Novels like The Road Ahead Is Hard
Books Chinese readers most often put in the same booklists as The Road Ahead Is Hard, best match first.
- 51 The Boy I Found in the Heavy Snow Killed My Entire Family (II) 大雪捡来的少年，杀了我全家（二） The Boy I Rescued in the Snow Killed My Entire Family (II) 25Reads—Score—14d adds
- 52 Don't Mess with the Little Snake Demon! A Horde of Crazy Gods Stands Behind Her 别惹小蛇妖！她身后一群疯批神 [Where the stars burn out lies the divine tomb | Only when love and desire are burned away can one attain the Dao] “The Great Dao is heartless, but those who love deeply make kindling of themselves, burn through karma, and light the way home.” She harbors baleful energy within her. She is a taboo of the Heavenly Dao! Through a twist of fate, she ends up in a snake’s body. With fifty thousand years of cultivation, she still gets bullied by a dog! Ruoni bears a Heavenly Tribulation “wanted post 8Reads—Score114d adds
- 53 If We Could Meet as We Did at First 若如初见 [There is no such thing as love without reason. Every love is forged through countless trials and tribulations, bound together across lifetimes…] “How could I ever bear not to love you? We don't have nearly enough time together as it is. How could we possibly waste time not loving each other?” No encounter is ever a coincidence. It takes five hundred glances exchanged as you pass by in a previous life to earn a meeting in this one… If all of this is just a dream, I hope I can dream a little lo 31Reads8.1Score—14d adds
- 54 A Worthy Minister Is Hard to Find 良臣难为 [Historical Romance + Ensemble Cast + Tragic Love + Fateful Misunderstandings + Imperial Court and Nobility + Love of Country and Family + Tearjerker + Bad Ending] I am the empress of a nation. Everyone who sees me bows respectfully and greets me with, “May the Empress be well.” Because my surname is Shen. My father, Shen Nian, died on the battlefield, his body never found. My mother died by suicide after him. My eldest brother held Yumen Pass for forty-five days against a hundredfold enemy forc 376Reads9.4Score10014d adds
- 55 Ripples Stir the Distant Sky 波澜动远空 Ripples Stir the Faraway Sky 5Reads—Score—14d adds
- 56 After the Class Reunion, She Knelt and Begged Me Not to Divorce Her 同学聚会后，她跪着求我别离婚 After the Class Reunion, She Begged Me on Her Knees Not to Divorce Her 40Reads—Score—14d adds
- 57 The Book Between Two Worlds: The Emperor’s Caged Phoenix Breaks Its Neck at Last 两界书：帝王囚凰终折颈 [Both virgins + groveling redemption + palace and household intrigue + tragic romance] On my first day as a princess sent off for a political marriage, he made me drink poisoned wine. What he didn’t know was that I was a modern-day expert in pharmacology and toxicology, a veritable King of Hell. He suspected me, despised me, and abandoned me. At every turn between life and death, he chose someone else. He thought he loved his unattainable first love, so he protected her and trusted her. He had 48Reads—Score—14d adds
- 58 This Is Awkward: My Ex-Wife Is Getting Married, and I Still Have to Serve at the Wedding 尴尬，前妻结婚我还要去婚宴上端盘子 How awkward. My ex-wife is getting married, and I still have to go serve food at her wedding banquet. 3Reads—Score—14d adds
- 59 The General Only Said He Loved Me After I Died 我死后将军才说爱我 The General Only Said He Loved Me After I Died 584Reads—Score1514d adds
- 60 Youth Is a Grand Illusion 青春是一场盛大的幻梦 Youth is a magnificent dream. Those first meetings, growing closer, and keeping one another company shimmered like stars, drawing us into the dream called youth. Looking back, the once-burning promises have scattered on the wind, and those deep, tender feelings have become regrets too painful to touch. On quiet nights, when memories drift through our minds like smoke, we may smile or we may cry, because that was our youth, true and unvarnished. [A Dream of Youth: My Twelve Years with Him] Cheng 41Reads—Score—14d adds
- 61 The Fiery Second Madam Shen 泼辣沈二娘子 The Shen family of Tongji City is comfortably well-off. The family of seven should have been living happily together, but fate had other plans. Shen Muqing, the head of the household, suddenly passed away, leaving his widowed wife and young son and daughter to face a world full of predators... 37Reads—Score—14d adds
- 62 Two Hearts, Three Minds 两意三心 [Pure historical tragedy + no golden finger, no transmigration, no rebirth + 1v3, female lead is not a virgin] Neither the male nor the female lead is perfect. One is unruly and arrogant, the other insecure and timid, and both have their own character arcs. The cast is richly developed, with distinct personalities. She was nothing but the unloved daughter of a low-ranking sixth-grade official. Her father showed her no affection, her mother did not love her, and her younger sister bullied her 656Reads8.2Score10114d adds
- 63 He Knows He Was Wrong 他知道错了 [Bullying + tragic ending + coercive love + mutual devotion] That year, at the park, she found a place in Jiang Ye's heart. But in Su Yin's heart, he was a demon, a nightmare. When they first met in the classroom, Jiang Ye said to Su Yin, “I don't want anything in particular. I just think my dull, boring life might finally get a little more interesting. We have plenty of time!” He had no idea those words would mark the beginning of Su Yin's nightmare, pushing her into an endless abyss! . 1.5kReads8.1Score10314d adds
- 64 Everyone Thinks I'm Shen Qingyan's Weakness 所有人都以为我是沈青砚的软肋 Everyone Thinks I'm Shen Qingyan's Weakness 2.4kReads—Score—14d adds
- 65 They All Want to Steal My Beloved Wife Away 他们都想撬走我的白月光夫人 [Everyone's Favorite + Doted on by All + Faking Her Death + Married First, Love Later + Yandere + One-on-One Romance + Devoted to Each Other + Happy Ending] Content warnings: This is actually a collection of episodic stories, not palace or household intrigue. It has a slow-burn, everyday-life feel. Murong Wan, known throughout the martial world as “One Cup Healer”: in the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, she can cure any illness, or make someone wish they were dead. Shen Qinghan, Luocheng’s 73Reads—Score—14d adds
- 66 Baby, You’re So Seductive, I Want to Kiss You: The Fake Heiress Is Forced to Fall in Love! 宝宝好欲想亲，假千金被强制爱！ Fake heiress vs. possessive, unhinged brother | 1v1 forced romance | Love and hate intertwined She was the Zhou family’s fake heiress, raised by them for eighteen years, and she’d called him “Big Brother” countless times. He exposed her true identity and cast her into the abyss, then forcibly kept her by his side when she had nowhere else to turn, swearing he would lock her there for the rest of her life. Love was obsession, possession, and the stubborn resolve to never let go, even if she hat 1.1kReads—Score—14d adds
- 67 My Childhood Friend Ascended the Throne 我的竹马登基了 [Comedy + Zhihu-style storytelling + Ridiculous antics + Strong Male and Female Leads + Childhood Sweethearts + A Little Angst] My name is Gu Xiang, and I’m a celebrated female general. Qi Yan and I have been at odds since we were children. He’s a petty man who loves to kick people when they’re down. As for why Qi Yan loves picking on me so much, it’s because he’s jealous of me. Jealous because everyone loves me and even the flowers bloom when they see me. Chapter excerpt: “Qi Yan, what do you 853Reads6.2Score—14d adds
- 68 The Woman in Charge 女掌事 Shen Qingdi, who disguises herself as a man, willingly enters the Ninth Prince’s residence and becomes the sole support of Cui Lanxi, who is paralyzed from the waist down and has a fiery temper. With the household on the verge of running out of food, she takes it upon herself to earn money to support the prince. When he falls ill, she studies medicine on her own to treat him. Since Cui Lanxi is helpless, Shen Qingdi will protect him. There is no wealth or treasure here, and no one understands wh 1.3kReads8.7Score26214d adds
- 69 From Butterfly in Love with a Flower to Everlasting Longing: A World of Poetry and Art 诗图画意从蝶恋花到长相思 Poetry can’t prolong life, but it can carry the soul. A novel born from real experiences and original poetry. From Kunming to Shanghai to Chengdu, from campus to the workplace, it follows a young songwriter and his encounters, missed connections, and growth alongside several girls. He is in the poems, and you are in the story. Dedicated to everyone who ever truly loved someone in their youth. 2Reads—Score—14d adds
- 70 All Bark, Weak Knees: The Unhinged Villain Is Hooked 嘴硬腿软，疯批反派被钓上瘾了 [Obsessive, Possessive Power Broker vs. Deliciously Pretty, High-Maintenance Softie] On her ninth transmigration into a book, Ruan Anning chooses the mission “get killed.” The moment she opens her eyes, she sees the unhinged villain who has killed her eight times already causing trouble. Ruan Anning immediately shouts, “Stop! If you’re going to kill him, you’ll have to kill me first!” (Come on, come on! Give me a stab! Please!) The villain puts away his knife and replies, “...As you command, You 2Reads6.5Score10514d adds
- 71 Late Nights in the Deep Estate 深宅晚 Her husband, Song Hemian, died young, leaving Jiang Wanyin alone in a desolate mansion, surrounded by endless gossip. Her late husband's younger brother, Song Heran, returns from afar. He is refined and handsome, yet reserved and inscrutable, treating her with a tenderness that constantly oversteps the bounds of propriety. As they spend their days together, Jiang Wanyin gradually realizes that this “younger brother-in-law” is nothing like the Song Heran her husband described, in either his habit 2kReads7.3Score19414d adds
- 72 The Fat Boy's Secret Crush 胖子的暗恋 The Fat Guy's Secret Crush 808Reads—Score—14d adds
- 73 Silken Threads of Love 锁情丝 [Historical Romance | Angst] Some Things Cannot Be Mended She had loved him for eight years, yet on their wedding day, he tortured her until she was barely recognizable. From that day on, he subjected her to excruciating torment, determined to keep it up until she died. When the truth came to light, he regretted everything and fell to his knees, humbly begging for forgiveness. Forgive him? What a joke! She said, “My hatred for you has long since seeped into my bones. Even if I ground you to dust 717Reads8.4Score—14d adds
- 74 Mistakenly Bound to the Eunuch, He Helps Me Ascend the Throne 错绑九千岁，他助我登临帝位 [War-God Grand Princess × Lord Eunuch: Fierce and ruthless to outsiders, proud and devoted to her] “Women rule” + “Court intrigue” + “Both pure” + “Power couple” Ye Shumei returns from battle to find that her fiancé, Wen Zhijin, is going to marry her imperial younger sister. How could she possibly put up with that? If you’re going to be so unreasonable, then I’ll just... On a dark, windy night, she climbed over the wall into the Grand Tutor’s residence and hauled someone back to her villa in a s 56Reads—Score—14d adds
- 75 As Though I Have Powerful Backing 好似有靠山 [One-on-one romance + healing + age gap + coming-of-age + a touch of possessive romance] After both her parents died, Gu Xixi had no choice but to rely on her only remaining relative, her maternal uncle. Though he was ruthless and calculating, he did take reasonably good care of her. But could someone explain why this uncle of hers was getting stranger and stranger? Who was it that tore away the facade of family affection, wanting more? Who fell without realizing it? And who walked into the gate 186Reads—Score10714d adds
- 76 I Was Giving Birth in the Delivery Room While My Husband Helped His First Love Get an Abortion Next Door 我在产房生孩子，老公在隔壁陪初恋打胎 I was giving birth in the delivery room, while my husband was next door accompanying his first love as she got an abortion. 137Reads—Score—14d adds
- 77 I Was in Your Heart Once, Wasn't I? 其实我也在你心里存在过吧 I was part of your heart once too, wasn’t I? 432Reads—Score714d adds
- 78 The Wolf and the Tuberose 狼与荼蘼 There's a scam in this world called Shen Muyan loving Su Qianyang. When the deception is exposed, he gradually closes in on her, baring his vicious fangs. His voice is gentle yet cruel. “A Yang, do you know a wolf's nature? Once its loyalty has been killed, all that remains is hatred!” When a wolf turns back, it's either to repay a kindness or to take revenge! Shen Muyan says he will repay Su Qianyang a hundredfold for the trap she laid for him! So he tortures her until she is utterly broken. * 416Reads8.3Score—14d adds
- 79 Jade Belt Hook 玉带钩 [Palace intrigue in an ancient setting, childhood friends + coming of age + mutual redemption + one-on-one, both leads devoted only to each other] [Proud, cunning, ruthless beauty of a crown prince X gentle-looking, resilient noblewoman in disguise] In the tenth year of the Tianqi era of the Ying Dynasty, Prince Qi rebelled and was defeated. The Ning family of the Duke of Li’s household was implicated and convicted, and the entire family was massacred. Only their young daughter, Ning Yue, was re 4Reads—Score—14d adds
- 80 Farewell, Marquis. I Hope We Never Meet Again in the Next Life 再见了侯爷，下一辈子也不要见了 Goodbye, Marquis. I hope we never meet again in the next life. 1.4kReads—Score—14d adds
- 81 Alas, the Present! 叹今朝！ [Historical Fiction Only + No System or Golden Finger + Palace Intrigue and Political Scheming + Court Conflicts + Inspirational Strong Female Lead’s Growth] Key point: The heroine suffers terribly, and the story is very angsty. Read with caution! Mu Zhaozhao is the eldest daughter of the Chancellor’s household, but no one has cared about her since she was little. Her birth parents consider her a bringer of bad luck and leave her to fend for herself in the most remote courtyard of the residence. 428Reads—Score—14d adds
- 82 Princess, Disaster! The Top Scholar Has Run from His Wedding Again! 公主不好了，状元郎又逃婚了！ [1v1 + fictional setting + angst for the pleasure of it] Angst! Angst! Angst! If you want sweet romance, proceed with caution!!! [Brash, domineering ninth princess vs. refined, resourceful top scholar] Chu Yanyan was the most precious ninth princess of Tianyao, adored by everyone, but she just had to meet the greatest rival of her life: the newly crowned top scholar, Gui Zimu. As the top scholar rode through the streets, one glance was all it took for Chu Yanyan to fall in love. Among the flower 175Reads—Score—14d adds
- 83 The Emperor Is Heartless, So What Can the Heart Do? 帝王无情，心又奈何 After ten years of devoted love, what he gave her was not an empress’s coronation, but the execution of her entire family. The whole residence was drenched in blood. Standing in a pool of blood, she held a sword to his chest and demanded, “Did you ever love me, even a little?” He drove the sword into her heart inch by inch, his expression cold and ruthless. “What do you think?!” He didn’t know that for him, she would have smiled as she drank poison and willingly shattered herself to pieces. Than 132Reads5.5Score—14d adds
- 84 The Heirless Young Marquis Finally Has an Heir 绝嗣小侯爷有后了 [Please don't be misled by the title: the protagonist is not the young marquis! A little political intrigue + humor and comedy + clever characters] Shen Shuyu of the Grand Tutor's residence is notorious in the capital as a wicked woman. She can put on an act and play a part, is masterful in her schemes, fights for what she wants, and never lets herself suffer. She spends her days at the Xueyue Brothel, using her infamous reputation as a cover while investigating the truth behind her mother's mur 19Reads—Score114d adds
- 85 Elder Brother, You Mustn't 兄长不可 Shen Yanci is the envy of everyone in the capital: the refined and upright heir of the Shen family, with a bright future ahead. Yet his family also takes in Su Wanqing, an orphan girl with no one to rely on. An elder's words, "Raise her by your side and treat her as your own younger sister," become an invisible shackle between them. He watches her grow from a timid little girl into a graceful young woman, cherishing and protecting her at every turn. But as they spend day after day together, he d 4.5kReads8.1Score51314d adds
- 86 The Sunshine Isn't Warm 阳光不温暖 Luo Yiyi lost both her parents when she was young and had only her grandmother to rely on. After finally getting into Haicheng No. 1 High School, she became the victim of severe school bullying. Qin Yan, the pampered daughter of the Qin family, was her bully, while Qin Yan’s older brother, Qin Chuan, spoiled her rotten. After enduring Qin Yan’s petty tricks and Qin Chuan’s lies, Luo Yiyi was left wounded in both body and mind. Just before the college entrance exams, Qin Chuan accidentally discov 141Reads—Score—14d adds
- 87 With the Crown Prince’s Backing, the Duke’s Reborn Legitimate Daughter Goes on a Rampage 太子撑腰，重生后公府嫡女杀疯了 (A satisfying household-intrigue story + face-slapping and taking down scumbags + no forgiveness + no suffering in silence) Lu Xi brought a million taels in dowry when she married Prince An, and helped him become Prince An of Qin. She went to his fief to recuperate for two years. When she returned to the capital, her adopted younger sister had taken her place. Lu Xi's husband and mother-in-law relied on her adopted sister. Even Lu Xi's grandmother and father favored her. They locked Lu Xi aw 2.9kReads8.1Score30414d adds
- 88 Making Dirty Money from Recycling? Today I Take No Pawns, Only Your Tears 回收挣黑心钱？今天不收典当，只收你的眼泪 Making dirty money from recycling? Today, I won't take your pawned goods. I'll take your tears. 41Reads—Score—14d adds
- 89 In the South, Fine Trees Grow Thick with Leaves 南有嘉木，其叶蓁蓁 [A highly skilled female lead × a calculating male lead + both strong + devoted to each other] Zhang Jiamu has descended the mountain to kill the utterly wicked Prince of Yichang. But along the way, an old acquaintance repeatedly gets in her way, and their relationship is far from ordinary, making her hesitate to strike. Memories of the past surge through her mind. Before entering Yiyan Mountain, she was born into a distinguished family, with a loving mother, a happy betrothal, and a young broth 45Reads8.2Score—14d adds
- 90 Trapped in Her City 困在她的城 Complete [forced love | rekindled love | powerful man bows his head | fated love | both devoted only to each other] One city, two people trapped in it. 1. Overnight, Fengcheng was turned upside down. The once-glorious European-style Ou family went bankrupt. On the day young master Ou Chen lost everything, he stood beneath the gate of his fiancée Xi Jia’s home, eyes bloodshot, and begged her obsessively for seven whole days. The ring he had used to propose was smashed against him. The young man b 391Reads8.0Score—14d adds
- 91 The Female Registrar 女掌簿 Fake death + slow burn + a love that grows over time + sincere romance + happy ending [Old, poor, disabled God of War x Young, beautiful killer | Mutual salvation] This story is a very slow burn. Please don't complain if that's not your thing. Just move on. A bloodthirsty noblewoman who has personally killed dozens, and the General of Zhenshuo, who has been falsely accused and imprisoned, struggling to survive, meet in Yuzhang. This is a story of two people finding their way to each other, and o 136Reads—Score—14d adds
- 92 Moonlight Within the Pass, Radiance Beyond the Frontier 关内明月塞外光 383Reads9.3Score10114d adds
- 93 One Last Rainfall Before We Part 最后一阵诉别雨 [Mutual pining | A little campus romance | Short BE | Male lead dies, female lead finds peace] The sky waits for the rain, and I wait for you. Song Ting'an never got to see his rain. From that song by Jay Chou, with lyrics by Vincent Fang. “The sky waits for the rain, and I wait for you.” He listened to it again and again. Song Tianqing, the character in Song Ting'an's book, got to meet his Yue Yuyu. But Song Ting'an never got to meet his Li Yanyu. His chance of survival was only twenty perc 377Reads8.0Score11914d adds
- 94 Go Find Your White Moonlight. I Don't Want You Anymore 去找你的白月光吧，我不要你了 Go Find Your Moonlight, I Don't Want You Anymore 15Reads—Score—14d adds
- 95 Spring Comes to the Mountain Woods 山木逢春 [Two formidable leads + court intrigue + kindred spirits + growing together + long live idealism] Censor Zhou Huaiyue is ordered to investigate a fire at the salt warehouse. A token belonging to the Fang family is found in the ashes. Armed with an imperial edict, he turns the Fang family’s estate upside down, determined to find the statue of an evil god rumored to be enshrined in their inner residence. He doesn’t find the statue. Instead, he brings out a young woman who seems detached in both 43Reads—Score13514d adds
- 96 My Childhood Friend Is a Royal Consort. What Can the Princess Do About Me? 我的竹马是驸马，公主奈我何？ [Pure historical romance | Reunited after years apart | Devoted, sweet romance with mutual fidelity | Ensemble coming-of-age] After their entire village was massacred, six young friends were scattered to the ends of the earth. Years later, Yun Sheng, now going by Qin Sheng, had made a life for herself in the capital. Xiao Hechen, the childhood friend she had never stopped thinking about, returned to the capital too, but fate had other plans. For the sake of his scheme, he had no choice but to m 172Reads—Score—14d adds
- 97 Who Am I, Really? 我，到底是谁 Who Am I, Really? 1Reads—Score—14d adds
- 98 The CEO Called Me High-Maintenance When He Dumped Me, So I Married His Uncle 总裁分手说我矫情，我转身嫁他小叔 The CEO Called Me Hysterical When He Broke Up With Me, So I Turned Around and Married His Uncle 3Reads—Score—14d adds
- 99 Love in Longcheng: Young Master Fu's Bride of Atonement 龙城囚爱：傅少的赎罪新娘 “Both reborn” + “gut-wrenching angst” + “chasing his wife to the crematorium” + “substitute” + “imprisonment and miscarriage” + “happy ending.” When Su Nuan was ten, she saved Fu Hanchuan. But Fu Hanchuan mistook her for someone else, and for ten years, he gave all his tenderness to another woman. By a twist of fate, Su Nuan and Fu Hanchuan married ten years later, only for him to send her to prison, where she suffered three miscarriages. When Fu Hanchuan learned the truth, he knelt at Su Nuan’s 209Reads—Score—14d adds
- 100 Fallen Blossoms Still Drift Toward the Jade Steps 乱红犹向玉阶飞 Xiao Seru said to Wen Jinchub: “A Chu, I know you still think of Miss Lu. I'm envious, but I'm not jealous. I don't expect you to truly let her go. I only hope you'll let me stay by your side... I may not be as talented or beautiful as Miss Lu, but my love for you is just as true!” Xiao Seru also said, “A Chu, I'm so happy I can be your wife. A Chu, I like you. I really, truly like you!” But later, Xiao Seru said to Wen Jinchub: “Wen Jinchub, she pushed me!” “Is Lu Liulian's child the only one w 120Reads8.0Score—14d adds
