Novels like The Poor Little Thing Always Thinks He's a Substitute
Books Chinese readers most often put in the same booklists as The Poor Little Thing Always Thinks He's a Substitute, best match first.
- 1 He Kisses Me from the Abyss 他从深渊吻我 A cruelly tormented, breathtakingly beautiful little wretch × a domineering, unhinged savior Su An’s parents are both dead, and he scrapes by with his grandfather amid beatings and abuse. Bruised skin, a deaf left ear, and a severe stutter: he is the “jinx” despised by the whole village, the “little fool” curled up in the dark, until that man comes crashing up from the abyss. Jiang Lin is just like his name: cold and stern as a sheer wall of ice. The first time, he pulled Su An’s bloodied body 24Reads—Score—14d adds
- 2 Your Heart Says I Love You 2 你的心在说我爱你2 Your Heart Says I Love You 2 45Reads—Score—14d adds
- 3 When the Terminal Diagnosis Came, He Was with His One True Love 病危通知书下来时,他在陪白月光 [Two male leads + marriage before love + chasing his wife to hell + old-school melodrama + scumbag top and doormat bottom] [Cold, stubborn top who realizes his feelings too late + sickly but resilient bottom who makes the best of hardship] With the last hundred days of his life ahead of him, Li Shuchen wants to turn every trace of his existence into something useful to Jin Yiyang. He secretly earns money, prepares funds for a concert tour, sorts out his belongings, and changes the beneficiary on 482Reads6.9Score10614d adds
- 4 The Day After Same-Sex Marriage Was Legalized, We Broke Up 同性婚姻合法第二天,我们be了 [Groveling for forgiveness + both reborn + plot twists + happy ending + melodrama] I’m the one who was betrayed and abandoned. What are you going crazy for? At first, it’s a scumbag top and a pathetic bottom. Then, after a while, it’s “Baby, you lied to me. I was just a substitute all along.” Later, it becomes “Baby, please, let me be your substitute.” After Gu Zhaorong discovered that Lu Shengxing was cheating, he decided to propose to him. Lu Shengxing turned him down. 63Reads—Score—14d adds
- 5 Thank You for Your Hard Work, Mr. White Fox! 辛苦了!我的白狐先生! Supernatural | Love-addicted | Historical romance | Modern romance | City love | A little unhinged | A little angsty | A little sweet | A little funny | Handsome men and beautiful women | Two male leads Su Miao is a female general. By chance, she meets Bai Sheng, and their tangled bond begins, spanning lifetime after lifetime. 1Reads—Score—14d adds
- 6 After My Heart Turned to Ash, Mr. Gu Knelt and Begged Me to Treat Him 心如死灰后顾先生跪求我治病 [Two male leads + a groveling chase + rekindled romance + happy ending] > Gu Chengzhou hated Su Qingxu for four years. He hated his “unscrupulous methods,” hated that he was “using a favor to demand repayment,” and hated their forced marriage. > So he treated him coldly, never noticing the light in his eyes fading day by day. > Until Su Qingxu was diagnosed with a terminal illness and resolutely left a divorce agreement behind. > When the truth came to light, the life-saving favor was real, and 1.5kReads6.9Score10514d adds
- 7 Half True, Half False: Qi’s Caged Bird 半真半假:齐大佬的笼中鸟 [Clear-eyed, broken beauty who falls hard x possessive, powerful top] Intense push and pull | Pretending turns real | Healing and growth, happy ending Angst first, sweetness later. If you love delicate, emotionally rich stories, come on in. That year, Mu Bai’s own mother sold him to Qi Yan. Qi Yan said, “Be obedient, stay clean, and be ready whenever I call.” Mu Bai swallowed what little dignity he had left in exchange for Qi Yan’s money and protection. Mu Bai thought he could wear the mask fo 76Reads7.2Score—14d adds
- 8 Forced to Become the Big Shot’s Captive Lover 被迫成为大佬的掌中恋人 Three years ago, a beauty sent an anonymous letter exposing the man in order to escape his control. To protect Xiang Zheng’s career, the Xiang family sent him abroad. * Three years later, the eldest young master Xiang returned like a demon, forcibly pulling Shen Qing back into his arms. Shen Qing bit his fist until it bled, sobbing in broken gasps. “Xiang Zheng… what do you have to do… to let me go?” Xiang Zheng bent down, his low, ambiguous voice pouring into Shen Qing’s ear. “Shen Qing, in thi 679Reads5.8Score10314d adds
- 9 Your Heart Says, I Love You 你的心在说我爱你 Your heart is saying, “I love you.” 116Reads—Score—14d adds
- 10 A Lamp in the Dark Room 恰暗室逢灯 "For ten years, the living and the dead have been lost to each other, two worlds apart. I try not to think of you, yet I cannot forget. Your lonely grave lies a thousand miles away. There is nowhere I can speak of this sorrow." Gu Changsheng once felt happy about his name. But later, why was he left all alone in this busy world? "Gu Changsheng, I want to be with you for the rest of my life!" Xia Baizhou shouted recklessly into the darkness. "Baizhou, I love you too." The two young men laughed w 22Reads—Score—14d adds
- 11 The Debt Is Paid. I Owe You Nothing Now 债期已满,我不欠你了 [Two male leads × tragic romance × bad ending] “A-Ming, don’t hate me. The debt is paid. I don’t owe you anymore...” That was the last thing Huo Youming heard Qing Ziyin say. He still remembered what he looked like as he spoke. His breathing was so faint he seemed about to drift away, yet he still reached out to wipe Huo Youming’s tears. The moment his fingertips touched Huo Youming’s face, his hand fell. Huo Youming had once been insane. He had gripped Qing Ziyin’s wrist and said, “My mother ga 127Reads—Score—14d adds
- 12 The Cemetery the Monsoon Passed Through 季风吹过的墓园 Lin Yu'an × Ji Heng. Two male leads. Tragedy. Bad ending. Love blossoming beneath the shade of a parasol tree should have been the purest light, but a buried hatred tore it out by the roots. Ji Heng carried the scar of a family destroyed. During his time with Lin Yu'an, he both basked in the warmth in Lin Yu'an's eyes and honed his blade of revenge. When the truth shattered their sweet illusion, he dragged Lin Yu'an's paradise into hell with his own hands: the company went bankrupt, his parents 1Reads—Score—14d adds
- 13 Warning! The Stand-In Doesn't Love Him Anymore 警告!是替身不爱了 [Dual male leads + wealthy-family CEO + contract lover + older man/younger man + substitute + groveling to win back the lover + angst] [Light angst] [Light melodrama] [Groveling to win back the lover, with a tragic ending in the literal sense] Love rises with the wind, and it can also scatter with the wind. Wan Jincheng thought he would never leave, until Mo Yunle said, “Let's break up.” Now Wan Jincheng is panicking. Six years ago. They stood on the stone bridge in Fenghuang Ancient Town. The t 40Reads—Score—14d adds
- 14 After the Breakup, I Chased My Ex 分手后我倒追前男友 The rating just came out!! It’s going up!!! If you like it, give it a read!!! [Two male leads + school life + broken up and reunited + healing + devoted to each other + happy ending + friendship and family] Jiang Zihuai never imagined that a fake courtship, begun as a prank, would leave him hopelessly in love. He approached Shen Zhinian with teasing intentions, using his ardent advances to break through that icy exterior. But just as Shen began to trust him with his heart, the cruel truth came 6.4kReads8.5Score71214d adds
- 15 Imprisoned in White 囚白 Two male leads | Angsty | Brutal angst | Imprisonment | Twisted and possessive | Redemption Qin Bai rules both the legitimate and criminal worlds, but is battered in turn by depression and an obsessive need for cleanliness. His one fixation is his beloved, Ji Song, the cowardly scumbag who pursued him for ten years, whose mother ran off, and who still came to flirt with him after marriage. The two are locked in a torturous cycle of “imprisonment, escape, and begging for forgiveness,” until Ji So 205Reads—Score—14d adds
- 16 The Old Track 故辙 The Old Road 25Reads—Score—14d adds
- 17 Forbidden Love in Black 黑色禁恋 Dual male leads + unhinged characters + captivity + love growing over time + love and hate + split personality A father who jumped from a building, a mother with a bad leg, a younger sister still in elementary school, and him, weighed down by debt and forced to give up the woman he loved. Under the pressure, Gu Nianqing becomes Xu Yi’s canary, trapped in the palm of his hand and entering a life of dependence with no say of his own. At first, Xu Yi’s meticulous care warms Gu Nianqing’s heart, but 810Reads6.2Score—14d adds
- 18 The Pricey Servant 天价仆人 [Cool-headed, composed, secretly passionate x playboy] A young male servant came to live in the house, and Bai Fengyu's favorite thing to do was punish him, punish him, and punish him again. The more the young servant was pushed around, the more spirited he became. He dared to challenge the tiger, and spent all day picking fights with heaven, earth, and thin air. He was just like a little hedgehog. “What do I do? I think I've fallen for him,” Bai Fengyu thought to himself. Lu Lingge: “That idiot 168Reads—Score—14d adds
- 19 Wu Wang's Hope 吴望的希望 December 24, a day worth celebrating twice over. My husband's mother sent me to a conversion therapy center. My only hope of staying alive was to get out and see my husband again. But it hurts so much. Can I even make it out alive? “Who are you? Why are you inside my body?” “My name is Hope. This is my body, too.” Wu Wang and Hope: just one character apart, yet worlds away. “Do you want to get out?” “Yes!” “Then I'll help you.” Later, Hope disappeared... My husband got married, too... In the cra 31Reads—Score—14d adds
- 20 After Reincarnating as a Rich Heir's Illegitimate Son, All the Villains Fall for Me 穿成豪门私生子后,反派全都爱我 Two male leads + wealthy family + two powerful leads + happy ending Some are born in dazzling splendor, while others are born mired in the mud. Lin Yi is the illegitimate son of a wealthy family, a secret they cannot speak of. Because of him, some families were torn apart, some people lost their heads, and some went mad for the rest of their lives. From the moment he was born, he carried a lifetime of sins. Then one day, his biological brother approached him and asked him to reclaim his place in 10.8kReads—Score1.1k14d adds
- 21 After His Immortal Bone Was Stolen, He Cultivated the Heartless Way 被挖仙骨后他转修无情道 [Cool and resilient senior disciple Shen Mucheng × the third prince Yuan Chang'an, who is not what he seems; everyone's favorite, melodrama, physical and emotional torment, imprisonment, amnesia] Shen Mucheng, the eldest disciple of Tianjian Sect leader Luo Mingchuan, was born with immortal bones. After an accident left his junior brother gravely injured, the immortal bones were needed as medicine. His second and third junior brothers conspired to cut them out of him while he was still alive, da 85Reads—Score—14d adds
- 22 The Distant Stars Fall Silent 远星永寂 [Two male leads + both their first love + tragic ending + imprisonment + mild coercion] Shen Nanyuan lived under his father's possessive love, with death as its shackles, and had never known what it meant to be loved. Only after meeting Luo Chenxing at the hospital, whose eyes shone like starlight, did their two lonely hearts finally find a moment of comfort in each other. As his love surged, Shen Nanyuan repeated his father's possessiveness, imprisoning Luo Chenxing when he tried to escape. He 13Reads—Score114d adds
- 23 A Love That Grows Between Two Fatties 两胖情深 Main characters: Lin Ye and Chen Dong Two cuddly bears + a healing story Lin Ye runs a bakery called Warm Wildwood. He once believed that, like life, baking only needed a little care and patience, and eventually the person who had lost him, Jiang Yi, would come back. He once thought Jiang Yi was the only person he wanted to spend his life with. Even when Jiang Yi doubted him, gave him the cold shoulder, and pushed him away, Lin Ye clung to a sliver of hope and stayed where he was. But a year 585Reads8.2Score—14d adds
- 24 The Transmigrated, Abused Bottom Goes on a Killing Spree 穿越被虐的小受,他杀疯了 The abused bottom transmigrated, and now he's gone on a killing spree 74Reads—Score—14d adds
- 25 The Ex-Wife Chase: Too Late, I’m Almost Dead 追妻火葬场?晚了,我快死了 Groveling to Win Back My “Wife”? Too Late, I’m About to Die 779Reads—Score—14d adds
- 26 A Heart That Has Died Cannot Be Warmed Again 心死难再温 Lu Heng thought he would never see Shi An again. Three years ago, his parents died in an accident, and his family collapsed overnight. The person he trusted most left him in the rain with a single remark: “You're a burden,” then walked away. Three years later, they met again. Shi An, eyes red, said, “I'll protect you, no matter what,” and stayed by his side every moment. But Lu Heng's heart had long since died: in that rainstorm, through countless nights of struggling alone, and in the days wh 235Reads—Score—14d adds
- 27 Report! The Cool Director Has Been Snatched Away by the Tycoon Again 报告!清冷导演又被大佬抓走了 The main story is complete; bonus chapters are still in progress. [Locked-room captivity + yandere + male ghost + two unhinged leads + wallpapering + melodrama + wife-chasing funeral + personality disorder] (Younger man/older man, seven-year age gap, neither is sexually inexperienced. If that bothers you, please move along.) A refined, polite scoundrel hiding a madman, the possessive top × a cool, withdrawn, gloomy bottom with PTSD Gu Zhiyan has a lifesaver, but he has forgotten him. All he reme 217Reads6.7Score—14d adds
- 28 The Emperor Regrets It After I Am Reborn, but the Phoenix Lord Has Given His Heart to Another 重生后帝悔,可凤君他已心有所属 After being reborn, the emperor regrets it, but the Phoenix Lord has already given his heart to someone else. 255Reads—Score—14d adds
- 29 After He Broke Her Body and Heart, President Gu Gets His Comeuppance 虐身虐心后,顾总火葬场了 Shen Zhao loves Gu Chengyuan with all his heart. He never expects Gu Chengyuan to love him just as much. All he wants is a quiet, peaceful life. Even when he is misunderstood and hurt, he cannot forget the boy who once smiled at him. But when Gu Chengyuan destroys his father’s company, gets engaged to someone else right in front of him, and even punishes him with his mother’s life, Shen Zhao can no longer love him. In the end, he smiles and says, “Chengyuan, life should be as it was when we firs 423Reads—Score—14d adds
- 30 Liubai Bansheng's Eighth Book 留白半生的第8本书 My new work is out! You can find it on Tomato Novel. I hope you enjoy it. Your support motivates me to write, and I'll do my best to tell every story well! 75Reads—Score—14d adds
- 31 The Humble Lover 卑微情人 [Complete] Forced to become a man’s secret lover because his identity was too shameful to acknowledge. Shan Mo never knew there could be a future worth looking forward to. Jiang Chongzhou rescued him from a wolf’s den, and only then did he begin to hope, wide-eyed, that things might get better. In the end, the person he trusted most shattered him completely. Later, Jiang Chongzhou spent three sleepless days caring for him in the hospital, waiting for him to get through the critical period. The m 4.1kReads8.0Score41014d adds
- 32 The Broken String 断掉的弦 Content warning: Extremely melodramatic, with a plot that goes wherever it wants. Reconciliation after a breakup, the ex’s desperate pursuit, angst for angst’s sake, and lots of descriptions of the love interest’s frail health. Avoid if that’s not for you… Lin Xian was once the purest note in Lu Yanshen’s dazzling youth, a light he pursued with all his talent and fervor. When they reunite five years later, Lu Yanshen has achieved both fame and fortune, while Lin Xian is a destitute pianist ravag 1kReads8.1Score10714d adds
- 33 A Bitter Pill for the Heart 扎心良药 [Two Male Leads + Reuniting After a Breakup + Redemption + Sweet Romance with a Little Angst] Xu Lingzhi and Song Qing were once in love, but in the end, they broke up for good. Five years later, Song Qing reappears and won’t take no for an answer, insisting they get back together! Xu Lingzhi (raising his middle finger): “You f***ing think you can come back and take another half of my life? Get lost!” [This is my first book. The plot, setting, and characters are all pretty good, though some scen 103Reads8.7Score—14d adds
- 34 The Fairy Tale Died the Night Before 童话死在前一夜 The Fairy Tale Died the Night Before 292Reads—Score—14d adds
- 35 He Says I'm a Black Lotus 他说我是黑莲花 [Completed] “Your fake, affected act makes me sick!” That was the sentence Wen Nian’nan heard most often during his three years of marriage to Gu Yansheng. From the moment Gu Yansheng poured red wine over his head in front of everyone at their wedding, Wen Nian’nan understood that he shouldn’t expect too much. Wen Nian’nan was tormented for all three years of their marriage. Even though he carefully guarded their marriage, this love, humble to the extreme, still came to an end… “Sign the divorce 279Reads8.0Score10014d adds
- 36 A Gentle Scolding from Mr. Lu: The Poor Little Thing Doesn't Have Long to Live 陆先生轻虐,小可怜他命不久矣 [Two male leads, both sexually inexperienced, sickly, rekindled love, groveling pursuit of his lover, angst before sweetness.] Lin Ran and Lu Qingzhou were once lovers who understood and loved each other. When they graduated, Lin Ran’s mother suddenly fell gravely ill. The enormous medical bills left him at a loss. Just then, Lu Qingzhou’s father, Lu Xingzhi, approached Lin Ran. Taking advantage of the situation, he offered him a huge sum of money and forced him to leave Lu Qingzhou. To save 12.6kReads7.4Score1.5k14d adds
- 37 Captive Heart: Your Love Is Madness and Poison 囚心:你的爱是疯魔,也是毒药 Li Qiang vs. Zhang Yan [Two Male Leads + Modern Romance + Urban Romance + Mending a Broken Relationship + Realistic Life + No Idiotic Characters] They are thirteen years apart. One is honest and unassuming, the other sunny and handsome. One burns with passion and makes the first move, but doesn't cherish what he has. The other is swept along reluctantly, only to fall in deep. Truly letting go means meeting him again and realizing he's really nothing special. It was your love at the time that gil 6Reads—Score—14d adds
- 38 Let's Leave It Here 那就到这里 That's where it ends. 547Reads—Score—14d adds
- 39 Before He Died, He Took the Poison Called 他死前,服下了那味叫不得好死的药 Before he died, he took the drug called You Deserve a Horrible Death 889Reads—Score—14d adds
- 40 Snow over the Old Pass, as the Wild Geese Return 雁归故关雪 The Geese Return to Their Old Pass in the Snow 5Reads—Score—14d adds
- 41 After the Mad Young Master Fell, I Spent the Rest of My Life Repaying Him 疯批少爷跌落后,我用余生还债 After the spoiled young master fell from grace, I spent the rest of my life paying him back 21Reads—Score—14d adds
- 42 Maple and Jade Resign 枫瑾辞 Feng Jin Ci 9Reads—Score—14d adds
- 43 The Old Man 老男人 The Old Man 45Reads—Score—14d adds
- 44 I Owe You an Apology 欠君句抱歉 [Two male leads + one-on-one true love + heart-wrenching + mutual devotion + tragic ending] (Sorry, I used the wrong tags!) A Nian, two years ago, I promised to give you a sea of flowers. I opened a flower shop. When will you come by... It was my fault. I lost you. The call had lasted a full minute. Mu Chixing stared at it for a long time, as if making sure it was real. Then, with fingertips trembling slightly, he pressed answer. His voice was almost too hoarse to make a sound as he spoke: “ 87Reads—Score—14d adds
- 45 After She’s Reborn, the Prince’s Pursuit Turns into a Long Road to Redemption 重生后,殿下追妻火葬场 At a state banquet, Shen Jingmo used despicable means to secure a betrothal to Song Qi. For three years of marriage, Shen Jingmo was left out in the cold. Song Qi resented him, hated him, and took him by force, never once treating him kindly. Shen Jingmo accepted it all willingly. He let Song Qi scold and punish him, secretly cried when he was hurt, then continued to care for the man in every way, helping him comb his hair, preparing meals, and reciting poetry to dispel his boredom... He did thi 4.1kReads8.1Score22714d adds
- 46 After His Bones Were Torn Out, My Wayward Disciple Went Mad 抽筋剥骨后,逆徒他疯了 [Master and disciple + two male leads + angst + younger male lead + both leads inexperienced + a groveling redemption arc] Master Feng Binglan foresaw that his disciple, Fu Lingtian, would die at twenty, so he made up a fake System to make the boy hate him. He had his tendons torn out, his bones stripped away, and his heart cut open. His dragon body was shattered as he took the full force of the heavenly tribulation for his disciple. When Feng Binglan's soul was finally scattered, Fu Lingtian 530Reads—Score—14d adds
- 47 The Crane in the Cage: Torture in the Name of Love 笼中鹤:以爱为名的凌迟 [A tragic romance + a chase to win back his wife + love that imprisons and destroys] A deranged tycoon keeps a crane captive; a cool, aloof singer’s wings are clipped. To pay for his grandfather’s surgery, Shen He enters Longchao and becomes the club’s top star, cherished by its owner, Jin Yu. That is, until one night, when Xie Zhi singles him out: “Three months. Be with me.” From then on, snow falls around them, and the crane is trapped in a cage. Xie Zhi only wants to keep him as his own priva 113Reads—Score714d adds
- 48 Are You Feeling Better? 你的病,好了吗 [Two male leads + rekindled love + happy ending] A scheming, wealthy top vs. a depressed artist bottom Fan Yuan was forgotten by everyone as a child and raised by his aunt, if you could call it that. Then he met Pei Yuhuai. So love at first sight really does exist... Little by little, Pei Yuhuai’s love pulled Fan Yuan back from the brink of depression. In the early autumn of that year, Fan Yuan said many things, but all he really wanted was for Pei Yuhuai to come home. That very day, Fan Y 4kReads8.2Score70814d adds
- 49 Love Placed in the Wrong Hands 痴心错付 (Yun Ruiyuan) What did I do wrong to deserve so much pain? After losing everyone who truly loved me, I thought I still had you. I never imagined it was all just wishful thinking. I have no will to live, yet I can’t even die. What must I do to find redemption, or at least escape… (Hua Yuxuan) You have no right to want to live, and dreaming of death is even more foolish. You deserve all of this, and you have to endure it. Who are you to think you can compare with him? But when I see you broken and 336Reads8.1Score—14d adds
- 50 Together on the Same Road Tonight 今夕共途 Across the years, the present moment is every instant we live through, each moment we can truly feel and grasp. It holds not only memories of the past, but also hopes for the future, while remaining the tangible here and now. 6Reads—Score—14d adds

















































