Novels like A Crooked Road Through Life
Books Chinese readers most often put in the same booklists as A Crooked Road Through Life, best match first.
- 51 The Freezer 冰柜 In today's restless society, people's innate kindness can easily be lost amid rampant materialism. Sometimes, love and devotion are repaid with betrayal, or even death. Based on real cases, this book warns readers that the dark side of human nature is always present, and that desire and dissatisfaction can corrode even the deepest bonds. 44Reads—Score—14d adds
- 52 A Middle-Aged Man's Redemption: The Phoenix Turns Toward the Sun 中年男人的自我救赎：凤自向阳 A man born in the 1980s, now middle-aged, who spent more than twenty years working as a clothing pattern maker. For the first half of his life, he lived trapped in self-doubt and inner turmoil, held back by all kinds of hang-ups about his name, appearance, education, marriage, and children. At middle age, he finally learned to make peace with his past self, slowly tear down the high walls around his heart, and let himself off the hook. This book records the pitfalls I've fallen into, the grie 9Reads—Score—14d adds
- 53 Saving Our Marriage Starts with Divorce 保卫婚姻从离婚开始 [No System, No Transmigration, Two Heroines, Marital and Workplace Rivalries, Male Lead’s Rise] This novel was originally titled "Protecting a Marriage Starts with Divorce". The second installment, "You’re My Wife, So Who Else Would I Spoil?", is currently being written. Stay tuned! Su Yuchen and Cheng Yao are an ordinary married couple. After entering married life, conflicts over family and careers eventually trigger a marital crisis. Their stubborn refusal to back down pushes them toward divor 5Reads—Score—14d adds
- 54 The Light at the End of the Road 穷途的光辉 How many generations of hardship and joy must a poor family endure before they can finally get ahead? How much suffering must a girl witness before she understands life? How many trials must a family face before the younger generation understands how hard things were for their ancestors? 2Reads—Score—14d adds
- 55 My Life Before Thirty 我的30岁以前 My beloved ex-girlfriend got married and had a child, and I didn’t have the courage to slash her tires and crash the wedding. Then, by chance, I rescued two beautiful women, and the tangled threads of fate began to unfold. I refuse to spend my whole life as an ordinary man. I want to take the best grandmother in the world traveling. I want to protect the little sister I care about most. I want to marry the woman who loves me most... I want so much, but I’m just an ordinary person. My name is Jia 1.3kReads8.5Score11714d adds
- 56 At Fifty, She's No Weed, She's a Treasure 50的她不是草其实她是块宝 [Silver-haired wish fulfillment + No rebirth + No System + No pocket dimension + A story focused on positive values] #A 50-year-old farmwife seeks a new beginning# After Lin Meiru discovers her husband has been cheating, she insists on getting a divorce. “You can’t even earn money. How will you survive without me?” Lin Meiru defies the odds and learns to sell things from a street stall after her divorce. The wheels of fate begin to turn... 52Reads7.5Score—14d adds
- 57 Let's Not Talk About Love 不谈爱情 Don't Talk About Love is a purely fictional serialized novel. The novel tells of the inner torment of Zhao Xiaosong, a middle-aged man who works at Shenfeng Tire Factory and suffers from cerebral atrophy. It portrays his resentment, anxiety, loneliness, helplessness, despair, selfishness, longing, and, finally, his struggle... The story begins in the 1990s. Zhao Xiaosong, a country bumpkin from that era, is lucky enough to become a tire-molding worker at Shenfeng Tire Factory in Jiaoshi. Back 2Reads—Score—14d adds
- 58 Women on the Career Ladder 职场路上的女人们 Amid the shifting tides of the crowded world, people are always boarding ships and leaving them behind. When they came riding the waves, they carried unspoken obsessions. When they turned away, the hems of their robes swept up the stars, while the warmth frozen in their palms seeped forever into the course of the voyage. 836Reads7.1Score10414d adds
- 59 A Wounded Woman Doesn't Talk About Love 受伤女人不谈爱 She raises her husband’s mistress’s child! This is a story about a woman’s growth, inspired by many real-life stories. Wang Shengnan was born into a rural family that favored sons over daughters, and her mother named her Shengnan, meaning “to surpass men.” She started working as soon as she graduated from middle school. At a beauty salon, her boss sexually assaulted her, but timid and meek, she did not dare speak out. Later, she married an ordinary man, only for him to die in an accident. After 137Reads—Score—14d adds
- 60 The Three Beauties of the Su Family 苏家三美 [Contemporary Urban Fiction + Uplifting + Down-to-Earth] The love stories of three sisters: Marrying up, marrying on equal terms, or marrying down? What does it really take to marry happily? If you've run out of shows to watch lately, come read my book! Reading it is just like binge-watching a TV series. You'll definitely fall in love with the three beautiful Su sisters! Su Yimei marries into a wealthy family. She's a clever, strong female lead, and I'll do her justice! Su Ermei is physically di 1.2kReads8.8Score11414d adds
- 61 Our Lost Love Rekindled 逝去的爱又复燃 Wang Xiaorong and Wang Guangming were childhood sweethearts, but their love was full of twists and hardships. After each married someone else, married life brought them not happiness, but endless pain. Once Wang Xiaorong and Wang Guangming had both emerged from the shadows of their tragic marriages, their love rekindled. 3Reads—Score—14d adds
- 62 I Never Meant to Become a Landlord 我真没想当房东 [Slow Burn + No Idiocy + No System + Realistic] Five years of waiting ended with the other person saying, “Let's break up.” Then a girl suddenly showed up at my house, asking to rent a room. And she was beautiful, too. I hadn't wanted to say yes, but the girl was so pushy. 765Reads6.2Score10514d adds
- 63 The No-Drama Casebook 不抓马风云事件簿 A healing little ray of sunshine and a devoted, faithful boyfriend: twenty years of ups and downs, the secretly affectionate couple! The woman isn’t called Keyun or Xiyun. Her name is Tan Yun. The man isn’t called Lifeng or Mufeng. His name is Lu Feng. There’s no earth-shattering first meeting, no all-powerful golden finger, and no melodramatic, messy entanglements, just twenty years of enduring devotion and favor. —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 64 A Flower in the Dust, Blooming Toward the Sun 尘埃里的花，向阳而生 This story follows Shi Xiaoying, beginning at eighteen when she elopes for love. It traces her marriage through sweetness, betrayal, and endurance, culminating in her awakening. Woven through the story are her children’s perspectives and the kindness of those who watch from the sidelines. It portrays a woman struggling between betrayal and perseverance before finally breaking free and embracing a new life. Exploring responsibility and self-worth in love and marriage, it reveals the resilience th 2Reads—Score—14d adds
- 65 The Girl in the Viewfinder 快门里的姑娘 | Romance | | Urban | | Realistic | | Slice of life | I turned my longing into pages. When no one understood them, I burned them into a sky full of starlight. A loosely adapted slice of life [Realistic fiction] After a work dinner, I (Rui) blacked out on the street. At the lowest point in his life, he spent every day drinking away his sorrows. By chance, he met a lovely young woman and began to dream of settling down and building a good life together. Everything seemed to be moving in the right 3Reads—Score—14d adds
- 66 The Bill for Time 时间的帐单 Set in a modern city, this story focuses on the clashes and eventual reconciliation between two generations of the Jiang family over their views on love and marriage, painting a realistic picture of contemporary society: elders rush their children into romance and marriage, while the younger generation prefers to take things slowly. The two generations struggle with love, marriage, and life choices, then look back on their lives, ultimately finding acceptance and insight in middle age. Everyone —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 67 The Bittersweet Trials of Marrying Far from Home 远嫁的那些酸甜苦辣 Marrying far from home is a gamble. You may never feel at home with your in-laws, yet be unable to return to your own family. Amid the chaos of childbirth, raising a child, and life with a second baby, marriage becomes a mirror that reflects the most honest truths about human nature. Marital happiness has nothing to do with whether you marry far from home. It depends on whether the person you marry truly loves you and understands you. The joys and sorrows of marrying far away are part of the exp 2.2kReads8.2Score11814d adds
- 68 Madam Plum and Mr. Plum 梅娘，梅郎 She is the apple of her family’s eye and the dream girl of countless people in the Land of Tenderness. Yet she is also a lonely outcast, one who carved out her place in that world of pleasure through her own strength, a triumph forged from ice and fire. 1Reads—Score—14d adds
- 69 Bold Pursuit, Secret Indulgence 强撩与暗宠 On one side, his female boss pulls him into an emotional tug-of-war. On the other, the female dean offers him a healing companionship. Caught between them, he doesn't want to give up his stable job, but he can't bear to let go of the peace and comfort she brings, either. Choosing between them becomes his greatest dilemma. 4.5kReads7.1Score39614d adds
- 70 Dustbound Love, Nan Nan 尘缘楠楠 The marriage between Chen Yuan and Nannan, the everyday business of rice, oil, salt, soy sauce, vinegar, and tea, and all the twists and turns of life, its sour, sweet, bitter, spicy, and salty moments, a jumble of emotions... [Urban Life] [Married Life] [Ordinary Lives] 9Reads8.4Score—14d adds
- 71 Nothing Major in Life 人生无大事 I was born in the abyss and raised in the netherworld. Lost, struggling, helpless, despairing. The hardships along the way shaped my body and mind. When everything had finally calmed down, when spring had come and flowers were blooming, when everything was just right, I finally reached the most important moment of my life. 4kReads8.1Score43914d adds
- 72 Zhao Jiji’s Love Story After Divorce 赵吉吉离婚后的爱情故事 To be loved is an extension of self-love! I thought I'd shut myself off from love for good, but I never expected to meet him in my forties... After her son takes the college entrance exam, Zhao Jiji divorces her ex-husband. She delivers food, works as a real estate agent and caregiver, and writes novels, doing her best to make a life for herself. While working as a caregiver, she meets a man she once went on a blind date with, and the two begin a beautiful relationship. 71Reads—Score—14d adds
- 73 The Legend of Brother Niu 牛二哥的传说 The story of a stylish office, a group of women, and Niu Erge. They are all secretly competing and trying every trick in the book, all for the sake of a Niu Yige none of them has ever met. When will he finally appear? They can’t wait to find out. 7Reads—Score—14d adds
- 74 Those Years in Dongguan 在东莞那些年 This book tells the story of an ordinary loser who finds love while working at a factory. After his future mother-in-law demands an outrageous bride price, he works hard, sets out to build a business, and pursues his dream. Giving up a high-paying job, he leads his friends back to their hometown to start a business, transforming a place so poor that no one could find a wife into a place young women are eager to marry into. 86Reads7.6Score—14d adds
- 75 Great-Aunt Xile's Happy Life 姑奶奶喜乐的幸福生活 Home is a sheltered harbor, and family is always there to support you. This is a story about three generations of the Song family living happily in an old building on Tianjin's Five Avenues. It features Tianjin's delicious food, as well as the family's joys and sorrows over the past thirty years. 757Reads9.1Score10414d adds
- 76 No Mercy for the World 不赦人间 For the first twenty years of her life, Chen Qingxing lived by one rule: never count on a miracle. When someone else took the spot she had earned as a student in need, and her part-time wages were withheld, she signed a harsh sponsorship agreement. Her benefactor would pay for her to finish college, and after graduation, she would repay the debt with a marriage of convenience. There was no romance involved. It was a deal with a clearly marked price. She relied on careful calculations to plan eve 23Reads—Score—14d adds
- 77 Two Abnormal Humans and a Motorcycle 两个非正常人类与摩托车 Love that defies social norms has often been seen as a symbol of courage and freedom, admired and celebrated. This is the one kind of love people will always despise. This is not a novel, just a story from real life. There are no thrills, no climaxes, no pacing, only despair and oppression. It might be of some small help to people who truly love motorcycles, but be prepared to be mocked. This story has an unconventional outlook on life, values, and the world, and portrays a world of abnormal peo 1.3kReads—Score21414d adds
- 78 The Neighbors on Either Side of Xingyao 星遥的左右隔壁 Shen Song Xingyao is a girl whose name carries the story of her parents' unusual relationship. She grew up in a unique family arrangement, with her parents living in apartments next door to each other. Her father, Shen Yizhou, is a carefree, laid-back editor, while her mother, Song Qingru, is a meticulous, rational accountant. They never had a marriage in the traditional sense, yet through an unspoken understanding few outsiders could comprehend, they raised their daughter together. From her inn 1Reads—Score—14d adds
- 79 Fate’s Echo in a Sea of Blossoms 逆袭繁花里的宿命回响 When her entrepreneurial dream crashes against the iron wall of reality, Lin Wan is determined to fight against the odds. She starts out in a rented room barely ten square meters wide, races all over the city to win orders, and gives up every shred of pride to raise money. Just as success in landing a contract seems within reach, a rival’s malicious scheme strikes without warning. A client is stolen, the whole internet turns against her, and her reputation is ruined. Overnight, all her hard work 2Reads—Score—14d adds
- 80 A Temporary Romance at the Factory! 工厂里的临时爱情！ Wang Dali had just left his rural hometown to find work in the city. After his night shift, he returned to his rented room. As he snapped the key in the lock, he heard a woman's cries from inside. From that day on, life opened up an entirely new world for him. Every day that followed was an adventure. 307Reads6.7Score—14d adds
- 81 A Love Triangle in Marriage 婚姻里的三角恋 [Contemporary realistic fiction + the married life of ordinary people in Beijing + love triangles in marriage + real struggles] Bai Xue and Wang Yang are a young married couple living in Beijing. Wang Yang is a typical “phoenix man,” a country boy who made it big in the city. After ten years of marriage, he cheats on her. After they divorce, Bai Xue meets another man, and her new life begins… What makes this book special: A woman faces betrayal in her marriage, but after the hardship comes 1.6kReads8.8Score15414d adds
- 82 After Tricking My Husband into a Divorce, I Was Fleeced for a Million by a Puppy-Like Boy 骗夫离婚后，我被小奶狗掏空百万 Urban suspense + sham marriage + a gentle trap + younger puppy-like man + a battle of wits Her marriage was cold, her life suffocating. Liang Qiuyue struggled through half her life, asking only for a peaceful existence. Then the gentle, warm-hearted Jiang Zhihao appeared, doting on her, protecting her, and helping her support the family. Believing she had found salvation, she bravely divorced and was reborn. Little did she know... He seemed mild-mannered and harmless, but behind the scenes he 100Reads—Score—14d adds
- 83 Reunion: A Dream Ten Years in the Making 相见欢之十年一梦 In this life, we will all face heartbreak, regret, and waiting. But there will always be someone who crosses a sea of people, carrying a heart full of tenderness, to love you. I want to write about all the deep love and redemption in this world, hoping that within these stories, you will find your own light. The book Meet Again tells the story of Zhang Yifan as he enters the working world, starting with a street stall, moving on to a fast-food restaurant, and eventually joining a real estate co 7Reads—Score314d adds
- 84 The Mangroves and Lychee Fragrance Bay 红树林与荔香湾 [Troubled families + drifting careers + tangled romances + unpredictable personalities + tragedy] [A realist tragedy! Readers looking for feel-good wish fulfillment, stay away.] A group of young people who chose the wrong majors and ended up in the wrong fields! In reality, ideals beckon; in pursuit of ideals, reality pulls you back. How do you reconcile the two? Is a person’s misfortune caused by their circumstances, their personality, or fate? Two young women stood before Wu Yifan. Anxious and 10Reads—Score—14d adds
- 85 What's Got You So Proud? 你牛什么牛 Also known as The Yueyue’s Terrible Mother-in-Law. Through the story of an unusually strong-willed woman’s life, this novel offers a profound look at the dialectical relationship between personality and fate. From many angles, it examines the rise of extreme feminism in contemporary society. It also gives serious thought to marriage and romance, raising children, and human relationships in the modern world. It offers important guidance for a new generation in the twenty-first century on developi 12Reads—Score—14d adds
- 86 Summer and Fate 夏季与天意 An ordinary encounter: one is a talented young woman at a crossroads in her life, and the other is a dedicated high school teacher. A sweet story about down-to-earth life and love. Xu Huanyi met Xu Tian in the summer. Once lost and uncertain, she gave up the job she already had and came to this small town for a fresh start. To her delight, she discovered that Xu Tian was part of that new beginning. Back in high school, Xu Tian had inexplicably taken a liking to a girl, though all he did was wa 122Reads8.9Score—14d adds
- 87 I Transmigrated Into a Powerful Figure, and Now Romance Is Everywhere 穿越成为大佬从此桃花遍地 Multiple heroines + power fantasy + transmigration From a street thug to a big shot, his life becomes like he’s activated cheat mode. Liu Zhuang, who has lived two lifetimes, uses his intelligence to create a colorful life for himself... 83Reads—Score—14d adds
- 88 The Radiance of Jade 如玉之莹 [Dual Female Leads] Student and Teacher Perspectives Based on real events that took place at a high school over the course of three years. She struggles to hold on to herself in the midst of hardship, while the other searches for a way out from deep in the mire... You are sure to see a little of yourself in them. 7Reads—Score—14d adds
- 89 Reborn in 2012: A Life Transformed by Xunqi 重生2012，讯启人生 After spending half his life struggling at the bottom of society, Xie Liang, an ordinary man as insignificant as dust, is unexpectedly reborn in 2012. The gears of fate begin to turn as he awakens the Future News System. Every message from the future is a key to rewriting his life. See how Xie Liang wields the keys to the future and strikes up a rousing song of comeback in 2012! 24Reads9.4Score—14d adds
- 90 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 9Reads—Score—14d adds
- 91 Late at Night, I Fell Under His Spell 深夜，对他着了魔 Their late-night story… It’s thought-provoking, and leaves you filled with regret. Was she too devoted, or was he too heartless? What can you even say about love? 218Reads—Score—14d adds
- 92 My Angel Investor Is My Adorable Husband 天使投资人是我的小娇夫 Told from the heroine's perspective, this story follows her journey from an innocent, inexperienced newcomer to the working world to a successful professional woman. Fang Yuwei and the hero, Lin Peifeng, meet on campus. He falls for her at first sight and takes care of her and stays by her side, but Lin Peifeng's identity is not so simple. As the heroine makes her way through the workplace, she encounters all kinds of unwritten rules, both obvious and hidden. She changes jobs several times and m 1Reads—Score—14d adds
- 93 Love Is Hard, So Let’s Get Married 恋爱好难，不如结婚 This is a story about two girls. Defying her family’s objections, Yan Mo resolutely follows her boyfriend to Jincheng to make a life for themselves. But on Valentine’s Day, she discovers that her boyfriend of six years has been cheating on her. After the breakup, Yan Mo refocuses on her career and finds new love through her work. Ran Fei is Yan Mo’s best friend, and her life is an endless cycle of falling in love, getting her heart broken, and falling in love again. It isn’t until she meets Ding 2Reads—Score—14d adds
- 94 Breaking the Bottom Line 打破底线 In the eyes of others, he has it all: an executive title at a branch company and a happy family. But he also has plenty of secrets he can’t let see the light of day… A routine audit at the head office becomes the turning point in his fate… 14.1kReads8.2Score67814d adds
- 95 I Married My Best Friend’s Boyfriend 我嫁给了闺蜜的男友 They were high school classmates. She was an ugly duckling living under someone else’s roof, while her best friend was an elegant swan, high above everyone else. After dating the swan for a long time, he told the ugly duckling that she was the one he loved. This book tells the story of their love, friendship, and family ties in their youth. 129Reads—Score—14d adds
- 96 A Common Man’s Reborn Years 平凡人的重生岁月 [Everyday Urban Life + Campus Youth + Making Up for Regrets + Believable Logic] A portrayal of youth as it really was: no posturing, no face-slapping. This is simply the everyday life of an ordinary person after being reborn. People remain consistent; being reborn doesn't suddenly make someone all-powerful. Their old flaws are still there. They simply get to live their lives over again with their memories and life experience intact. Everyone has a limit to how far they can go, so if you're looki 4.3kReads6.2Score16214d adds
- 97 Died by the River 逝于江河 Two years into their marriage, Meng Ran became pregnant with Yang Peng's child, but something about it all felt wrong. Those choices that seemed so firm were really just hesitant attempts to weigh the pros and cons. “How wonderful it is to be young” was nothing but an illusion. We all once held lofty dreams, but now we live ignobly. Can Meng Ran and Yang Peng clear away the fog, cross the wilderness, and make a steady passage into the real world? Or are they headed for ruin? 8Reads—Score—14d adds
- 98 There's a Girl in the Village Named Xiaofang 村里有个姑娘，叫小芳 This is not a love story. It's the life of an ordinary woman from the countryside. Xiaofang's story may well be the story of someone close to us. She once longed for a life in a prosperous big city. Later... 65Reads—Score—14d adds
- 99 Stories from the Ground Up: Wellness, Livelihoods, and Human Nature at a Foot Spa 脚底下的故事——足疗店里养生、饭碗与人心 Stories Beneath Your Feet: Wellness, Livelihoods, and Human Nature at a Foot Massage Shop 2Reads—Score—14d adds
- 100 Drenched in Glamour 染指浮华 Let me tell you some true stories. After Yu Xiaobei and Chen Chen divorced, he found it hard to let go of his feelings for her, and it made him miserable. He didn’t want to keep hurting, so he decided to try accepting a new relationship. He met Xu Jing at work and Cheng Chen in his day-to-day life. Yu Xiaobei went through a number of romantic entanglements with each of them. Meanwhile, spring came at last for his friend Lao Wai, who also found himself caught up in a complicated situation. Lao Wa 297Reads—Score—14d adds
