Novels like Old Liu and His Daughter
Books Chinese readers most often put in the same booklists as Old Liu and His Daughter, best match first.
- 51 The Drama Queen Mother-in-Law and Daughter-in-Law 戏精婆媳 A fresh-faced workplace newcomer and a seasoned career woman fight tooth and nail at work, then carry their feud home with them. Cheng Junyi watches the two of them coldly. They aren’t related by blood, but they’re both cut from the same cloth, so neither has any grounds to criticize the other. He decides to sit back and let them wear each other down. 124Reads8.2Score10314d adds
- 52 A Husband’s Punishment 丈夫的惩罚 The heroine was a beautiful, fair-skinned woman from a family of officials, with an outstanding husband. But her husband mistakenly believed she had cheated on him and chose to take revenge. As time passes, they both grow into mature, accomplished people, yet their relationship remains full of twists and turns, with no end in sight. The heroine can never let go of this love. What fate will the two of them ultimately meet… 682Reads5.4Score—14d adds
- 53 Real Life: A Middle Schooler's Journey as a Writer 真实人生：一个初中生的写作路 A real life, a painful past: I grew up poor and frail, plagued by illness. At fifteen, I dropped out of school and began pursuing my literary dream at home. After having my work rejected time and again, I finally saw my first-ever piece published. It also became the last thing I ever published in print. Then I turned to the internet and began my journey as a web novelist. 21Reads8.0Score214d adds
- 54 Back on My Feet: I Paid Off 500,000 Yuan in Online Loans with My Own Hands 上岸：我靠双手还清五十万网贷 On a farm in Northeast China, Wang Chen, a 33-year-old married farmer, falls deeper and deeper into online-loan debt as he struggles to pay for his daughter's medical treatment and keep his agricultural business running. This is the story of how he eventually turns his desperate situation around. —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 55 The Girl Next Door 女邻居 The Female Neighbor 5Reads—Score—14d adds
- 56 What's There to Fear About Divorce at 40? My First Love Has My Back 40岁离婚怕什么，还有初恋兜底 [A levelheaded housewife who knows when to retreat and when to advance + an icy doctor who advances by retreating] [Midlife struggles + parent-child relationships + redemption + mutual healing] Her husband is having an affair with his boss. Her son is a high school senior and has started dating. Zhu Yi, who quit her job three years ago, feels as if her world is collapsing. Then she unexpectedly runs into Yang Yiqing, her first love, whom she had lost touch with years ago. Suddenly, time speeds 111Reads—Score—14d adds
- 57 Tales of Xizhou in the 1980s 80年代西州往事 This is a story about youth, and a story about growing up. It is filled with passionate brotherhood, the innocent love of childhood sweethearts, clashes of steel in the streets and alleys, and the struggles and choices people face in the tides of a changing era. Most importantly, it captures the warmth unique to that time: the unreserved sincerity between people, a purity that seems almost like a luxury today. 13Reads—Score—14d adds
- 58 The Insider 内部人士 In the early 21st century, China’s real estate economy was booming. Many ordinary people caught a favorable wave amid the great tides of history and amassed considerable wealth. The protagonist is an average person with no particular gifts, but as he grows, he continually learns from the wisdom of those around him, including some truly remarkable people. Through constant learning and reflection, he eventually develops a unique kind of wisdom and achieves success of his own. It seems as though fa 10Reads—Score—14d adds
- 59 It's Only Fifty 不过是五十而已 An inspirational, unyielding story of midlife crisis, workplace struggles, bank managers and tellers, married life, and everyday urban life. This book tells the story of Huang Wenxue, a bank manager facing a midlife crisis. She is at that awkward age when she is considered too old to find a new job, yet still too young to retire. How will she answer the unavoidable questions surrounding her career, marriage, family, children, and caring for her aging parents? Even in middle age, even when confro 432Reads8.9Score—14d adds
- 60 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
- 61 Peach Blossom Love 桃花爱 Nie Xiaoqian had a miserable childhood and suffered abuse from a young age. To survive, she went to the city to work. After enduring one hardship after another, she found love of her own. But fate had other plans... 55Reads—Score—14d adds
- 62 On the Seventh Day of the New Year, I Poured My Life into a Nongfu Spring Bottle 正月初七，我把人生倒进了农夫山泉瓶 On the seventh day of the first lunar month, I poured my life into a Nongfu Spring bottle. 5Reads—Score—14d adds
- 63 Uh-Oh, I’ve Fallen for Someone Else’s Girlfriend 糟糕，对别人的女朋友怦然心动了 At a gathering, someone asked Feng Ran what she was looking for in a partner. “As long as we truly love each other, that's enough.” She'd smiled gently and said it with conviction, believing that true love could overcome any obstacle. Everyone fell silent for a moment, then sighed that Xiao Ran was so innocent, still as guileless as ever. Later, she asked for a bride price of 200,000 yuan, not a penny less. That demand ended her relationship with Wang Chuxin, her boyfriend of five years, who 1.2kReads8.6Score14414d adds
- 64 The Way of Heaven Turns: Who Are You? 天道轮回，你是谁？ A woman's privileged life is shattered, and what follows is a life in pieces. That word “shattered” holds so many bitter stories. After experiencing everything she should and should not have had to endure, she comes to understand the true meaning of life. She breaks out of her cocoon, transforms into a butterfly, and reaps what she has sown. Those who have never been through it won't understand, and neither will those who lack insight. Life isn't about right or wrong; it's all part of the journe 17Reads—Score—14d adds
- 65 The Legendary Women of the Siheyuan 四合院中的女性传奇 “Write about life, seek spiritual happiness and fulfillment.” | The Legendary Women of the Siheyuan: “1950–1980: One Courtyard, One Lifetime” tells the story of Xiang Nanshunyun, a young woman from the south, and her life in a Beijing siheyuan from the 1950s to the 1980s. When she first arrives, cultural differences create friction between her and her neighbors. Through her intelligence and tolerance, she resolves their disputes and forges deep bonds with them. The book depicts the joys and sorr 10Reads—Score—14d adds
- 66 Dawn in a Dream 入梦之晓 Dreaming at Dawn tells the story of Jiang Xiao, a woman from southern China who gradually awakens within a traditional marriage. Once a housewife dependent on her husband and silently enduring her circumstances, she transforms into an inspiring woman who is financially independent and in control of her own life. Blending the realism of urban life with the fantasy of entering dreams, the story is told from Jiang Xiao's perspective and explores women's struggles and breakthroughs as they navigate 1Reads—Score—14d adds
- 67 Lady He Xiang 荷香娘子 I wrote this to earn coins. I don’t have an outline, so I’ll just make it up as I go. They won’t approve it unless it’s at least fifty characters, so what can I say to pad it out? Handsome guys and lovely ladies passing by, have you ever dreamed of living in the countryside? 54Reads8.3Score—14d adds
- 68 Only After We Parted Did I Realize I Loved You 别后方知爱上 [Workplace Romance + Golf] Jiang Mo has no idea that Yang Zichen has been secretly in love with her for eight years. Time passes, and when they meet again, she is still herself, yet no longer the person she used to be. Can fate’s strange twists give them another chance to start over? In the days that follow, he winds around her like a vine, quietly entwining himself with her life. But she has a solemn vow to protect her: handsome men are absolutely off-limits! And yet... P.S. A heartwarming sto 5Reads—Score—14d adds
- 69 The Rules of the Children's Home 儿女家的规矩 To help their children raise the grandchildren, a couple in their sixties were forced to live apart. From the day Zhao Youlin moved to the city to help care for his son's child, he became a “guest” in his son's home. A man from a small town, he couldn't fit into life in the big city. He had to speak softly, keep the TV muted, and even watch his son's expression before giving his grandson a piece of meat... Though Zhao Youlin was careful about everything, he still couldn't avoid falling into conf 11kReads8.6Score53414d adds
- 70 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
- 71 A Woman's Strength Holds Up the Sky 弱女子撑起一片天 Born on the Qixi Festival in a desolate earthen cave, she has a stubborn, unyielding spirit. An unexpected encounter leads her to the love of her life, though it turns out their meeting was destined by an arranged childhood betrothal. Her in-laws favor sons and look on coldly as she struggles, but each time adversity strikes, she rises from the ashes reborn. Should she endure and forgive? What will humanity and hardship reveal? She chooses to be strong, and her selfless, uncomplaining devotion b 6Reads—Score—14d adds
- 72 You Made Me Your Nanny, but Heaven Made Me the Heroine 你逼我当保姆，老天让我当女主 Because of her sweet, pretty looks, the female lead was bullied by her cousin from a young age. But fate seemed terribly unfair to her. When she was 28, a car accident killed both her parents, leaving her all alone. Her well-off cousin took pity on her and invited her to move to the city. From then on, her life changed completely. 4Reads—Score—14d adds
- 73 Beyond the Walls, Where Do We Go? 围墙之外，何去何从 [No fixed couples, and readers with strong moral qualms should stay away! This novel loves pairing people in unexpected ways, and the ex-husband eventually becomes the son-in-law!] [All kinds of tangled relationships, mutual scheming, love and hate, but in the end everyone gets a happy ending!] [Everyone’s status gets reshuffled, and each person finds their own path to happiness! Hahaha~~] She watches her husband give her the green hat, then returns the favor in kind. Life is this thrilling, and 31Reads—Score—14d adds
- 74 Wang Meili, Unemployed 失业的王美丽 Wang Meili, in her early thirties, has lost her job. Doubt and despondency consume her, and she has no idea what to do next. Then one day, she figures something out, and from that moment on, nothing is the same. 1Reads—Score—14d adds
- 75 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
- 76 An Ordinary Person's Unordinary Journey Through Life 平凡人不甘平凡的人生路 An ordinary person’s life has its occasional ups and downs, but where does a life without guidance lead? After three years working in a factory, a twist of fate sends him into real estate brokerage! He grows immensely proud after enjoying some of the real estate boom. But after the tide goes out, how will he face the decline and deal with family, love, and friendship? This is your story, and it’s mine too. So I’ve heard... 10Reads—Score—14d adds
- 77 Reborn from the Cocoon: Lin Yu’s Comeback 破茧重生，林宇的逆袭 The protagonist is a devout Buddhist who values loyalty and honor, and is also innovative and bold. He struggles to make his way in the garment industry. In 2004, he saw an opportunity and proposed that his company purchase digital textile printers from the Sun Country, helping it take the lead in the digital printing field. He later went into business for himself, and things went smoothly from the start. But fate had other plans: his manager betrayed him and took all his clients, the market shi 3Reads—Score—14d adds
- 78 Life Afloat on the Riverbank 江岸浮生 [Contemporary realism + period chronicle + rural ensemble cast + women’s struggles] Spanning half a century of rural China, this book tells the story of three generations of women on the Jianghan Plain. Caught in the tides of history and the shackles of their families of origin, each struggles against fate in her own way and faces her inner demons, ultimately learning to live for herself. (I’m only here to tell the story as it is. I won’t give the characters perfect personalities. I’ll portray h 541Reads8.5Score10614d adds
- 79 No Matter How Much You Cherish It, Nothing Lasts Forever 讲究终将不能长久 This should be a story about a woman’s growth, set in a bygone era. A girl who has lived at the bottom of society since childhood works hard and thinks she has crossed into a higher class, only to realize she has climbed just one step. Exhausted, she resigns herself to fate and looks for someone on that same step to lean on. But the person she thinks she can rely on only wants to use her to climb higher. To achieve his own ends, he has to kick her down a step so he can leap a little farther. If 10Reads—Score114d adds
- 80 The Criminal’s Revelation 犯罪启示录 The story follows a detective's day-to-day casework, recounting how a number of representative cases are solved. The plot is full of twists and turns, and every case offers plenty to think about. I hope readers will take something away from the story. 399Reads8.2Score—14d adds
- 81 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
- 82 A Realistic Life for a Family in the 1970s 七零一家人的写实生活 [A rural story set in Suzhou] [No transmigration, no wish fulfillment, and an unhurried pace] [A down-to-earth farming story set in a bygone era] [An ensemble cast] Liang Qiuhua is the third child in the family. Perceptive and sensible, she takes an interest in embroidery, becomes an apprentice, and gradually blossoms into her own life. Liang Dahua, the eldest, is the family's best-looking member and a good-hearted pushover. Liang Erhua, the second child, is a street loafer who dreams of making 50Reads8.3Score—14d adds
- 83 The Flowers Blur My Eyes 乱花渐迷眼 Wen Juan and Lan Cheng were once a loving couple. They both had steady jobs and earned a comfortable living. On weekends and holidays, they often spent time with Wen Juan's classmate Li Run and his wife, Wang Ze and his wife. The two families were so close that they shared everything and had no secrets from each other. As time went by, Wen Juan, who loved playing mahjong, and Wang Ze, who loved it just as much, spent more and more time together. Before they knew it, their purely friendly feeling 326Reads—Score—14d adds
- 84 True to Myself 本心 No one can live solely for others, but neither can we completely cast aside our responsibilities. In real life, we often waver between “living for others” and “living for ourselves,” all the while judged by moral standards. Family relationships are not static; they change over time. Families that endure hardship may fall apart, rebuild themselves, or eventually go their separate ways, living along parallel paths of their own. As we struggle to survive, how do we come to understand ourselves and 693Reads—Score—14d adds
- 85 A Child's Grief 亲殇 Yu Jiacheng’s mother was full of energy during the 2023 Mid-Autumn Festival, on September 29, and the National Day holiday. Then, on October 4, she suddenly suffered an acute myocardial infarction. She was rushed to the hospital for emergency surgery, stayed in the UCU until October 23, then moved to a regular ward and remained there until she was discharged on November 3. In all, she spent 31 days in the hospital. During her hospitalization and recovery after discharge, Yu Jiacheng and his olde 17Reads—Score—14d adds
- 86 That Year, Because of the Campus Belle, I Ran Off to Guangdong to Become a Handsome Lad 那年因为校花，我跑路广东当靓仔 [Jianghu]+ [Workplace]+ [Romance]+ [No System]+ [Not reborn] [Based on the author’s real experiences working in Guangdong, this is a story about migrant workers in cities like Dongguan and Shenzhen. This is not a wish-fulfillment novel, so don’t read it if that’s not your thing!] In 1997, Zhang Zaiye, Li Yaocong, Jiang Xinyue, and others met while working summer jobs in Guangdong, and formed a deep friendship. At the time, Dongguan’s economy was growing at a breakneck pace. Workers poured in fr 7Reads—Score114d adds
- 87 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
- 88 Twelve Hours in the City: The Golden Shackles 城投十二时辰之黄金枷锁 In 2013, he was the most promising young talent at Haidong Urban Investment, overseeing projects worth tens of billions and throwing his weight around at lavish banquets. He thought he had his finger on the pulse of the times, never realizing he was forging the golden shackles that would bind him for life. In 2025, he jolted awake from a dream. His luxury car had become an electric scooter, and his deputy chief engineer’s badge had been replaced by the words “food delivery rider.” Standing befor 4Reads—Score314d adds
- 89 A Lifetime of Love, Across Lifetimes 生生漫，世世缘 If you ask when falling leaves announce autumn’s arrival, they drift and scatter, keeping company with the wind. The heart follows its desires, longing for someone far away. What do these maple leaves mean, fluttering one by one? They are at the ends of the earth, but where are you? For whom does this foolish devotion burn? Fallen blossoms sever love, while the wind sheds tears. Leaves fly, flowers fade, yet love endures. Life after life, it lingers; every sigh catches in the throat. A bond acro 5Reads—Score—14d adds
- 90 Schemes from the Dark Abyss 暗渊之谋 Lin Yue is a seasoned journalist. Influenced by generations of doctors in her family, she once dreamed of practicing traditional Chinese medicine, but had to give it up to honor her grandfather's dying wish. Even so, she never stopped studying it in her daily life. One day, she receives an assignment to conduct an interview, only to stumble into one bizarre incident after another. Linked together, they seem to be drawing her into a vast whirlpool: a strange bureau chief, missing children, a Taoi —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 91 The Young People of Chemen Courtyard 车门院里的年轻人 This is a symphony of destinies spanning generations. In a small courtyard in northern China in the 1970s, several families struggle and drift with the tides of the times. Lei Shaxiao, an orphan whose parents died young, falls in love with Aiai, another orphan from the neighboring courtyard. They were an ordinary couple, but amid the raging currents of the era, Shaxiao rises to become a renowned lawyer who commands the room. Money, power, and desire come one after another. He loses himself in th 35Reads—Score314d adds
- 92 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
- 93 Greyhound 灰狗 In real life, a “gray dog” is a private investigator. Unlike the detectives in movies and TV shows, who fight crime and uphold justice, real-world gray dogs are criminals who illegally profit by invading other people’s privacy through stalking, taking secret photos, bugging, tracking, and entrapment. You may never have encountered a gray dog, but they are very much among us. This book is a warning to the world: the law is inescapable, so do not stray onto the wrong path, and always protect your 33Reads—Score—14d adds
- 94 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. 130Reads—Score—14d adds
- 95 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. 5Reads—Score—14d adds
- 96 A Class of 54 Playing Cards 54张扑克牌就是一个班 A deck of 54 playing cards is a class. The class monitor is the Big Joker, the famous Chinese rural dog. The deputy class monitor is the Tibetan Mastiff, the Little Joker. ♠️2 is the Rottweiler. ♥️2 is the German Shepherd. ♣️2 is the Belgian Malinois. ♦️2 is the Kunming Wolfdog. Fun stories unfold in the class. 1Reads—Score—14d adds
- 97 Smoke from the Kitchen Rises Like a Blade 炊烟如刀 Wu Dasheng keeps having one child after another, all for the sake of having a son who can avenge him, even in an era when family planning is a basic national policy... Wu Tong is called a bastard and a son of a bitch from childhood. Zhao Sanxing always stands up for him, but the villagers’ gossip inflicts deep wounds on the young boy’s heart... 163Reads—Score—14d adds
- 98 I'll Wait for You in Gusu City 我在姑苏城里等你 After failing the college entrance exams, I left home alone and came to Suzhou, where I met two girls who would shape my whole life... One was as passionate as fire, the other as gentle as jade... At eighteen, I didn't understand what love was... A cigarette, a glass of wine, and so much sorrow in the city of Gusu... Note: This isn't a wish-fulfillment novel, and it takes its time getting going. If you enjoy plot-driven stories, you can start at Chapter 39. Thank you! 2kReads—Score19514d adds
- 99 Us in Xiangyang Lane 向阳里的我们 [#Real life, #warm neighborhood stories, #healing family bonds, #raising a child and turning life around] Delivery worker Wang Xiaojun had a pain he couldn't put into words: his six-year-old son Xiaobao lived in his own world, like a star. One moment of carelessness nearly resulted in Xiaobao getting lost, sending the entire Xingfuli residential community into chaos. The incident tore open the cracks in Wang Xiaojun and his wife Li Xiujuan's strained marriage, while also revealing the troubles 7Reads—Score—14d adds
- 100 Writing and Lying Flat on the Northern Frontier 我在北境边境笔耕躺平 Orphan Lu Ze had had enough of workplace hypocrisy and the clamor of the city. He took his entire fortune of 560,000 yuan and headed for the northeastern border, where he found an empty village that had been erased from the map: Wangbeitun. As the youngest border resident in Wangbeitun’s history, his life went like this: · Annual income: a few hundred yuan from writing flop novels, plus a 3,500-yuan border-resident subsidy. The main goal was simply to stay alive. · Daily KPIs: write 4,000 words 264Reads8.1Score—14d adds
