Novels like The Years We Shared, Brothers
Books Chinese readers most often put in the same booklists as The Years We Shared, Brothers, best match first.
- 101 I Took the Place of a Big Shot’s Most Loyal Lackey 我顶替了大佬的死忠小弟 Urban action + one female lead + the underdog rises among his brothers + power plays + personal growth + not invincible Because his face is identical to that of a missing underworld boss, he's forced to take the place of the boss's right-hand man. Alone and posing as a villain, he has no choice but to become one. Standing at the boundary between black and white, what should I choose? And who's pulling the strings? Who's really whose pawn? Stick with it for ten chapters, and things are su —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 102 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 206Reads6.7Score—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 1.4kReads8.4Score13714d adds
- 104 Bad Boys: The Reckless Years of Yu Chengfei 不良之年少轻狂宇城飞篇 [Underworld] [Hot-Blooded] [First-Person] [Youth] [Reckless Youth] My name is Yu Chengfei. To avenge my father, I ventured into Beiyuan alone. I fought my way forward and made countless brothers who would share life and death with me. In the end, my neighbor's younger brother, Wang Hao, and I rose to the top of Beiyuan's underworld! But I know our story isn't over yet... Our youth was wild and arrogant, and we lived recklessly in our glory days! 34.4kReads9.0Score2.7k14d adds
- 105 Underworld Storm: Southeast Asia 黑道风云之东南风云录！ In the 1990s, the southeastern provinces were a chaotic mix, with criminal gangs flourishing everywhere. They controlled the underworld, disregarded the law and morality, and kept crime rates high… In Min City, Minzhou Province, Li Tianju is forced back onto the road of no return after getting out of prison. He rises like a storm, crushing all challengers until he becomes a crime boss in his own right! (This book has no harem, no formulaic tropes, no invincible protagonist, and no filler. It’s h 140Reads6.8Score—14d adds
- 106 The King’s Battleground: Gangster School 黑道校园之王的战场 I used to be a weakling who was bullied at school, living every day in darkness and fear. Then I learned that my brother, who had cut off contact with me and died in a car accident, had been the leader of one of the biggest gangs in the city: the Golden Dragon Gang! And somehow, I gained the means to control the entire gang, becoming its hidden mastermind. From that moment on, I swore to make everyone who had bullied me pay dearly. I would use the power my brother had built to clean up the schoo 5Reads—Score—14d adds
- 107 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
- 108 The Evil Lord Descends into the Abyss 邪主临渊 [Underworld] [Brotherhood] [Passionate] [The author is also a fan of Uncle Qin] I was bullied all through middle school. I thought things would get better in high school, but I was still bullied. Little by little, those people led me down a road of no return... My name is Mo Daoxie. Dao as in “principle,” and Xie as in “evil.” 5Reads—Score114d adds
- 109 The Road Through the Martial World Is Long: I Rule the Northeast 江湖路远：我掌东北势 The short drama is now streaming on Hongguo: The Road of the Underworld Is Long, and I Rule the Northeast. Urban, Underworld, Smart Protagonist, Slow-Burn Power Fantasy Snowflakes danced in the air. Outside the prison gates. Twenty-three-year-old Wang Yun stood outside the prison gates, gazing up at the gloomy sky. Five years ago, he killed Zhang San for assaulting his mother. Today was the day he completed his sentence and was released. But when Wang Yun returned home, he discovered that his mo 5.7kReads8.8Score39114d adds
- 110 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
- 111 Winter Reigns Supreme 凛冬为王 In 1998, Frost City was battered by wind and snow. The young Chen Lin had lost his family and been left crippled, suffering one humiliation after another. The moment he entered the underworld, he made ruthlessness his way of life and ruled the streets with his fists. From discarded pawn to overlord, he climbed to the top and became king in the depths of winter. —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 112 Gangland: Starting by Winning Over a Stunning Beauty 黑道：从拿下极品红颜开始 [The short drama adaptation of this novel, Urban Good Guys, is now streaming. It’s exciting and thrilling, so come watch!] [Urban life + underworld + mature beauties + conquest + multiple heroines + comedy + feel-good power fantasy + period setting + underdog comeback] An underdog comeback story with multiple heroines! In 1990s Donghai, country boy Chen Feng starts out guarding a nightclub. With his fists and his brains, he carves out a bloody path, gathering brothers, seizing territory, taking 64.9kReads8.3Score4.9k14d adds
- 113 I Didn’t Stab a Man, I Stabbed This Rotten World 老子捅的不是人，是世道 [Urban Underworld | Reborn Comeback | Brotherhood and High-Octane Gang Battles] 1991. Fu’an. Heavy snow. Fang Xiao knelt on the storeroom’s concrete floor, Zhao Changshui’s blood still on his hands. He was reborn, carrying memories of his brothers’ horrific deaths and his family’s ruin in his previous life. This time, he wouldn’t take the blame for anyone or be anyone’s lackey. He would wade through the filth and lead a band of brothers who had been dragged through the mud, determined to make 7Reads—Score—14d adds
- 114 Bad Boy, Wild and Arrogant 不良，飞扬跋扈 40Reads—Score10714d adds
- 115 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
- 116 Dongguan: Starting by Conquering a Powerful Woman 东莞：从征服女大佬开始 [Guan City fiction + urban underworld + period drama + passionate + ultimate wish fulfillment] A man must have courage and grit. When his cousin was carried back to Niulan Village, crippled, Chen Xiaolong accompanied his cousin's wife south to Dongguan the next day. Dongguan in 2008 was a chaotic place, crowded with all kinds of people and gangs. To protect his cousin's wife, Chen Xiaolong stepped onto a blood-soaked path through the underworld. The worlds of black, gray, and white were turbulen 30.9kReads7.8Score1.7k14d adds
- 117 The Underworld: From Low-Level Thug to Godfather 黑手：从沙场小弟到江湖教父 [Modern city + underworld + multiple heroines + business rivalry + romance + powerful protagonist] Born at the bottom of society, his only choice is to defy fate and change his destiny. From the day he first wielded the butcher's knife, he could only kill gods when he met them and slay demons when they crossed his path. Then two beautiful women from Xiguan appeared: one wanted his heart, the other wanted him… [Urban power struggles + hard-core business warfare + fated romance] is a novel weaving 92Reads—Score—14d adds
- 118 The Heavenly Gate of the Jianghu 江湖天门 The martial world is awash in blood and turmoil. Who will shape the course of history? What is the true reason for Ming Jia's return? A hidden dynasty emerges once more, the sinister Yamaguchi-gumi refuses to stay buried, and the powerful Xiao clan is shrouded in mystery. As the struggle for supremacy looms, the story of Tianmen continues... 117Reads—Score—14d adds
- 119 Every Delinquent Knows Yucheng Fei 不良无人不识宇城飞 This story isn't just about Chen Fei's time at vocational college. It also follows the difficulties Wang Hao faces after returning from the United Arab Emirates. Another storm of blood and violence is brewing, but Heaven won't favor them again. The success they've achieved is already an incredible stroke of luck. During that clash between Yucheng Fei and Longcheng, Yucheng Fei suffered devastating losses. His brothers were killed, wounded, forced to retire, or scattered. That operation nearly co 275Reads6.1Score—14d adds
- 120 Underworld Storm: The Iron-Blooded Road of the Martial World 黑道风云：铁血江湖路 [I'm Ma Tiejun. I'm a man of few words, but if you cross me, I'll take you on.] To make it in the underworld, you have to build up your business and earn plenty of money in the early days; shift into legitimate industries and establish yourself in the middle; then gradually clean up your act so you can walk away unscathed. The road through the underworld is hard, and few make it out alive, but I have no choice. I can only grit my teeth and keep going... Now that I'm on this ship, I'll be the fie 7.8kReads7.8Score68514d adds
- 121 Zhang San, the Top Dog of Jiamusi 佳木斯张三一霸 This story does not glorify criminals. It is meant to warn readers not to break the law, or they will surely face severe punishment. Justice may be delayed, but it will come. When the time comes, no one can escape the law! 1.1kReads8.4Score13114d adds
- 122 A Hero in Turbulent Times 乱世枭雄 "Dark clouds loom over the city, threatening to crush it; golden scales gleam on armor beneath the sun." I was just an ordinary student, but one upheaval after another gradually dragged me into an abyss of crime and punishment, and drew me into a world where I had no say in my own fate... 150Reads—Score—14d adds
- 123 A World of Scoundrels 渣混的世界 What is a hero? In truth, everyone is a hero. Those who face reality and still live earnestly instead of letting themselves go are heroes. Under the laws of survival, everyone makes different choices. Those who hold fast to what’s in their hearts are all brave souls. Watch as the winds shift. 315Reads8.4Score10414d adds
- 124 The Boss 老大 After I accidentally saw my stepmother, Zhang Xiaohong, looking alluring in the nude, my father sent me back to the countryside. I spent ten years studying hard, hoping to make something of myself, only to be framed and thrown in the police station on the day of the college entrance exam. With fate against me, I kicked open the door to the underworld and left behind a miraculous legend in the city of Zhongjiang. [Not a mindless power fantasy + romance and career advance side by side + gripping p 154Reads7.4Score—14d adds
- 125 I Thrive on Others in Wancheng and Become a Big Shot 我在菀城软饭硬吃当大佬 In the turbulent city of Dongguan, all I wanted was to run a small business, help my brothers make money, and enjoy a peaceful life with the occasional bit of financial support from a woman. But fate refused to let me keep a low profile. Factory girls, bosses’ wives, rich older women, and underworld big sisters all barged into my life, dragging me into deeper and deeper schemes. I started out at a small factory and worked my way through the nightlife. I went from being a young nobody to a ruthle 38kReads7.6Score1.9k14d adds
- 126 The Reckless Youth: Wang Hao Reborn 不良之年少轻狂之王浩重生 Wang Hao never imagined that after a bullet from his enemy ended his life, he would be reborn in his middle-school days. When he opens his eyes again, he’s still the obscure “Rat” from Dongguan No. 1 Middle School, the kid everyone picks on. But this time, he has returned with the fire and memories of his past life. His old brother Ye Zhan is still the same buzz-cut hothead who acts decisively and calls him “Haozi” with complete trust. Their big brother Yu Chengfei is still ruthless and decisive 1.4kReads—Score10214d adds
- 127 Out of Prison, I Unlock the Underworld Overlord System! 出狱后，解锁黑道霸主系统！ “I'm finally out!” Qi Yuan had just stepped out of the prison gates. Bathed in brilliant sunshine, he savored the warmth and freedom he had missed for so long and greedily drew in a breath. “Kid, don't look back later. Just keep walking straight ahead.” As Qi Yuan looked out at the scenery by the window, a fragment of memory suddenly flashed through his mind. 301Reads—Score—14d adds
- 128 The Jianghu Madman 江湖狂人 Personality determines fate. When Chen Yuanshan overcomes his fear, the underworld gains a few more madmen. Absolutely ruthless and decisive: one disagreement, and he pulls a gun! The plot isn’t melodramatic, and the pacing is slow-burn. I’m a new writer, so my writing is limited. Please be understanding if it isn’t very good. 443Reads—Score—14d adds
- 129 Double Daily Earnings: From Laborer to Success 每日收获翻倍，从力工开始上岸 [Leveling up] [Single female lead] [Power fantasy] Chen Xuan transmigrates to a world where martial arts reign supreme. In this world, anyone who doesn’t practice martial arts will never get ahead. Chen Xuan doesn’t want to spend his whole life as a laborer, only to be discarded as an expendable resource when he grows old. His ambition is to cultivate martial arts, pass the Six Fan Gate’s civil service exam, and reach the pinnacle of life. But since Chen Xuan is already getting on in years, his 3Reads—Score—14d adds
- 130 My Wild Youth: From Being Bullied to Becoming a Gang Boss 混过的青春：从被欺负到黑帮大佬 How does a timid boy who's bullied every day gradually rediscover the courage he lost in his youth? How does he finally redeem himself? And how does he rise step by step to the pinnacle of the underworld? What secrets lie behind it all? Find out in The Days We Lived Through. 5.3kReads—Score34914d adds
- 131 Zhang Bo, Crime Lord: Back in Place and Running the Show 枭雄张波：归位即叱咤 The Powerhouse Zhang Bo: Back in the Game, Ruling the Roost In 1998, Zhang Bo, a brash young man from the countryside near Shuyang, set foot in Taizhou. He carved out a path through bloodshed and chaos, using sheer ruthlessness and cunning to dominate the region. Casinos and territory alike fell under his control, and in Taizhou’s underworld, he was the undisputed boss. Then the law finally caught up with him. Ten years behind bars wore away his viciousness, but could never dull the edge of the 4Reads—Score—14d adds
- 132 Reckless Youth: No Way Back from the Jianghu 放肆青春之江湖不归路 My name is Wang Hao. Because I was a coward, I transferred to Chenghua, where I met five brothers who shared my hardships and stood by me through thick and thin! We went from being bullied to ruling the school, going through so much and making so many sacrifices together. With one foot still at school and the other already stepping into the underworld, what happens in the end? Let me tell you the story! P.S. The story is set around 2006, and all the major characters are adults. (The ages, educat 509Reads—Score—14d adds
- 133 Youth and Passion: Our Crazy Middle School Days 青春热血，我们的中学疯批岁月 Yuanxiang Middle School suddenly shut down for rectification, forcing five boys who had grown up together to transfer as a group to an unfamiliar school. An unfamiliar campus, hostile upperclassmen, a mysterious and withdrawn new roommate, and undercurrents swirling beneath the school's placid surface. Wherever there are people, there are rivalries. With their brothers by their side, they have nothing to fear from the storms ahead. These passionate young men face every challenge with open hearts 24Reads—Score214d adds
- 134 The Young King, Sequel! 少年王续集！ After finishing Young Master Wang, I was left with regrets, so I wrote this book by hand. It tells the story of how Wang Wei serves his country after leaving the island... 38Reads—Score—14d adds
- 135 Am I Not an Evil Guide? Why Are You Hugging Me So Tight? 我不是恶毒向导吗？抱这么紧干嘛 [1VN + All Male Leads Are Virgins + Sentinel and Guide + Everyone's Favorite + Interstellar + Everyone's Dream Girl] [The heroine has a shrinking transformation; she is not a strong heroine] [Airheaded Guide VS Sentinels with ulterior motives] Si Nan wakes up one day in a Sentinel-and-Guide interstellar world. When she learns that the original owner was a vicious Guide who relentlessly pursued two slaves and loathed her two existing partners, Si Nan is confused. Si Nan doesn't get it. People say 2Reads—Score—14d adds
- 136 The Reckless Youth: A Passionate Heart 不良之热血方刚 Underworld + school life + passion + brotherhood + supremacy struggles + multiple heroines One day, I’ll rise like a dragon and conquer the underworld in a river of blood. Through flashing blades and piles of bones, I’ll stand at the front to shield my brothers. Shen Xiao, a freshman in high school, looked so frail that on his first day, a teacher made an example of him in front of the whole class. After class, he went to the restroom. As soon as he stepped out of a stall, he was kicked to the f 3Reads—Score—14d adds
- 137 The Secret of the Bronze Sparrow Lock 铜雀锁的秘密 The Secret of the Bronze Sparrow Lock —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 138 The Legend of the Broken Sword and the Peach Blossom 断剑与桃花的传说 The Legend of the Broken Sword and the Peach Blossoms —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 139 Urban Mad Dragon: A True Dragon Fears No River Crossing 都市狂龙：不是猛龙不过江 [Business Warfare + Powerhouse + Underworld + Livestreaming + No System + No Rebirth] Zhao Yichen, the undisputed king of Feicheng's underworld, is hunted by two mysterious forces… He is on the brink of death, lying in a pool of blood, when Xiao Mo, general manager of Brilliant Media, rescues him. From then on, Zhao Yichen conceals his identity and takes a job as a lowly security guard at Brilliant Media. After the Three Little Animals set them up, Brilliant Media is caught in a scandal over 3Reads—Score—14d adds
- 140 Black Owl, White World 黑枭白界 Are they loyal and righteous, or consumed by greed? Using a raw, down-to-earth style, this novel portrays the many faces of life among another group of people in the real world. Are they driven to desperation, or risking everything? How will the men who walk the edge tell their stories? Betrayal and being betrayed, killing and being killed: step into the criminal underworld of the late twentieth century, into the hell behind the sunshine. Perhaps they are far removed from you and me. Perhaps the 35Reads6.8Score—14d adds
- 141 The Hidden Blade Beneath the Red Wall 红墙下的暗刃 Zhao Ye, a scion of a prominent revolutionary family, is serving in the army. While escorting a fallen comrade’s body, he gets into a dispute between his comrade’s younger sister in Nanjing and a Japanese exchange student. Zhao Ye steps in and hits the Japanese student, and from that moment on, his fate is rewritten... 17Reads6.4Score—14d adds
- 142 Bloodstained Underworld 血色黑道 This novel is based on numerous real events. The author has simply used literary exaggeration to tell the story of a small group of troubled people in civilized society, exposing the filthy methods and despicable behavior hidden beneath their dazzling appearances. People from different walks of life experience different joys and sorrows, all leading to tragic endings. As the saying goes, once you enter the jianghu, its depths are unfathomable; by the time you turn back, a hundred years have pass 63Reads6.9Score—14d adds
- 143 Who Says the Boss Has to Be a Gangster? Lawyers Can Be Bosses Too 谁说老大一定是混混，律师也可以 [Urban, underworld, big shots, outlaw!] Gao Tian was executed in 2026 during a crackdown, but unexpectedly returned to the 1990s! This time, unwilling to repeat his old mistakes, he chose to enroll in the police academy! But just as he was trying to go straight, he saw the scumbag who had been abusing his beloved older sister since childhood. In a fit of rage, he killed the wife-beater with three punches. Now behind bars, Gao Tian’s career on the straight and narrow was over for good. With no ch 1Reads—Score—14d adds
- 144 Days Spent Getting By 平凡混过的日子 My name is Lu Pingfan! I'm a gangster... I founded the "Student Council" back in middle school! Years later, my brothers live ordinary lives by day, but after dark, they take their place in the underworld! I used to think that justice and honor were the guiding principles of the world! It wasn't until I heard all the things left unsaid that I realized those supposedly "high-minded" principles were nothing but the emperor's new clothes! So I decided to uphold the principles of my world in my own 29Reads8.0Score—14d adds
- 145 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! 965Reads—Score—14d adds
- 146 After I Got Out of Prison, My Sister Forced Me to Inherit a Billion-Dollar Fortune 出狱后，姐姐逼我继承亿万家产 Food delivery rider + Sanhe drifter + brotherhood in the underworld + rise to the pinnacle of power. Revenge and face-slapping + unexpected fortune + underdog's rise + tight, logical plotting. A Southeast Asian power struggle + fierce mercenary battles + leading your brothers to the top. My ex-girlfriend clings to a rich man and mocks me: “All you'll ever be in this life is a garbage picker!” Late one night, three sexy older women corner me beneath a bridge. “Your parents left you hundreds of mi 8Reads—Score—14d adds
- 147 The Jianghu: I Am the Kingpin 江湖：我即为枭 [Underworld] [Brothers United] [Mind-Bending] [Passionate and Thrilling] Three years in prison couldn't dull my edge. My name is Wang Xiao. I spent three years behind bars for offending a powerful figure. After my release, I returned to my old stomping grounds with my brothers and the skills my master taught me. Some want to trample me underfoot. Some want to stab me in the back. And my enemies, lurking in the shadows, are watching me like hawks. But my life is no longer something just anyone ca 114Reads—Score—14d adds
- 148 The Jianghu: A True Account of Half a Life in the Underworld 江湖：混社会的半生真实经历 A chaotic age, filled with flashing blades and clashing steel! The martial world is like a cup of tea. Everyone tastes it differently. My name is Zhao Long. Back then, most people called me Long Si, Brother Si, or Fourth Master! I'm not exaggerating when I say my reputation back then was almost as great as that of the famous Fourth Master Qiao up north! I was a poor kid who couldn't afford a meal. Through sheer grit and ruthl 4.7kReads7.1Score20114d adds
- 149 Tales of the Hong Kong and Macau Underworld 港澳黑道往事 Told from a third-person perspective and set in the otherworldly port city of Aocheng, this novel explores the social issues of a particular era in Hong Kong and Macao. It also depicts the tragic fate of the underworld and the darkness of human nature in another world. At the same time, it reflects on gang culture, showing readers the cruelty and unsustainability of life in the underworld, and the harm it causes to individuals and society. The story is entirely fictional. Please don’t imitate it 4Reads—Score—14d adds
- 150 I'm a Goodfella, but a Gangster in the Underworld 白道哥，黑道我 My new work is out! You can read it on Tomato Novel. I hope you enjoy it. Your support is what keeps me writing, and I’ll do my best to tell every story well! 35Reads6.7Score—14d adds
