Novels like A Side Job in Search of Love
Books Chinese readers most often put in the same booklists as A Side Job in Search of Love, best match first.
- 1 If It's You, It's Never Too Late 如果是你再晚也来得及 A sweet romance with no angst. “By the time I was your age, you were already five,” Late Late’s mom had turned this into her catchphrase. But did being 28 already make her an old maid? Ye Wanwan thought she was still young. When it came to love, she’d rather have nothing than settle. 115Reads8.2Score—14d adds
- 2 A Lonely Island Beyond the Wilds 野渡孤岛 112Reads—Score—14d adds
- 3 Mr. Shen, Please Queue Up to Get Married 沈先生，结婚请排队 [Not a virginal romance] [Reckless heir to a wealthy family x cool, aloof woman in a second marriage, pretending to be a mature beauty] Three years of marriage could not compete with one unforgettable glance. People in their circle say he is Jiang City's most notorious playboy, changing women more often than he changes his shirts. Everyone in the industry has their eye on her, Langtian's coolest beauty. What a shame she's already another man's wife. The first time they met, they were separated b 12Reads—Score—14d adds
- 4 Divorced at Thirty, I Turn My Life Around and Win the CEO's Devoted Love 30岁离婚逆袭，霸总收心独宠我 [Not mutually exclusive] + [Male lead has secretly loved her and finally gets his chance] + [Second male lead suffers for chasing his ex] + [Workplace romance that blossoms over time] At thirty, Shen Yue sees her eight-year marriage crumble overnight. When she learns that her husband has been cheating with a younger woman, she realizes that the ten years of youth she gave him have been nothing but a joke. She thinks her life has gone dim for good, but at her lowest point, she meets him. She figh 22Reads—Score—14d adds
- 5 The Warm, Bustling Days 热气腾腾的日子 When they first got married, Lan Xin was a newlywed daughter-in-law who called her mother-in-law “Mom” so affectionately. But as time went on, she endured her mother-in-law’s utter lack of social skills, selfishness, two-faced behavior, endless nitpicking, and extreme control. She could no longer bring herself to be affectionate toward her. Life remained bustling and lively, but her heart grew colder by the day… Even the easy “Mom” that had once slipped so naturally from her lips eventually beca 2.9kReads9.0Score26014d adds
- 6 Royal Aunt, Please Show Me Some Love 皇婶，求您疼我 (Transmigration vs. Rebirth vs. System) The girl Lu Fanchuan loves marries his imperial uncle, the Regent. Everyone knows Lu Fanchuan loves her, except the woman herself. He never expects to make her his own; he only wants to protect her for the rest of his life. When he learns that his uncle has died of illness, Lu Fanchuan uses the excuse of showing filial respect to his aunt to find all sorts of ways to cheer her up and deliberately draw closer to her. After Lu Fanchuan has been by her side f 2Reads—Score—14d adds
- 7 Twenty Years of Marriage 结婚20年 The familiar hurts of marriage, the casual disdain, indifference, and manipulation... They have the power to wear away even stone, drop by drop... Watch as three middle-aged couples, Chen Zhu and Fang Wenqing, Hong Chunying and Ji Changhua, and Ren Yan and Yu Bin, fight their way out of their emotional dead ends... 865Reads8.1Score10314d adds
- 8 Autumn Harvest Chronicle 秋实记 Autumn Harvest Notes 289Reads—Score—14d adds
- 9 A Few Stories from Life on the Factory Floor 工厂打工男女之间的三两事 [Rural life in the 1980s and 1990s, migrant workers, city life, flirtation, love, growing up, everyday life, the little things, not a power fantasy, realistic] Do you remember working in Shenzhen twenty years ago? Everyone wore the most innocent smiles. Nobody on the streets was glued to a phone. Even though people earned only a few hundred yuan a month, they were remarkably happy and content. Now, even with several thousand yuan a month, or even a business of your own, you can never go back to 288Reads—Score—14d adds
- 10 A Glimmer of Warmth 微光生暖意 Workplace x romance and marriage x entrepreneurship x women's growth Heartbroken, Shi Weiwei arrived with her suitcase in the city her older sister had described as full of warmth and kindness. Seeing a glimmer of light was like seeing hope. At the Glimmer Apartments, Shi Weiwei met Su Di, who was just starting a business; Aunt Yang, who had been divorced by her husband at fifty; Liang Jiao, who ran a small snack shop; and Zhu Zhu, Zhao Qianyi, and others who had also come out to make their way 6.7kReads8.9Score78114d adds
- 11 Marriage: A Promise to Protect 婚姻，守护 Fang Ying and Liu Fan were the golden couple in everyone’s eyes back when they were students. Their marriage was even more enviable, but once they settled into the daily grind of meals and household chores, how could everything possibly go smoothly...? 1.4kReads—Score11114d adds
- 12 One, Two, Three, Take Your Seats 一二三儿，请对号入座 In this world where values had gone mad, Xu Yiyi was like so many women in marriages today, trapped in a miserable, abnormal relationship that was like being widowed while still married: she left home but didn't divorce. Her turning point came after she greedily enjoyed the pleasures of being with Luan Han, a college student in his early twenties. Then she unexpectedly ran into her first love, Song Ning, who had “come back from the dead,” and paid a price for it. The appearance of her first love 126Reads8.2Score—14d adds
- 13 One Thought to Life or Death 一念生杀 A century-old prominent family, a legacy of national and family hatred. A sudden death at a full-moon banquet, a terrifying disturbance in the manor in the dead of night, a sinister sacrifice in the ancestral hall... A string of murders begs the question: what earth-shattering secret lies behind them? In turbulent times, every step is difficult. Within the Shen family compound, the struggle for power rages. She yearns for freedom more than anything, yet chooses to bear the heaviest burden of fam 12Reads—Score—14d adds
- 14 After the Divorce, My First Love and Ex-Boyfriend Won't Leave Me Alone 离婚后，初恋前男友上蹿又下跳 Xu Yuanchun's first marriage lasted only a year and a half. Because she was infertile. It's no big deal. Infertility isn't life-threatening, and even after her divorce, she can still live freely. But as soon as the divorce was final, Feng Jianqiu, her ex-boyfriend and first love, came shamelessly crawling back, making a scene at every turn. She really had no idea what game he was trying to play. Whatever. She might as well slap him first. · Two ordinary people in their thirties stumble through a 254Reads—Score—14d adds
- 15 Hello, Professor Li 你好，李教授 (Female growth, romance and marriage, relationships, everyday family life, and all the joys and sorrows of ordinary people) Follow protagonist Zi Rong as she grows from an unremarkable country girl into a professor at a prestigious university. As Zi Rong takes one step after another, experience the joys and sorrows of the six Li siblings, explore life's choices and dilemmas, and discover what it means to accept responsibility and rise to the occasion. Life is a painting of happiness and sorrow, 1.4kReads8.7Score13514d adds
- 16 Sleepless for a Night: The Harbor City CEO Falls Hard 一夜未眠，港城霸总他沦陷了 [Distinguished, Cunning Hong Kong Tycoon VS Beautiful, Strong, Tragic Single-Mother Real Estate PR Professional] [Hong Kong Tycoon + Realistic + Female Growth and Comeback + Powerful Man Bows to Love + Possessive Pursuit + Groveling Romance + Ensemble Cast] Everyone knew that Hong Kong’s Shengshi Group held a position of power in the real estate industry, and that Lin Jiafeng, the second son of the Lin family, had been born at the very top of the pyramid. Yet this distinguished young heir, so fa 2Reads—Score—14d adds
- 17 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
- 18 With You by My Side, I Can’t Wait for the Rest of My Life 余生有你，不胜期待 [Gentle fairy-like teacher vs. straight-laced, scheming programmer] [Age gap + marriage before love + sweet romance + mutual devotion] [Synopsis] Tian Cheng is a gentle Cancer who loves Hanfu and values family. Wei Jiajun’s first impression of her was that he was a gentleman and a serious technical genius. Wei Jiajun is a scheming Scorpio and a straight-laced man. Tian Cheng has always seemed like a fairy to him. Tian Cheng asked Wei Jiajun, “Would you be willing to get married? The kind where w 11Reads8.1Score—14d adds
- 19 Marriage and Mother-in-Law Battles: Endless Fun 婚后与婆斗，其乐无穷 [A revenge story packed with nonstop catfights!] When it comes to pregnancy, even the wisest, most well-read woman cannot truly understand the dangers involved until she has experienced it herself. As an experienced mother-in-law, Zhao Lanzhi has given birth to three sons and cared for two daughters-in-law during their postpartum recovery. Naturally, she understands this... But when a single remark from her can stir up conflict between in-laws, spouses, and sisters, and Su Lin refuses her hint t —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 20 Goodbye, My Love 再见亦是爱人 [Second male lead takes the win + 1v2 ending + rekindled romance + ex-wife pursuit] Just rated, still waiting for more reviews! Content warnings: not a mutually exclusive relationship, not a female-empowerment story, contains angst, and none of the characters are perfect. In the third year of her happy marriage, Yi Han realized everything had gone off the rails. By chance, she discovered that her friend Ye Xinyi's husband was actually the ex-boyfriend her family had forcibly separated her from! 15.4kReads7.1Score1.4k14d adds
- 21 Meimei 眉眉 [Second-chance romance; realistic; nightclub owner x cool, celibate detective; the heroine isn't a virgin, the hero is; the heroine is a genuine player who used the hero and broke his heart; she pursues him, so skip this if that bothers you; also skip if you hold the heroine to high moral standards. The author is firmly on the heroine's side. Happy ending.] Jiang Meier owns an entertainment club. After the Public Security Bureau shut it down for prostitution, she was left with unpaid wages for h 933Reads8.7Score11314d adds
- 22 Complementary Colors 互补色 Zhou Mo, a divorced woman who barely even counts as an extra, has never loved anyone or been loved in return. She blithely and shamelessly eats, drinks, sleeps, and goes about her business in her own little world. Then one day, she somehow wanders into the home of her elusive, reclusive neighbor, Ni Jin. At last, just before menopause, she unlocks the secret to love. Perhaps the Old Man of the Moon suddenly remembered that Zhou Mo and Ni Jin, two dull middle-aged people, had somehow been left of 8.4kReads8.9Score1.1k14d adds
- 23 The Green Leaves Had Become Flowers by the Time They Fell in Love 绿叶恋爱时便成了花 Xu Yunshu has three big wishes: first, to become a teacher, for six years; second, to travel the world, for as long as she feels like it; and third, to have a passionate romance, before she turns thirty. She is twenty-five this year. Her first wish is in the process of coming true, but the other two are still just wishes. Shen Yunqi has spent years living it up. With a handsome, rakish face, he flaunts himself wherever he goes while never letting anyone get too close. After a long search, he mee 448Reads7.1Score—14d adds
- 24 The Testimony of Water 水的证词 The Testimony of Water —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 25 The Husband Swap 换夫记 Xue Mingming married simply because she'd reached the right age, only to discover that her husband wasn't the right person for her. She settled into a life that felt like going through the motions. Then she crossed paths with Nie Qiyuan, a former high school classmate whose career was on the brink of bankruptcy and whose marriage was hanging by a thread, though neither recognized the other. How should these two married, middle-aged people handle their work, their lives, and their feelings??? A b 18.3kReads8.6Score1.6k14d adds
- 26 The Year She Got Married, She Was Thirty-Three 结婚那年，她三十三岁 On the day Luo Chan went to register her marriage with her childhood friend, she was stabbed for no reason. Fresh out of the hospital, she showed up with hair that hadn't been washed in seven days, so greasy it could fry an egg and plastered tightly to her scalp. The staff eyed her suspiciously and repeatedly asked if she was mentally sound, until she showed them her CPA certificate. The legally issued marriage certificate was bright red. The photo of her on it was so ugly it was painful to look 709Reads8.7Score—14d adds
- 27 The Full-Time Mom Marries a Domineering CEO Again 全职妈妈再嫁霸道总裁 [Neither Lead Is Chaste + Forbidden Romance + Sweet Wife × CEO + Happy Ending + Sweet Romance + Raising a Child] After Zhang Jingxiang’s husband cheats on her with a rich mistress, she cheats on him in revenge with a handsome, wealthy man ten years her senior. Little does she know that this man is the rich mistress’s “ex-husband.” [Heroine: Zhang Jingxiang] 1. A stunning beauty, but clear-headed. 2. A full-time mother at first, then returns to work later. 3. Healthy and strong, not delicate, a 1.2kReads8.1Score10214d adds
- 28 Trial Marriage 试婚男女 Jiang Chunhua, a budget officer at a construction company, meets Xu Qiushi, an administrative secretary at a private enterprise, on a blind date arranged by their families. But Qiushi never quite falls in love with him. After experiencing her first love, Fang Yuan, as well as Qu Xianghuai and Cheng Ziwei, she starts to feel that falling for someone is difficult. Meanwhile, her younger sister, Qiuhe, unexpectedly meets police officer Zhou Tianmu. Neither of them expects much at first, thinking it 697Reads8.4Score13114d adds
- 29 Qiao Mu Has a Forest 乔木有森林 What kind of romantic sparks will fly when Song Qiao, a cool and aloof teacher who doesn’t believe in love and avoids marriage, meets Chen Sen, a handsome, warmhearted repairman? Song Qiao: “How much for the repairs? I’ll transfer it to you.” Chen Sen: “Don’t worry about it.” Song Qiao: “Why? Are you like this with all your old classmates?” Chen Sen: “Of course not. It depends on our relationship.” Song Qiao: “And what’s our relationship?” Chen Sen: “That’s up to you.” 764Reads8.6Score10714d adds
- 30 101 Blind Dates 101次相亲 Urban light comedy + healing realism + delicious food and beautiful scenery + a woman’s growth Chen Xiaomo is a 26-year-old unmarried woman living in a second-tier city. After earning a graduate degree from a non-elite university, she finds a job as a non-tenure-track English instructor at a university. Then begins her romantic, fantastical, and heart-pounding journey through blind dates... 75Reads9.1Score—14d adds
- 31 Ten Miles of Red Finery: Not a Single Sedan Chair Can Be Left Behind 十里红妆：一抬都不能少 "Three million. Sign it." She replied with four words: "The shop is not for sale." Her grandmother had passed away, leaving behind a bridal finery shop, twelve volumes of manuscripts, and a grand sedan chair for a wedding procession, its gold leaf only half applied. Everyone urged her to take the money and leave. Only the lawyer told her, "The will says the shop goes to you. If you don't claim it within sixty days, it goes to someone else." So she went to claim it. When buying the shop didn't wo 1Reads—Score—14d adds
- 32 Beijing Dust, Held Close 京尘入怀 [The Ambitious Beauty’s Guide to Climbing the Ladder] | Female growth|Rags-to-riches comeback|Adult push and pull | Campus | Workplace | Jingbei Academy of Fine Arts, a prestigious institution where fame and fortune intertwine. Its students come from wealthy families. Shen Qingchen is the only one who has to make her way in with nothing. Born in a small city, with no connections or support, she is treated like a pawn in a power game. But she was never prey for others to manipulate. She has a hun 1.2kReads8.1Score10214d adds
- 33 Living Apart 分居 Ji Shu got married and had a child before realizing she'd chosen a man who couldn't shoulder any responsibility. She took her child back to her hometown alone and began living separately from him. She thought returning to the countryside would ease some of the pressure, but she hadn't counted on her mother's constant nagging, her lack of income, and her poor health. One hardship after another became more than she could bear... At the lowest point in her life, she met Fu Yu, the legendary “king o 26Reads—Score—14d adds
- 34 Guan Yu's Marriage Troubles 关云长的婚姻大事 An everyday story, not a domineering CEO romance and not about a strong, independent heroine. The heroine has an ex-boyfriend, so don’t read if that bothers you. The male lead is sexually inexperienced. 1/ At twenty-nine, Guan Yuting was embarrassed to tell anyone that she hoped for love and marriage. These days, everyone champions strong heroines and condemns women who lose their heads over love, but that really was what she wanted. 2/ When you’re out and about, you get to make up your own back 5.6kReads9.1Score77414d adds
- 35 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
- 36 Love Along the Road 路半经过爱情 (A realistic romance about marriage, an adult love story with a touch of romance and some adorable moments with the kids~) Our love has only taken us halfway down the road. How deeply can we love? Outsiders think she might as well have married twice. Her mother-in-law has other thoughts, and her relatives think she can never measure up to the child's real mother... Only he knows that the more he loves her, the more he feels he isn't good enough for her! When everyone thinks she deceived him, onl 490Reads9.1Score—14d adds
- 37 After Our Divorce, My Ex-Husband Chased Me to the Border 和离后，前夫追到边关 [Content warning: not a pure couple] The year the imperial decree arranging her marriage arrived at the Shen residence, she was twenty. She accepted being married to Pei Yan, Duke of Zhenguo, as his second wife. She accepted that he still loved his late wife. Then, after they divorced, she left for the borderlands and gave birth to a daughter on her own. With food running short at the border, he volunteered to go reclaim wasteland and establish farms. 3.4kReads5.9Score28814d adds
- 38 The Day When the Days Were Long and the Nights Short 昼长夜短的那天 Completed · [Scheming Approach to a Spoiled Rich Second-Generation Heir VS A Rational, Restrained Female Investment Manager] [CEO + Business Warfare + Push and Pull + Devoted to His Wife + HE] A new hire showed up in Antai’s investment and financing department. To everyone’s surprise, it was Shan Jialin, the notorious spoiled young master of the Shan family. To his face, everyone called him Mr. Shan; behind his back, they complained that he had a pile of scandals and knew nothing about real est 26Reads—Score—14d adds
- 39 Abundant Harvest 硕果琳琅 Wealthy Family + Sperm Donation + Pregnant and on the Run + Winning Back His Wife (This story is entirely fictional. Please do not draw parallels to real life.) Lu Linlang owns a small restaurant. After seeing how her best friend’s marriage turned out, she has no interest in getting married. She just wants to find someone to “donate” sperm and have a child of her own before she becomes a high-risk mother. Following her own list of criteria, she sets her sights on Chen Shuo, one of her regular cu 6.4kReads8.7Score56614d adds
- 40 The Pu Family’s Daughterly Flower 蒲家女儿花 With shallow roots and wounded by heartless men, she mourns as snow drifts in the wind. Her name is nowhere in the register of beauties, yet wherever she lands, she makes a home. In a small village by the Han River, the daughters of the Pu family each have their own fate. Fangfei and Shuqin endure hardship after hardship, fighting to move forward. Ronghua, Yanhong, Hongxia, and Xiuli take the easy road, throwing away half their lives. Like flowers, daughters blossom and fragrance comes from with 376Reads8.6Score10114d adds
- 41 Fan Hua Like Brocade: Taking Down the Scumbag, the Vixen, and My Cold-Blooded Parents 樊花似锦【撕渣男贱女冷血父母】 A realistic story of a woman’s growth, blending satisfaction and heartbreak. There’s no floating comeback powered by a golden finger, only an ordinary woman ground into the dirt by life, slowly crushing the mess of her past and turning the chaos into something beautiful. The more stifled you feel watching her in the first half, the more satisfying the second half will be. Love yourself first, and everything else will fall into place. Everyone and everything that wronged her will have to pay her 2Reads—Score—14d adds
- 42 As the Sugar Cube Melts 方糖融化时 [Half-Tang Cafe is open] We serve free water, fresh orange juice, cold coffee, and yesterday’s liquor, along with other specialty drinks, 24 hours a day. Help yourself to whatever you want. I don’t regret falling in love with you. I know you won’t listen, but I’m going to love you anyway. There’s no other way forward. I’ll love you with all I have, but I don’t need you to understand. I’m sure you’re the answer. Even if I’m wrong, I’ll take responsibility. I’m not afraid of anyone laughing at me 23Reads—Score—14d adds
- 43 When the Moss Blooms 苔花开 Moss flowers may be tiny as grains of rice, yet they too learn to bloom like peonies. One flower, one world; one tree, one bodhi. Though small, moss flowers shine with their own light and bloom in their own beauty. Yuan Xiaotai is a college student from the countryside who made it into a university in the provincial capital. By a twist of fate, she becomes a tutor for the daughter of a car dealership chairman. Once Xiaotai enters the Liu household, its family feuds and grudges gradually unfold b 4.6kReads9.1Score51914d adds
- 44 All in the Time of Dancing 尽是飞舞时 [Female Student and Noble Young Master, Gentle Translator and Devoted Businessman] [Reunion After a Long Separation, Mending a Broken Relationship, Older Man, Happy Ending] - She may be aloof, but she can win not only his heart, but the favor of his entire family. He need not fight for anything or give anything up, yet it is her dreams that must be sacrificed. Song Yiqing: “So there really is a barrier between us when we communicate.” When Zhao Zequan met her, he knew only three French phrases. 22Reads—Score—14d adds
- 45 Five Years After I Quit, My Former Colleague Became My Boss 离职五年后，同事成了我的老板 [Aloof Venture Capital CEO vs. Gorgeous Medical School Top Student: They’re Both Fighting to Win Each Other!] [Sweet Modern Romance × Workplace Growth × Guiding Lover × Second Chance at Love, with a Sweet HE] Years after they last saw each other, her former startup partner has become a venture capital mogul. His life is going swimmingly, and he hasn’t forgotten to give her a hand. She thinks she’ll be living the high life by sticking with him, but in the end, he’s the one who gets her complete 1.3kReads—Score17414d adds
- 46 On the Brink of Divorce 走在离婚的边缘 A friendly reminder: This is a work of realist fiction, and many readers may recognize people they know in it. Please enjoy the story, but don’t assume it’s about you! People say marriage is the grave of love, yet so many still rush toward it. The paths love can take are painfully few: either you part ways and become strangers, or you enter the marital home and stay together for life. When passion fades and love turns into familial affection, marriage becomes the daily routine of meals and chore 101Reads—Score—14d adds
- 47 Blind Date, Marriage 相亲，结婚 At twenty-eight, Zhong Ruyin started going on blind dates. She told her blind date, "My requirements are simple. After we get married, you don't have to work. You just need to revolve around me. Cook, take care of all the housework, clean, keep me happy... and so on." Her blind date was thrilled, thinking he'd found a rich woman on a blind date. "May I ask how much you earn a year, Miss Zhong?" "I'm paid monthly. I take home ten thousand a month after taxes." "Will I be in charge of the money?" 679Reads6.0Score11814d adds
- 48 The Forgotten Hours 被遗忘的时光 Memories are one way to meet again. If we must forget one another, then please seek out and cherish every vivid moment we’ve forgotten. One night of abandon made him an unexpected part of her life, something she could never have prepared for. She was torn, struggling with herself. Should she refuse a luxury she couldn’t afford, or try to surrender to it while always preparing to pay the price? He pressed closer, enjoying a love unlike any other, and fell for her without even realizing it. When s 1.8kReads9.4Score19614d adds
- 49 Seven Years in the Wilderness 荒野七年 [Rebellious girl × brooding older man] Secret teenage romance, then a long road to winning her back These childhood sweethearts were each other’s firsts. They secretly dated for a while as teenagers, without their parents knowing, but a twist of fate separated them. Years later, Xuan Yun had become the family’s infamous cautionary tale: down on her luck, bad-tempered, with a murky past and a scandalous reputation as an unwed mother. Jiang Yao, on the other hand, had it all. His life was flourish 2kReads7.6Score19414d adds
- 50 Qiaoli’s Happy Life 巧莉的幸福人生 After the story of Qiao Li working as a housekeeper for a wealthy family came to an end, many readers left comments asking for a side story. One reader said they had seen all of Qiao Li's hardships and hoped to see her find happiness. Yan Zi thought it over and decided to write something sweet. Everyone hopes for a sweet life. This novel tells the story of Qiao Li marrying into a wealthy family and crossing the class divide to begin a different life. Will she remain just as kind and positive tow 1.1kReads8.4Score14514d adds
