Asian dramas, including Chinese shows where the male and female leads get into a contract relationship, are quite popular. The storyline usually follows a man and a woman getting into a fake relationship or marriage to avoid undesirable situations, be it to avoid marriage pressure from the family, to cut rent costs, or to strike a business deal. But as time passes and they get to know each other better, they end up falling for each other. The article below lists Chinese dramas with a similar plot.
Perfect and Casual (2020)
An adaptation of Wan Zhi’s web novel Mr. Perfect and Miss Almost, this drama follows Zhang Si Nian’s (Wei Zheming) and Yun Shu’s (Xu Ruohan) love story. The two are contrasting in nature. While Si Nian is introverted and cold, Yun Shu is warm-hearted and bubbly.
Not knowing that Si Nian is her professor, Yun Shu reprimanded him at their first meeting. A series of unexpected incidents lead to them getting into a contractual marriage. With time their feelings for one another grow. The story continues as they desperately try to keep their relationship hidden from those around them.
Perfect and Casual is available to stream on iQIYI, WeTV, Viki, and MGTV.
Once We Get Married (2021)
Gu Xi Xi (Wang Yu Wen), a fashion shopper, runs a small online shop from home. She buys wedding dresses for her clients from couture. Through the owner of this couture, she gets acquainted with Yin Si Chen (Wang Zi Qi), the black-bellied president. A bizarre incident leads to them temporarily maintaining a contract cooperative marriage relationship for the sake of their mutual acquaintance. The two with opposite personalities gradually find themselves falling for each other.
The drama is available to stream on WeTV, Viki and MGTV.
The Best Day of My Life (2024)
This romantic Chinese series is one of the most popular Chinese short dramas to come out in 2024. tells the story of Xie Shi (Zhang Jingmin) and Xu Mu (Jiang Zhinan) who were close friends in high school. After many years, they encounter each other again when Xu Mu starts working under Xie Shi. This puts her in an awkward situation as she had a big crush on him back then, but she could never confess. As they form a friendship once again, the two decide to get into a fake marriage to avoid the pressure of getting married from their respective families.
Soon, Xu Mu comes to know about Xie Shi’s traumatic past and does everything in her power to heal his scars. Eventually, Xie Shi confesses that he fell for her at first sight and has been in love with her for many years.
All 14 episodes of The Best Day of My Life are available on Youku.
Well-Intended Love (2019)
An adaptation of the novel Game of Wealthy: Private Sweethearts, this Chinese drama follows the story of Xia Lin (Simona Wang), a third-rate actress, who tragically gets diagnosed with leukemia and needs an immediate bone marrow transplant.
To save her career, Xia Lin comes up with a master plan. She seeks to involve herself with Ling Yi Zhou (Xu Kaicheng), the wealthy CEO of a company. The two get married secretly. Despite facing many hardships, the two manage to find true love.
The show is available to stream on Netflix.
I Hear You (2019)
In order to fulfill her dream of studying in Japan to be a professional voice actress, Bei Er Duo (Zhao Lusi), a girl from an ordinary family, joins a couple of reality programs. There she meets Ye Shu Wei (Riley Wang), a legendary violin maker.
The shy and artistic Ye Shu Wei was forced to join the reality program after losing a bet. However, he seeks to identify the person who correctly answered his audition question. Further into the drama, Bei Er Duo and Ye Shu Wei start to live in cohabitation and eventually fall in love.
I Hear You is available to stream on Youku and Netflix.
My Lovely Wife (2023)
After witnessing her mother’s death, Xu Nian (Zheng Nanxi) developed mutism due to PTSD Her father marries his lover and brings in a stepdaughter of similar age., Xu Nian falls victim to his cold indifference and the mistreatment and bullying of her stepmother and her daughter, Xu Nian suspects that there is a hidden truth behind her mother’s death. To uncover the truth, she pretends to be mute girl.
Meanwhile, Gu Ming Yan, a stern and powerful CEO, has a paranoid personality due to childhood traumas. He is deeply suspicious of others. He has long suspected that his father’s death was a conspiracy involving the Xu family. Gu Ming Yan manipulates Xu Nian into signing a marriage contract and live with him under the same roof.
The drama is available to stream on iQIYI.
Please Be My Family (2023)
Qi Si Le has to secure the Maolin planning project in order to cover the surgery expenses for her daughter’s brain tumor. Meanwhile, Maolin’s boss Song Hao Yu notices that Qi Si Le wearing a brooch identical to the one his son has.
Following the clue of the brooch, Song Hao Yu gradually confirms the relationship between their children. In order to provide a complete family for the two children, Song Hao Yu proposes to Qi Si Le for marriage.
The drama is available on MGTV and Viki.
