Academic buoyancy has been a hot topic in positive psychology and foreign language learning. Previous research has shown a strong connection between academic buoyancy and academic achievement. However, little is known about how academic buoyancy affects EFL (English as a Foreign Language) reading through academic engagement. Adopting a cross-sectional design with two questionnaires and a reading test, the study used a convenient sampling technique that balanced economic efficiency with power analysis to recruit participants. This research examined the associations between academic buoyancy, academic engagement (including its three dimensions: behavioral, emotional, and cognitive engagement), and EFL reading performance among 660 English learners from Chinese colleges. The results indicated that academic buoyancy, academic engagement, and EFL reading outcomes were positively correlated. Academic buoyancy indirectly affected EFL reading achievement through academic engagement, particularly emotional engagement. This study extends the everyday motivational resilience and vulnerability framework as well as self-determination theory from general academic fields into the EFL reading domain. These findings highlight the importance of promoting academic buoyancy and engagement in EFL reading, particularly emotional engagement, among learners to enhance their EFL reading achievement.