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.
- 101 Moonlight of Yesteryear: The Empress’s Thirteen Husbands 旧时月：女帝十三夫 [Female-led + feel-good revenge story + face-slapping + multiple couples + happy ending] “What I want is not your protection. I want the people of this realm to bow before me and pledge their allegiance...” Guan Li shakily rose to her feet. Her hands, hidden beneath her ornate sleeves, were covered in blood. She glanced back at the young imperial uncle she had killed with her own hands, and a clear tear rolled down her cheek. A young man in a pale blue gauze robe strode in and caught Guan Li as 150Reads—Score10814d adds
- 102 A Stunning Figure Appears in the Inkstone 惊鸿入砚来 *The comic adaptation of the same name, “Jinghong Enters the Inkstone,” is now available [The beloved little terror of the General’s Manor vs. the cool, gentle Seventh Prince] (Childhood sweethearts, older man, sweet at first then angsty, one-on-one romance, multiple perspectives) When they were childhood sweethearts, he promised her they would be together for life, each the other’s one and only. She believed him. With joy in her heart, she donned her wedding robes and married him. But on the da 2.6kReads8.1Score17014d adds
- 103 CEO, Your Wife Says She'll Pay with Her Life 总裁，夫人说她以命相抵了 [Physical and emotional torment + a repentant husband chasing his wife + younger, possessive obsessive love + tragic ending, no reconciliation] After a car accident, he lost the child he had with his lover. Grieving the loss of his child, Gong Yin blamed it all on Weisheng Luobai. He destroyed her family, crippled her right hand, and ended her path to becoming a champion. Weisheng Luobai, once a gifted young woman who had made a name for herself in the capital, became a servant to his lover. 247Reads—Score—14d adds
- 104 Deep Love, Fated to Part: I Turned Around to Find Everything Changed 情深缘浅，转身已是物是人非 [An intensely angsty tearjerker + the aesthetics of a tragic ending + love and hate intertwined + the second male lead wins + a devoted male lead who doesn’t understand love] “Mo, why are you taking her as your concubine?” “Rou’er is the one I love most. You’re nothing but a plaything to amuse me!” So it had all been a lie! But he didn’t know she was already carrying his child. In her previous life, she was Lin Jingxi, the noble princess of the peerless Wushuang Kingdom. When a treacherous minis 88Reads—Score—14d adds
- 105 My Husband's Friend Moved In 老公的朋友住进我家 My Husband's Friend Moved Into Our Home 661Reads—Score—14d adds
- 106 You Never Once Chose Me 你从不曾偏爱我 Throughout their three years of marriage, she kept hoping he would turn around and look at her. But his heart belonged only to the woman he cherished most. When he caused their child’s death, she turned away in despair. Yet he grabbed her hand and said, “I don’t want a divorce!” 78Reads6.5Score—14d adds
- 107 A Love Beyond Death: My Husband Awakens and Spoils Me Every Night 双魂绝恋：夫君觉醒夜夜宠 A tug-of-war of passion, sweet and bittersweet in equal measure. Fate played a cruel trick. She rode away in a grand red bridal sedan, dressed in a phoenix crown and red wedding robes, while he returned home in a black coffin, clad in white. Wedding music and funeral dirges mingled as two processions, one red and one white, passed each other in the snowy, frozen wasteland. He was a noble young master of the marquis's household, graceful as jade and gentle as a breeze. She was a beautiful young c 85Reads—Score—14d adds
- 108 The Story of Guan Xi 官禧传 [Court intrigue + love and hate intertwined + sweet yet angsty romance] The long-awaited wedding she had looked forward to with all her heart turned out to be a trap set long ago by the man she loved. Overnight, her entire family was slaughtered. For Guan Xi, it was a devastating blow. The love that had seemed so pure was, it turned out, full of lies and deception. Sometimes I wonder if these words can truly tell the whole story of Guan Xi’s life. There is a quiet resilience about Guan Xi. She l 91Reads—Score—14d adds
- 109 A Moonlit Wish 月明愿 [Tragic historical romance with a bad ending, slow start and strong payoff] [Those who love each other may not end up together, and those who do may not truly love each other] [In this world, perhaps the hardest things to obtain are not money and power] [The hardest thing to find is a heart that never changes] Preface: A thousand years ago, the realm was divided in two. The Celestial Dynasty and the Southern Wu Dynasty each claimed half the territory. Fearing the military might of Southern Wu, 139Reads—Score—14d adds
- 110 The Turmoil of Chao Ge: The Story of the Demon Queen Daji 朝歌风云之妖后妲己传 [Angsty at first, then sweet and satisfying + mutual devotion + mutual healing + happy ending] [Heartbreaking, thrilling, unbearably sweet, and impossible not to ship] Daji isn’t Su Daji, but Ji Daji. She isn’t a fox spirit, but a human! Daji’s beauty draws King Zhou’s covetous attention. Her first love, Su Quanzhong, dies in battle, and her beloved Boyi Kao dies tragically. Imprisoned deep within the palace and driven to desperation, Daji fights back. She and Su Qu Xiao remain devoted to each o 29Reads—Score—14d adds
- 111 The Novel: Leaving the City 小说离城 [A blood-red gown topples the Three Kingdoms; twin flowers in a chaotic age rewrite the history of emperors] ▲Two heroines, intense angst and political intrigue▲Empress of a chaotic age x princess of a fallen kingdom▲Three emperors, six doomed romances▲Innocence and political scheming locked in an ultimate struggle▲ If I hadn’t taken your place in the imperial selection that day, could we have lived each other’s lives? During the darkest decade of the Great Song, Mo Li and Qingcheng, twin lotus 10Reads8.8Score—14d adds
- 112 Mr. Shen, Stop Tormenting Me. Please Let Me Go! 沈先生别虐了，请放我走！ A car accident changed both their fates. After humiliating her in every possible way, he finally realized that he was the biggest joke of all! Miss Qiao, is it too late for me to pursue you now? Mr. Shen, please let me go! 844Reads7.2Score10114d adds
- 113 My Best Friend Got Pregnant by a Black Man, Then Blamed Her Ex-Boyfriend 闺蜜与黑人交往意外怀孕，赖上了前男友 My Best Friend Accidentally Got Pregnant by a Black Man, Then Tried to Pin It on Her Ex —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 114 Guide Me into the Mortal World 渡我入凡尘 [Powerful, high-ranking hero ➕ possessive second male lead ➕ insecure, devoted third male lead ➕ one heroine and three men ➕ romantic rivalry ➕ political intrigue ➕ faked death ➕ bad ending] Little white lotus Lu Fan: “I won't let down those who love me. But I won't forgive those who hurt and used me, either. I bore the children you wanted, but none of you will raise them yourselves! Xiao Yanchen, the child you helped ascend the throne is mine and Zhou Yuheng's. Xia Xiuyuan, the child you appoin 59Reads—Score—14d adds
- 115 Your Majesty, Grant Me Three Feet of White Silk 请君赐我三尺白绫 [A Despairing Fallen Princess × An Iron-Faced New Emperor; A Lovely Foreign Princess × A Gentle Prince; A Freedom-Seeking Princess × An Enemy Spy] [Not Rebirth, Transmigration, or Fantasy. Pure historical setting, BE, angst] In the spring of the twentieth year of Emperor Yin Ai’s reign, the northern army stormed the imperial city. Emperor Yin Ai died beneath the sword of Han Chenji, the new emperor of the north. Yin Yue held her father’s corpse in her arms and glared at the ice-cold man before h 47Reads8.1Score—14d adds
- 116 If I Could Start Over, I Would Hope Never to Meet You Again 要是能重来，我希望不再遇到你 If I could do it all over again, I hope I wouldn't meet you again. 183Reads—Score—14d adds
- 117 Mr. Qi, Loving You Is a Living Hell 祁先生，爱你是人间炼狱 The story begins with the words, “This woman is yours.” Then Jiang Zhiyu is framed by Qi Han’s fiancée, who hires an assassin to kill him. Because of this, Qi Han destroys the Jiang family and sends her brother to prison. In the end, does he love her, or does he just feel guilty? Let’s find out. 178Reads6.1Score—14d adds
- 118 After I Was Given to the Prince, the Mad Emperor Regretted It Too Late 将我送给王爷后疯批皇帝追悔莫及 With beauty enough to topple cities, she was cursed by the world as a demoness who would bring ruin to the nation. The emperor's favor turned out to be nothing but a means of revenge. Behind the glittering splendor, the truth slowly emerges. The one responsible for the hatred between their country and their families is none other than him... A peerless beauty made heroes across the land fall at her feet, yet he wanted nothing more than to see her dead. After going to great lengths to trick the i 471Reads8.6Score—14d adds
- 119 He's Just a Fool 他只是个傻子 [Boys' Love / melodrama / happy ending / modern / angst / win-back romance / silly fool fiction] Qin Yun was deemed a failure and sent to a remote mountain village to oversee the management of a mine. There he met a fool. Though dim-witted, the fool was good at taking care of others. In this impoverished backwater, Qin Yun made a move on the only little fool he found tolerable to look at. But after hurting him recklessly again and again, Qin Yun never expected the fool to say he didn't love him 62Reads8.7Score—14d adds
- 120 Reborn to Win Back My Wife: Dump the Deadbeat, Climb to the Top 弃妻重生攻略：弃渣夫扶高枝 A discarded wife is reborn and plots her revenge + the aloof beauty descends from her pedestal for love + a newly appointed prefect from a noble family + a hidden benefactor's ruthless enforcer + a love-triangle showdown In her previous life, Mu Yanshu cooked for Shen Mobai, cared for his mother-in-law, raised his stepson and stepdaughter, and managed the Marquis of Anning's household. She spent her whole life serving Shen Mobai. Only as she lay dying did she discover that her children were the 2.6kReads9.5Score34414d adds
- 121 A Youth Wasted 虚度一个青春 Wasting Away a Youth 28Reads—Score—14d adds
- 122 The Young Lady Never Meant to Be Your Princess Consort 姑娘她没想当您的王妃 Cool-headed legitimate daughter Zhao Luoci VS cold-blooded Prince Lin Xichen: mutual salvation No love at first sight, no falling in love after marriage, no rebirth, and all characters are from the ancient world. (Enter with caution if this isn’t your thing.) After breaking off her engagement, Zhao Luoci only wants to take revenge and then leave the capital far behind. She wants no part of any more messy troubles. She could return to Gusu or settle somewhere else. Whether she gets married or not 126Reads6.2Score—14d adds
- 123 Lotus in an Emerald Cage 翡翠笼中莲 The Lotus in the Jade Cage 722Reads—Score—14d adds
- 124 Mr. Fu, We’ll Never Meet Again in This Life or the Next 傅先生 死生不复相见 A carefully plotted scheme destroyed Fu Lixuan’s love life and career, all at Zheng Weiwei’s hands. For three years, Zheng Weiwei took every blow and every insult without complaint, making herself a doormat to atone for her sins. When the truth comes out, Fu Lixuan regrets everything, but Zheng Weiwei has already been tormented beyond recognition... Zheng Weiwei says, “Fu Lixuan, may we never meet again, in this life or the next.” When they meet again, Fu Lixuan says, “Zheng Weiwei, I’ll die s 177Reads7.3Score—14d adds
- 125 The Game of Power 权栖戏 [Political Intrigue ✖️ Spycraft ✖️ Forced Love] [Scheming Against Each Other ✖️ Saving Each Other] The world is unpredictable, and fate can change in an instant. Yan Lepei, the daughter of Yancheng’s lord, is forced to conceal her identity and infiltrate the Quanqi Pavilion as a spy. Shao Quan, master of the Quanqi Hall, is calculating, powerful, and scornful of all things. Yet he cannot help falling in love with his own pawn. Shao Quan: “She is the most capable weapon in my hand, and the person 32Reads—Score—14d adds
- 126 May You Be Safe, Year After Year: No Snow, No Spring 岁岁佑安：不听雪来不见春 May the Years Keep You Safe: No Snowfall, No Spring 344Reads—Score514d adds
- 127 In the Name of Love: I Erased His Memories 以爱之名：我删除了他的记忆 In the Name of Love: I Erased His Memories 5Reads—Score—14d adds
- 128 Song of Xizhou: Remembrance 西洲曲：忆 I had a very long dream. In the dream, I had a father who loved me more than anything and a mother who was incredibly gentle. But I didn't know who I was. When I woke up, I still didn't know. 52Reads—Score—14d adds
- 129 The Brocade-Clad Killer 锦衣杀 He is the sharpest blade in the emperor’s hand, the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard. By imperial order, he marries the only daughter of the Marquis Who Guards the Nation, who has been left behind in the capital. A marriage contract is both a reward and a shackle... She is a hostage used by the emperor to control the generals stationed at the border. He is the jailer ordered to keep watch over her. He struggles between loyalty and the growing desire he cannot suppress, while she naviga 2.2kReads7.1Score26914d adds
- 130 Out of Control 脱离掌控 Breaking free from control 16Reads—Score—14d adds
- 131 After I Transmigrated, I Reunited with the General in the Modern World 穿越后，我和将军在现代重逢 Eight hundred years ago, she was Princess Lingxi of the Bai Kingdom, and he was Sha Chi, the general charged with defending its city. On the day the city fell, they drank poison and promised to find each other in their next lives. Eight hundred years later, she was Li Ruoxin, a graduate student in archaeology, and he was Mo Haoqian, an investigator with the national security agency. A golden hairpin unearthed from Heishui City awakened their memories across the cycle of reincarnation. In those m 926Reads8.7Score18.8k14d adds
- 132 Crossing the Chang'an River 长安渡 Since heaven has given me a chance to start over, why should I put up with being wronged? Eat when I’m hungry, drink when I’m thirsty, and speak up when I’m angry. No need to hold back! If my father won’t love me, someone else will! If my senior brother doesn’t love me, the one who does is right there! My new book, “You Say I Set Fires and Murdered People? Then I’ll Set Fires and Murder People!” is now out. Hope you’ll enjoy it. 837Reads—Score10614d adds
- 133 You Spent a Lifetime Hating the One Who Fought with Everything They Had to Love You 你用一辈子的恨，防了一个拼了命爱你的人 You spent a lifetime of hatred guarding yourself against someone who was willing to give everything to love you. 457Reads—Score314d adds
- 134 The Tale of Xihe: Captured, I Became the Enemy Emperor’s Empress 羲河传：被俘后，我成了敌国皇后 [Fallen Princess vs. Unhinged Crown Prince] When a nation falls and a family is destroyed, a ruler is duty-bound to die with his country. But what should a princess do? Princess Xihe was willful and arrogant in her youth. At sixteen, her country fell and her family was killed. Alone, she struggled to survive in a world of chaos while protecting the six-year-old heir. She met a general from the enemy nation. He took her for an ordinary young woman and fell in love with her, but how could she forg 36kReads9.5Score5.6k14d adds
- 135 Just Stay by Her Side 挨着她就好 Just Stay by Her Side 25Reads—Score214d adds
- 136 No More Fireworks Beneath the Stars 星辰下再无烟火 "Rekindled love + unrequited love + reunion after a long separation + devoted 1v1 romance + angst" After Xu Yan was abandoned by her birth mother, she became Xiang Xingchen's adoptive sister, though they shared no blood. From then on, the seeds of his secret love for her began to sprout. The back seat of his bicycle was hers alone. While she slept, he secretly asked her, “You're the girl I liked at first sight. When we grow up, will you be a good girl and marry me?” He told her she had never bee 477Reads7.3Score10314d adds
- 137 Disguised as a Man: I Became a Tutor at the Imperial Academy 女扮男装：我在太学做夫子 [A female tutor’s rise through the ranks + strong heroine + male lead travels from the modern era to the past] The new emperor abolishes women’s rights, and the entire Jiang clan is thrown into prison. For the sake of her family and her ideals, the Empress Dowager selects top-ranked candidate Jiang Yu. Faking her death, Jiang Yu escapes, disguises herself as a man, and enters an academy, ready to devote her life to the emperor and restore equality. But during her struggle, a man who dreams of li 91Reads8.7Score—14d adds
- 138 Soft Fishbone 软鱼刺 Yu Wen is the envied Mrs. Sheng, admired by everyone in their social circle. She plays the part of a devoted wife, living in perfect harmony with Sheng Wen. Little do they know, there is someone she has loved all her life but can never have. 2.1kReads8.6Score12514d adds
- 139 Mr. Bo, We’re Nothing but Strangers Now 薄先生，你我情同陌路 [Short Story Contest] After seven years of marriage, she has suffered endless torment at his hands. She has angina and only a year left to live, but he ignores it and plans to marry her younger sister. No one knows she is the real Mrs. Bo. Forced to kneel before her own sister and admit she is a shameless mistress seeking attention, she endures his bloodthirsty sneers and his endless humiliation and trampling of her dignity. After losing her child, she goes mad with despair and leaps from the up 131Reads6.2Score—14d adds
- 140 The Eighteenth Time I Wanted a Divorce 第十八次想离婚 The Eighteenth Time I Wanted a Divorce 11Reads—Score—14d adds
- 141 His Love Is Fierce Yet Tender 他的爱，是铁血柔情 His love is tender as steel. 33Reads—Score—14d adds
- 142 Yi Xun Is Hard to Find 易洵难寻 Love is like a mountain spring, its gentle current winding all the way to Jiangnan. [Though I know your heart is true, I cannot find you. I hope you will turn back again and ease this longing of mine.] Qi Wan, an illegitimate daughter of the Qi family in Jiangnan, has been overlooked since childhood. She has no interest in business and only wants to live out her life in peace and freedom. Then Yi Xun appears and changes everything. He teaches Qi Wan the ways of business and stays by her side day 39Reads—Score—14d adds
- 143 When Spring Rests on the Pillow 枕春时 Li Zhichun came from a humble family. She was lucky enough to marry into the powerful Wei family and become engaged to their eldest son. She heard that Wei Nancheng had landed a job in Shuntian Prefecture, where he showed no mercy when executing criminals. He was known as the Jade-faced Yama. Li Zhichun was timid and had no grand ambitions. She didn't dare reach for Wei Nancheng and only wanted to marry into the Wei family as the second son, Wei Xinian's wife! The second young master Wei was a s 19kReads8.6Score2.5k14d adds
- 144 Love, Beyond Control 爱，无法克制 Love, Beyond Control 66Reads—Score—14d adds
- 145 A Gentle Breeze Disperses the Thick Clouds 暄风散浓云 [Historical romance + devoted couple + sweet at first, then heartbreak + household intrigue + political machinations + infidelity + twists + reconciliation] [An adaptable, sweet-and-salty heroine + a pitiful, unfaithful man] Twist warning: read it a second time and you'll realize it's a different story. She is a pampered princess who cares for the people; he is a battle-hardened general, tough on the outside but earnest at heart. Time may pass them by, but fate will bring them together. She sear 41Reads—Score—14d adds
- 146 Love That Cuts to the Bone: The Bloodthirsty Tyrant's Cherished One 蚀骨虐爱，嗜血暴君的心尖宠 [An unparalleled beauty of a heroine + tragic romance (BE) + not mutually devoted + scum male lead + second male lead takes over later] In the first half of her life, Su Li is tortured until she’s covered in scars. After having flesh cut from her, being drained of blood, and having her face disfigured, she’s thrown into a river in a pig cage. In the second half, she is reborn from the flames and returns to Ye Yihan’s side. She swears to become a clearheaded, independent woman. In his vast harem, 91Reads—Score—14d adds
- 147 You Still Haven't Confessed to Me 你还没跟我告白 [Hot-tempered, possessive troubled boy & sweet, gentle girl] A tragic ending, an angsty campus romance. When they first met, Chi Wen was an exemplary student at No. 16 High School, excelling in both academics and conduct. Bian Qingye, meanwhile, was the fearsome “Ye-ge” from the vocational school next door. Everyone said he was exactly what his name suggested: wild, and wild in everything he did. He changed girlfriends faster than he changed clothes. At that age, what girl wouldn’t want to leav 62Reads6.4Score—14d adds
- 148 He Left Me for Dead in the Wilderness, Then Suffered Backlash and Began a Countdown to Death 重伤我弃于荒野，他惨遭反噬，生命进入倒计时 He left me for dead in the wilderness after grievously wounding me. He suffered a vicious backlash, and his life began counting down. 61Reads—Score—14d adds
- 149 On Her Wedding Day, the Ruthless Prince of Zhennan Takes Her by Force 大婚当日，被疯批镇南王强取豪夺 [Completed!] The official ending is a tragic one! The bonus chapters have a happy ending! [Delicate, Stunning General's Legitimate Daughter + Mad, Obsessive Prince of a Different Surname] [Angst + Physical and Emotional Torture + Taking Her by Force + Both Untouched + Regretting Losing His Wife] Guan Wanwan, the legitimate daughter of General Guan, was once betrothed to Xiao Linzhi. At the time, he was a mere soldier under General Guan. The two promised that once he earned military honors, he wo 526Reads6.5Score10614d adds
- 150 I Finally Lost You 我终于失去了你 When Xu Nuo was ten, she caught her father cheating. Her parents’ failed marriage turned her into a porcupine, pushing away anyone who tried to get close. One day after the college entrance exams, she met Mo Cheng, a carefree boy who fell for her at first sight. They came from completely different worlds: he was passionate as fire, while she was consumed by insecurity. Yet before she knew it, Xu Nuo began to fall for him. But after a drunken night of reckless indulgence at a birthday party, Mo C 38Reads9.2Score—14d adds
