A mama’s boy? No! A cheapskate? No! A playboy? No! An abuser? No! A freeloader? No! A man who lies to get married? No! An infertile man? No! Xu Qing is unremarkable in appearance, height, and family background, but she is a polished self-interest maximizer. She spent eight whole years looking for a suitable husband, trying matchmaking agencies, introductions from coworkers and family, online dating, and in-person gatherings. After mee —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 143 Underworld Storm: The Uncrowned King 黑道风云:无冕王侯 (First person, period setting, underworld) A big brother? A big brother isn't some glamorous, all-powerful emperor who does whatever he pleases. A big brother is just the guy who picks up the tab. The underworld? It's brotherly loyalty, deceit and betrayal. It's a place that strips the tenderness from gentle-hearted men and hardens them, and turns green young boys into grizzled old gangsters. My name is Zhao Qingfeng. I've been around the underworld, and I was once a big brother! 37kReads9.2Score3.8k14d adds
- 144 Lone Wolf of the Underworld: I Came from Hell 黑道孤枭:我从地狱来 Orphaned at eight, I spent eight years keeping my head down. I came from hell, and I came for revenge. When the lone wolf strikes, the underworld runs red with blood. Those who owe me will repay me tenfold. Those who wrong me will be ground to dust! 207Reads—Score—14d adds
- 145 Who Rules the Changing Tides of the Martial World? 江湖之谁主浮沉 “Northeastern Gangland,” “No Mindless Shenanigans,” “Based on Real Cases” A group of young people, driven by a moment of recklessness, set out on a path unlike any they had taken before... From Xiao Yao's days of loafing around to gradually growing up and setting off down the point of no return, making a living in the underworld... Family, friendship, and love all become entangled... Some die... some go to prison... and others... A new story, a new beginning. Come witness the rise of a true crim 261Reads—Score—14d adds
- 146 Underworld: Blue Skies 黑道:青天 At a class reunion, I kept a low profile and was mocked and sneered at by my former classmates and teachers. Just as I was about to leave, the class beauty from back then suddenly stood up to defend me. 21Reads—Score—14d adds
- 147 The Dragon Rises in the Martial World: A Father's Promise 龙起江湖·父诺 The Dragon Rises in the Martial World: A Father's Promise 12Reads—Score—14d adds
- 148 After Getting Fired, I Became the Strongest Bodyguard to a Mafia Heiress 我被开除后成黑道千金的最强打手 The rating just came in, so it’ll go up later. [For adults only. No one under 18 may read this.] [Urban + underworld + multiple heroines + all-powerful protagonist + brotherhood] Lu Fei was expelled from middle school for fighting and spent four years guarding his village... At last, he came of age! Newly 18, Lu Fei hadn’t even had time to establish his own gang in the village before the aunt he lived with kicked him out and sent him to the big city to stay with her daughter. After arriving in 55Reads6.7Score—14d adds
- 149 Selfish Desires: Tales of the Underworld 私欲:江湖往事 [This book is based on a true story] Three years ago, I was convicted of intentional assault and sent to prison. After getting out, I wanted to live an ordinary life. But then my younger sister went down a path of no return. For her sake, I had no choice but to return to the underworld! This book is packed with thrilling action and satisfying moments! 1.1kReads7.5Score11014d adds
- 150 We’ve Been Around the Block Too 哥几个也混过 We navigate society with feeling, And live our lives by loyalty. When feeling and loyalty conflict, We choose loyalty first. We walked side by side, reveling in the wild abandon of youth through those passionate years. You’re my brother, so we’ll face life and death together. 160Reads—Score—14d adds

















































