Novels like When a Secret Crush Starts Counting Down
Books Chinese readers most often put in the same booklists as When a Secret Crush Starts Counting Down, best match first.
- 1 Her Secret Longing Had a Bad Ending 她的暗念be了 He Jing has been in love with someone from afar for many years. That unrequited love has followed her from primary school through middle school and all the way to high school. Whether he sees her or not, she remains there, caught between sorrow and joy. Whether he thinks of her or not, her feelings remain, never fading or disappearing. * He Jing once thought that everyone knew about her secret love except Tang Yuanfan. So she silently watched him smoke, go astray, find a new girlfriend, break u 1Reads—Score—14d adds
- 2 The Stars Hidden in My Heart 藏在心底里的星辰 The Stars Hidden in My Heart —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 3 You, Shining Like a Star 如星般闪耀的你 Like You, Shining Like a Star is a modern urban novel about the growth and struggles of two male leads, Lu Jingchen and Shen Yuchen, as they navigate the complications of work, family, and love. Born into an ordinary family, Lu Jingchen makes a name for himself at work through his exceptional talent, yet he is constantly weighed down by family pressures and doubts about his own identity. Calm and rational, he seems to have it all, but deep down he feels profoundly lonely and lost. Shen Yuchen, m —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 4 A Confession Made First 先声告白 Bad ending (completed) There was a melody that should never have belonged to the past. When she was young, Wu Siqing searched all over the internet, but never found any information about it. Only later did she understand. It was the dawn that fate had destined them to recognize too late. I liked you so much that I confessed first. But only at the very end I realized that you had always been the one to confess first. “Do you know another name for He Shou Wu?” “No.” “Another name for He Shou 4Reads—Score—14d adds
- 5 Mo Xue, We'll Be Together Forever 墨雪要永远在一起 Liang Qixue grew up with her grandparents. Her parents worked away from home all year and came back only for the New Year, so she felt distant from them. As a child, she had a wonderful time playing with her friends, and her grandparents would always call her home for meals. Watching their granddaughter’s lively antics, they would smile warmly. When she started middle school, her parents bought her a phone so they could reach her right away if anything happened. The heroine was delighted when sh —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 6 I Think I'll Love You Forever 我想，我会永远爱你 Can a decade-long unrequited love ever have a happy ending? After transferring schools in first grade, Zhou Nan didn’t see Xu Qing again until ten years later. After carrying a torch for Xu Qing all those years, all he dared to say when they met again was, “Long time no see.” “Xu Qing, long time no see.” “Xu Qing, I’ve liked you for ten years. This is the eleventh.” “Xu Qing, I don’t want us to meet again ten years from now.” “Xu Qing, do you want me to stay?” “Xu Qing, long time no see.” 6Reads—Score—14d adds
- 7 Secretly Stashing Candy Wrappers 偷藏糖纸 [Mutual secret crush + school life + tragic ending] Wen You played the role of a friend throughout her entire youth. She liked Xu Xiao, but could only get close to him as a friend. The gentle boy with the lovely voice appeared at the very moment Wen You felt most anxious and afraid. At that moment, sunlight fell across his face, dazzling and warm. She kept the candy wrappers he gave her, wrapping her true feelings in the guise of friendship. She secretly savored those rare, sweet moments, h 19Reads—Score—14d adds
- 8 The Woods Are Too Deep to See the Deer, and Love Spreads When Imagination Runs Wild 林深不见鹿，爱在臆想蔓延时 [Sweet at first, then heartbreaking x angsty school romance x fantasy romance x making up for regrets...] [Devoted Mr. Lin vs. sweet, self-conscious Miss Bai] On every quiet night, Longing grows wildly like a vine, winding around my heart. Like a sealed spell, It has never been spoken aloud to the world. Whenever leaves drift down, Whenever snowflakes fall, That surging emotion Rises wildly within me. I would use every bit of warmth in the world to shield you from the cold of fate. I would se 2Reads—Score—14d adds
- 9 Never Failing to Keep a Promise 不失允 [School + society + tragic ending + loyal puppy + younger male lead + mutual secret crush + sweet and angsty + contrast] Shi Qi × Yun Si Shi Qi was born into an oppressive family, an unexpected presence. Frail and often sick, she was loved by her parents, but they always used her poor health to keep her in check. When she was hospitalized at thirteen, she saw a bold, carefree person in the ward. A mutual secret crush, a school romance, a younger male lead, and a tragic ending. Proceed with cauti 4Reads—Score—14d adds
- 10 That Secret Crush That Made My Heart Race 悸动青春的那场暗恋 [Sensitive girl Xu Qing & sunny boy Zhou Fan] [Secret crush & school life & bittersweet feelings & regret] They missed each other forever in the season of the gaokao. Someone with a secret crush has no right to be jealous. “Zhou Fan, perhaps you'll never know how much I secretly loved you...” Thirteen is the age when young hearts first awaken to love. Xu Qing, a girl who barely stood out, first met Zhou Fan by the stairs. He was her only friend. Their broken families were the one thing they had 13Reads—Score114d adds
- 11 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
- 12 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
- 13 An Imperfect Summer 夏天不尽人意 ◎ Avoidant personality × guiding personality ◎ Youthful campus romance / coming-of-age heartbreak / mutual devotion / secret crushes ◎ Cool and headstrong Ying Suiyu × roguishly handsome and free-spirited Tan Fang When Ying Suiyu was four, she was diagnosed with congenital heart disease. The complexity of her condition drained her family’s savings. Whenever the villagers saw her, they would say, “That child looks like she was born under an unlucky star. Even if she gets well, she probably won’t 42Reads—Score—14d adds
- 14 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
- 15 Quiet Campus Youth 3: When the Starlight Sinks 安静的校园青春3：星光沉没时 Quiet Campus Youth 3: When the Starlight Sinks —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 16 A Touch of Pink in Summer 夏日的那抹粉 Secret crush / redemption / sweet at first, then angsty He died on the day she hated him most. Shao Yiliang: “You know what a backup is? That's all you are to me.” Lu Yue: “They're right. You're a walking disaster. No wonder nobody loves you!”... Later, on the day Lu Yue starts college, Chen Zhao, a pervert and the story's antagonist, who was also the fat bully at the beginning, calls Shao Yiliang and says he has kidnapped her. Chen Zhao: “Shao Yiliang, meet me at the usual place, or Lu Yue's go 5Reads—Score—14d adds
- 17 Shimmering and Far Away 眴兮杳杳 [Youthful campus romance + bittersweet secret love + reunion after years apart + a groveling ex who begs to win her back] + [A woman who admires the strong and knows how to listen VS a dashing, roguish rich kid] “She and I are friends.” Before his mind could catch up, the explanation had already slipped out. “Mm, I know.” Fang Yaowan looked away, her eyes darkening. Then she added, “We’re friends too.” Sensing that something was wrong, Sheng Qionglang was about to speak, but she beat him to it. 10Reads—Score—14d adds
- 18 The Spring Breeze Fades at Dawn 春风烬晓 (Complete) [Romance with a Happy and Tragic Ending + The Aesthetic of Bittersweet Romance + The Thrill of Youth + Mutual Secret Crushes + Bittersweet Longing] “Shen Xiuxu, you have to be okay.” Shen Xiuxu gazed at the slightly overcast sky and gripped Jiang Ruanruo's hand tighter. He looked confused and asked as he gazed at her face, “What's wrong?” She shook her head and said softly, “Nothing. I just wanted to tell you that you have to be okay.” That night, Jiang Ruanruo suddenly said, “Brothe 17Reads—Score—14d adds
- 19 A Youthful Plum-Rain Season in Midsummer 盛夏青涩的梅雨季 [School Romance + Secret Crush + Bittersweet] [Good Girl VS “Bad” Boy] The summer she was fifteen, a long spell of plum rains fell over Wen Yiyao's world. She was the good girl in the eyes of teachers and parents, and thought of herself as an unremarkable, dull person. He was a dazzling “bad” boy, a young man chasing the wind on the basketball court. He treated her like his best “bro,” asking her to pass along love letters and give him advice. She hid all her heartache and watched him fall 2.8kReads8.1Score68914d adds
- 20 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
- 21 The Train to Winter 火车开往冬天 [Passionate high school life + school bullying + ensemble cast of multiple female leads + youth in a county town] The day Jingwen jumped from the building, she was wearing the daisy socks I’d given her. Everyone said it was because the pressure of studying had become too much. It wasn’t until I opened her diary that I discovered she had endured four whole years of bullying at school. And the people who bullied her had turned their claws toward another friend of mine. 6Reads—Score—14d adds
- 22 Beneath Daocheng 稻城之下 (A collection of seven short, tragic stories) Story One: Thoughts of Yunshu The tears he shed unwittingly drenched her entire summer. Story Two: Beneath Daocheng “Little Freckles, I have to give you back to this world now.” Story Three: Xu Xi Because he loved her, he let her go. 3Reads—Score—14d adds
- 23 Chasing the Astral Trail Is Hard 星轨难追 Also known as A Silent Farewell, a short tragic ending. Resilient girl Lin Yuyao + frail boy Qin Zhiyu We are all observing starlight that died long ago, and I love you as one loves a star that has already vanished. We met in the folds of time and space, like two meteors knocked off course. You burned yourself to light the future I could never reach. Rather than let the begonias fall one by one, I’d rather pluck the last branch of spring. —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 24 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
- 25 Pinning the Campus Heartthrob Against the Wall 壁咚校草大人 An accident not only stole her first kiss, but also took the school heartthrob’s first kiss? When they met again, he was furious with her. But later, he couldn’t help stepping in to save her. Was it all just an accident, or had fate brought them together all along? “I used to hate you for stealing my first kiss. Now, I’m just glad it was you.” 15Reads8.4Score—14d adds
- 26 So Longing Really Does Get an Answer 原来思念会有回响 [Genius, Aloof Top Student × Quirky Girl with a Wild Imagination] Everyone was working hard for the college entrance exams, but Li Sisi was an exception. By the will of fate, the girl with a troubled life met the boy who would light up her entire youth. She was shocked to discover that the junior-college student she had run into at the high-speed rail station, who shared her name, was actually the legendary top student at her school: handsome, brilliant, socially adept, and admitted early to uni 2Reads—Score—14d adds
- 27 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
- 28 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
- 29 Rainy Days in Tongnian 桐年雨声 “Rich Heir’s Beloved” ✖️ “Handsome, Pitiful First Love” ✖️ “Secret Crush” ✖️ “Missed Chances” ✖️ “Based on Real Events” This is a story about missed chances. Seven years ago, he was her first love, but neither of them could bring themselves to confess. Seven years later, he became the one she could never forget, but their love could not exist in the same timeline. When things don’t work out, you always hope to make peace with them. But who knew that letting go would be even harder, leaving nothi 14Reads—Score—14d adds
- 30 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
- 31 Quiet Campus Youth: The Quiet One in the School Hunk's Eyes 安静的校园青春：校草眼中的安静 Quiet Campus Youth: The Quiet One in the School Heartthrob's Eyes —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 32 Quiet Campus Youth 1: That Summer, Serenity Ran Deep 安静的校园青春1：那年夏天，宁静如渊 Quiet Campus Youth 1: That Summer, Serenity Like an Abyss —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 33 Quiet Campus Youth 2: Courage Looks Like Starlight 安静的校园青春2：勇敢是星光的样子 Quiet Campus Youth 2: Courage Shines Like Starlight —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 34 Love on the Xiang River 湘江之恋 A novice writer. The story doesn’t have many twists and turns, so please don’t flame me if it’s not your thing. The souls of two gods who loved each other fall into the mortal world a thousand years later. They meet again at a high school, both having lost their memories. Just as their feelings begin to grow, one sentence shatters their bond in this lifetime. The keeper takes the souls of the dead back a thousand years, and though the sunset cannot be brought back, there is still a sunrise to lo 5Reads—Score—14d adds
- 35 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
- 36 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
- 37 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
- 38 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
- 39 Giving Up on Someone You Love 放弃一个自己喜欢的人 [School-life unrequited love + tragic ending + an ordinary girl falls for the most popular boy at school] The sweet story of two neighbors who secretly loved each other is complete. Go check it out! Years later, two photos appeared on No. 2 High School’s confession wall. One showed “Xu Xingran likes Lu Jingwen” carved into a desk, and the other showed “Cheng Hao likes Xu Xingran” carved into a desk. They supposedly came from the same class, on desks at the front and back of the classroom. Everyo 311Reads8.0Score10214d adds
- 40 Time Turns Back, and I Meet You Again 时光往复，再遇见你 [Reborn + Marriage First, Love Later + Sweet Romance + Secret Crush Becomes Love + Mutual Firsts] (Six-year age gap, the male lead has been planning this for a long time, a gentle, slow-burn sweet romance) “I won’t pluck the moon. I want her to hang high in the sky forever, radiant and pure.” In her previous life, Ye Liyuan thought she had married the right man. When disaster struck her family and her father was sent to prison, she believed Shen Chengzhou had held everything together for her. L 261Reads8.4Score—14d adds
- 41 Worthy of Remembrance 堪怀 I remember the first time I saw him. He had a bruised and battered face from fighting someone, sitting quietly in the stairwell with his back against the wall, blood still dripping from his fingers. As I passed, I tossed him a Band-Aid. When I reached the corner of the stairs, he still hadn’t picked it up, so I went back, gently peeled it open, and stuck it on for him. He still had that stubborn look on his face. Back then, no matter what our personalities were like, it seemed we were all drawn 7Reads—Score—14d adds
- 42 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
- 43 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
- 44 He Watched Her in Secret for Two Years 他偷看了她两年 [Secret Campus Crush + Tragic Ending + Dual Perspectives] [The Coward × The One He Admires] If he'd been a little braver back then, would things have turned out differently? She would never know that someone had loved her for his entire youth. They accidentally collided at the turn in the stairwell, and she blushed, apologized, then turned and walked away. But in that moment, he etched her image into his heart. He waited at the finish line during PE, watching for her to run up. At fla 3Reads—Score—14d adds
- 45 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
- 46 A Confession Hidden Away 告白难藏 [Redemption + healing + tragic ending + unrequited love + reunion after a long separation + lingering heartbreak + slice of life] A gloomy, aloof girl x a brash, sunny boy They first met when Chi Zhiyu mistakenly thought she was about to kill herself and saved her. He said a lot of things. She wasn’t wearing her hearing aids then, so she couldn’t hear him. From Qing Yi’s perspective, that was their first meeting. The second time they met, she smelled smoke in the alley on her way to school. She 80Reads—Score—14d adds
- 47 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
- 48 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
- 49 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
- 50 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
