Period-Era Fiction! Really Good Ones! No Pocket Spaces, They’re Too Unrealistic! 年代文！巨好看的那种！不能有空间，空间太假了！

1. 1 绝 His Stunning Wife Has Given Birth Again, and the Commander Comes Every Night to Soothe the Baby 绝美娇妻又生了，首长夜夜来哄娃 Wangwang Snow Cakes Are So Tasty旺旺雪饼超好吃Modern Romance586k WordsCompleted Completed [One devoted couple + a sweet marriage in the 1970s + military marriage + swapped marriages + cozy everyday romance + family life] After taking a nap, Shen Zhiyou suddenly discovered that the world she lived in was actually a book, and she was the brainless, malicious second female lead whose only purpose was to drive the plot! In the book, she was practically possessed, insisting on marrying Jiang Wenbin no matter what. After the wedding, Jiang Wenbin thought she was filthy and made h 24.6kReads9.3Score2.8kShelves

   Reader note

   No time travel, no reincarnation, no special abilities; the female protagonist is a native of the 1970s—a very realistic period drama.

2. 2 山 Chronicles of Mountains and Rivers 山河志 A Dao阿刀Urban1.9M WordsCompleted His beautiful mother was nearly assaulted by a village lout, but she tearfully begged the man who rescued her not to call the police. Young Gao Yuan couldn’t understand why at the time. Only when he reached his thirties and looked back on the past, with those scenes flashing through his mind, did he realize that the lives of countless rural people together form a chronicle of the mountains and rivers of China! 84.2kReads9.6Score9.2kShelves

   Reader note

   I started reading it at the beginning of the year, and it was already finished when I finished it. It only had 10,000-20,000 readers and a 9.0 Rating. Now it has 260,000 readers and a 9.6 Rating. It's truly a great book whose reputation was severely hampered by its title. There are no cheat codes, the plot is well-developed, and it's not a simplistic novel.

3. 3 穿 I Became the Wife of a Commander Who Died Young! Now His Whole Family Dotes on Me 穿成早死首长的妻子！被全家团宠 A Simple Life平淡生活Modern Romance1.0M WordsCompleted (A Novel Set in the 1980s) (Military Marriage + Marriage First, Love Later + Transmigrating into a Book vs. Transmigrating) A car accident sent Ye Fangfei into a novel. Its world was a parallel timeline in the early 1980s. The novel’s protagonists were the younger brother of her husband, Shen Zhanxun, and his wife. Shen Zhanxun was nothing but a stepping-stone they used to build their wealth. In the novel, Shen Zhanxun left the military to join the municipal public security bureau. He died while 94.8kReads9.0Score11.7kShelves

   Reader note

   The female protagonist transmigrates into a book without any special abilities or spatial powers; she survives solely through her own skills. Her fighting and verbal sparring are incredibly exciting and satisfying! This is definitely not a story of a submissive and repressed female lead. The male lead is absolutely brilliant, completely different from other historical novels I've read. For example, the male lead is a soldier who hasn't been able to go home for years. He cleverly divides his salary into several parts: some for his superiors, some for his wife, some for his parents, and some for his in-laws. Unlike others who send all their money home, leaving the female lead with nothing, he's very shrewd.

4. 4 被 Abandoned by Her Children and Left to Die, Granny Zhang Is Reborn in 1980 被子女抛弃惨死，张老太重生八零 Rice Bowl 114饭碗114Modern Romance1.7M WordsCompleted (Feel-good story + no golden finger + slice of life + family drama + ensemble cast of ordinary people + reborn in a bygone era) Short dramas: The New Life of Rong Ying, the Woman Everyone Looked Down On; Reborn Mom Is Here to Collect You Old Mrs. Zhang spent her whole life raising three sons and three daughters. She paid for her children’s weddings and homes, raised her grandchildren, and emptied the family savings to buy a home in Shanghai for her eldest son. She helped her second son marry thr 75.9kReads9.1Score8.6kShelves

   Reader note

   When it comes to stories about elderly women seeking a happy ending, this author is the only one I truly admire. No nagging, just pure bliss. I'm really annoyed by some rebirth stories; they're full of dialogue and those ridiculous characters who insist on arguing and being unreasonable, acting like complete wimps.

5. 5 七 The Lovely Military Wife of the 1970s 七零年代俏军嫂 Chestnut, Chestnut, Chestnut, Chestnut栗子栗子栗栗子Modern Romance398k WordsCompleted [No Golden Finger + No Business Ventures + No Buying a Courtyard House] Wen Yu and Shao Wen Ye are complete opposites: one is a pampered young woman from Shanghai, the other a soldier stationed at the border. They have nothing in common, yet their parents' arranged marriage binds them together. Little do they know, this is exactly what Wen Yu wants. To marry the man she's been dreaming about, Wen Yu travels thousands of miles to the southwestern border. At first, Shao Wen Ye takes things as they 8.7kReads8.9Score485Shelves

   Reader note

   These four books are amazing! I've read them repeatedly and sincerely recommend them. None of them have any overpowered plot devices or forced idiocy; the writing is excellent. I really recommend them repeatedly! [Heart emojis]

6. 6 小 The Little Bridge Cave Family Compound 小桥洞家属院 Miss Lego乐高小姐Modern Romance500k WordsCompleted [Period Setting] [Ensemble Cast] [Everyday Life] The results came out a few months after it was completed. This novel is fantastic! Zhang Yan and Deng Yang were born in the Xiaoqiaodong factory compound and grew up beneath the chimneys of the State Chemical Plant. There was no glamour or respectability here, only the bustle of daily life, sweat, arguments, and warmth. In 1997, as firecrackers exploded to celebrate Hong Kong's return, they still thought their parents would wear their work uniform 482Reads8.1Score102Shelves

   Reader note

   A period drama featuring a large ensemble cast! It depicts everyday family life and is very engaging!

7. 7 穿EN The Bystander's Self-Cultivation in a 1970s Transmigration Novel 穿书七十年代吃瓜群众的自我修养 Jiong Jiong You Pi囧囧有皮Modern Romance1.1M WordsCompleted Have you ever transmigrated to a different scene just by blinking? Lin Yuzhu has. She transmigrated in a daze to the 1970s. No, she transmigrated into a book. She has a System, and the female lead is there too. There are also supporting female characters, but she isn't one of them. She's just an onlooker who wandered into the story by mistake. As an onlooker, she gets to watch the drama unfold every day. She doesn't want other people's dogs, and she doesn't get involved in other people's busines 97.4kReads9.6Score8.9kShelves

   Reader note

   These four high-quality historical fiction novels (not fanfiction about courtyard houses) are all completed. The first and second books, in particular, have over 100,000 readers each. If you're interested, you can check them out.

8. 8 重 Reborn: Back to 1983 to Become a Tycoon 重生：回到1983当富翁 Half Gratitude, Half Grudge恩怨各一半Urban3.4M WordsCompleted (The print edition is now available on JD.com! The text has been carefully revised and is even more exciting. There are plenty of discounts right now, so if you're interested, go grab a copy!) Zhou Yufeng, a corporate CEO, unexpectedly returns to 1983, an era of planned economies and feeling one's way across the river by touching the stones. With his lovely wife wanting a divorce and his younger brother and sister struggling to get by, watch as he turns the business world upside down and changes 130.9kReads9.3Score16.1kShelves

   Reader note

   📖This is one of Tomato's few exclusive masterpieces, featuring meticulously crafted, fully fleshed-out characters. Although it's a time-travel story, there's no system or superpowers. Even the prophet isn't omnipotent and is subject to the limitations and constraints of his era. I still remember the first book, where the protagonist's fellow villagers had followed him for so long, and just as he was about to have a bright future, the protagonist was assassinated by a fellow villager. I was moved to tears at that moment.

9. 9 1 1972: The Youthful Years of the Red Flag 1972，红旗招展的青春年代 Little Goblin of the Lanruo Temple兰若寺小妖Urban1.2M WordsCompleted [Period] [Book Transmigration] [Reborn] [Sent-down youth] [Great Northern Wilderness] [Scheming male lead] [One heroine] [Pure romance] [Smart characters] [Decisive and ruthless] [Black market] [Political career] [Countryside] [Special historical era] In the spring of 1972, as Chu Miaohong rode a train to the Great Northern Wilderness to join a rural work team, she casually tossed an old envelope into the wind. Meanwhile, in 2024, Zhang Hongcheng happened to come into possession of an old, worn- 78.8kReads9.3Score7.8kShelves
10. 10 小 Life in a Little Courtyard 小院儿生活 Diva Girl作精少女Modern Romance652k WordsOngoing When Taohua married into the family, her mother told her that the Xiao family would most likely split up. But Taohua never expected it to happen so soon. (No rebirth, no transmigration, no golden finger: just working hard to live and striving to make a life.) 17.9kReads8.8Score1.7kShelves

    Reader note

    These six period novels all lack spatial elements. ①② Are filled with the atmosphere of the era, and the female leads all have smooth lives, pampered at home. ③ The female lead is sweet-talking, timid, and incredibly good at coaxing the male lead, who was spoiled by his family and is domineering and obsessive, yet he's completely swayed by the female lead's sweet words. The male lead is love-struck.

11. 11 捡 The Bargain-Hunting Era: Lin Mei’s Daily Life of Scoring Freebies 捡漏年代：林美的薅羊毛日常 Dimension Mender次元缝补匠Modern Romance361k WordsCompleted [Historical Era + Everyday Life + Finding Bargains + Ordinary Person Reborn in the Womb + No Handouts, No Saintly Heroine, No Throwing Herself at Men + No Being Sent to the Countryside, No Military Marriage, No Rough-Hewn Hero + A Small Golden Finger That Gradually Levels Up + A Palm-Sized Pocket Dimension for Stashing Private Savings] Reborn in the womb in 1949, Lin Mei becomes the daughter of an ordinary farming family in Linjia Village. Beautiful but useless, she’s not cut out for great thing 14.5kReads9.2Score1kShelves
12. 12 六 The Siheyuan Compound in the 1960s: I'm Eight, but I Have Twenty Years of Work Experience? 六零大杂院，我八岁二十年工龄？ Little Goblin of the Lanruo Temple兰若寺小妖Urban1.2M WordsCompleted [Period] [Reborn] [Big Courtyard] [Comedy] [A Kid with an Adult's Mind] [Everyday Warmth] [Leisurely Days] [Over-the-Quota Family] [Space] (The story has progressed into the 1970s.) What can you do after waking up in 1960, an era of shortages and hunger? Baogen says that as long as you have the right mindset, nothing is impossible. First, he needs to get his hands on six stripes. The story begins at the big courtyard at No. 67, Little Suzhou Alley, just one street away from Nanluoguxiang. An old 24.6kReads8.9Score2.1kShelves
13. 13 漂 The Beautiful Educated Youth and Her Stylish Mom 漂亮知青，时髦妈 Vast Universe 01浩瀚宇宙01Modern Romance314k WordsCompleted [Period Setting + Educated Youth + Sweet Romance + Everyday Family Life] In 1979, Jiang Jingshu returns to the city with the last group of educated youths, going back to Tongxiang County, a place both familiar and strange. After years away from home, she expects an emotional reunion. Instead, she is met by awkward, distant parents, an indifferent older brother, and a younger sister who treats her with hostility... There is no place for her in the family anymore. Even her room has been taken over 4.7kReads8.4Score258Shelves

    Reader note

    [Top Post] [Era + Educated Youth + Sweet Romance + Family Matters] In 1979, Jiang Jingmei was among the last batch of educated youth to return to the city, back to the familiar yet unfamiliar Tongxiang County. Having been away from home for many years, she expected a heartwarming reunion. However, what awaited her were awkward and distant parents, an indifferent older brother, and a hostile younger sister… There was no place for her in the family anymore; even her room was occupied by her brother's children. To avoid an arranged marriage, Jiang Jingmei had no choice but to run away to distant Beijing to seek refuge with her childhood sweetheart. [Add to Bookshelf] [1980s + Family Matters + Cute Baby + Arranged Marriage] Ji Yu was the unwanted child in her family. Knowing from a young age that she was not valued, she was sensitive and cautious. But when her younger brother made a mistake, her father forced her to marry a man he had barely spoken to, secretly accepting the bride price. She cried and resisted to no avail. Refusing to accept her fate, she defied convention, changing grooms as her wedding day approached—her boldest decision yet the most correct one of her lives. She had planned to treat Chen Yan with respect, leaving him only after getting into university. But Chen Yan doted on her, buying her watches one day, gold chains the next. When Ji Yu looked at the overflowing wardrobe of dresses and asked him to tone it down, he simply said, "My wife looks good in them," making her beam with joy. A few months later, Ji Yu, touching her pregnant belly, playfully pinched Chen Yan's ear. He knelt beside her, massaging her legs, promising to take care of the baby. Later still, Chen Yan picked her up from get off work with a big one and a little one, jokingly calling her, "Teacher Ji." The two little ones mimicked him, vying for her attention. The mischievous Chen Yan grabbed her and ran off, leaving the two little ones chasing after him on their short legs. "Daddy's bad!" "Daddy... Bad!" No rebirth, no transmigration, not a strong female lead! Not a strong female lead!

14. 14 重 Reborn in the 1990s: Kicking My Scumbag Ex to the Curb and Becoming a Mogul's Darling 重生九零脚踹渣男做大佬心尖宝 I Don't Want to Be a Beauty不想做美女Modern Romance492k WordsCompleted [Rebirth + sweet romance + love after marriage + warm and healing + everyday child-rearing + everyday wealth-building] Only after Juzi died did she learn that she was a character in a tragic romance. In the story, she gave birth to a daughter, only to be looked down on by her mother-in-law and resented by her good-for-nothing husband for not bearing a son. He was even secretly seeing the factory director’s daughter. Unable to take it any longer, Juzi divorced him and took her daughter with her. 3.8kReads9.2Score360Shelves

    Reader note

    A period drama! Super good! The female lead is reborn! The male lead has been plotting against the female lead for a long time, but he respects her deeply. He appears to be a hoodlum but is actually very capable of making money! He dotes on her immensely! The two are mutually doting on each other after the female lead's rebirth!! Super sweet! Super fast-paced!! Highly recommended!

15. 15 八 The Trucking Rogue Who Put Me Through College in the ’80s Spoils Me Rotten 八零货车痞夫供我上大学后宠疯了 lmmcamelliModern Romance844k WordsCompleted [1980s + family life + adorable children + marriage before love] Ji Yu is the unwanted extra in her family. She’s known since childhood that nobody cares about her, and has grown sensitive and timid. When her younger brother makes a mistake, her father forces her to marry a man she’s barely spoken to, accepting the bride price behind her back. She cries and fights back, but nothing works. Unwilling to accept her fate, she defies convention and changes grooms just before the wedding. It’s the b 4.1kReads7.5Score371Shelves
16. 16 爹 A Rugged, Fatherly Man Raises a Delicate Little Mute 爹系糙汉养了个娇气包小哑巴 No Class Is Beyond Corruption有腐无类Modern Romance472k WordsCompleted Period setting + sweet romance + slow-burn affection + self-indulgent heroine + voluptuous beauty + both leads are each other's first Fussy little mute vs. gruff, protective older man Lin Zhizhi is a little mute who can't speak. But she loves listening to gossip. So one summer night, she climbed onto a stool and leaned over the wall to eavesdrop on the widow next door getting into a fight. Just as she was getting into it, a strong arm suddenly wrapped around her waist and dragged her straight in 28.9kReads8.6Score9.9kShelves

    Reader note

    It looks amazing, you should definitely try it out! [Thumbs up]

17. 17 桀 The Rebellious Young Officer Is Wild by Day and Wicked by Night. Wah! I Don't Want Him Anymore 桀骜军少日癫夜坏，呜！我不要了 Shameless Young Master公子无耻Modern Romance579k WordsCompleted A spoiled, delicate, fake-weak little white rabbit who loves to make a scene VS a sharp-tongued, scheming, secretly wicked army officer with a hopeless romantic streak Also known as: You Can’t Divorce in a Military Marriage. Don’t Love Me? Then We’re Staying Together Qiao Shiyu dies in a car accident on her way to an international medical conference. After her death, she unexpectedly transmigrates into a book written by her adoptive younger sister, becoming the early-deceased, cannon-fodder ex-w 2.9kReads8.3Score279Shelves

    Reader note

    No cheat codes, just pure sweetness from beginning to end. The male lead is both charming and seductive, the writing is delicate and the descriptions are detailed. You'll have to read it to believe it! [Drooling emojis]

18. 18 回 Back Before the Wedding, I Compete with My Reborn Cousin for a Promising Man 回到婚前，和重生表姐抢潜力股 Little Moon Beast月小兽Modern Romance512k WordsCompleted [1980s + dual rebirth + rugged soldier + seemingly naive, sweet and alluring heroine + age gap + sweet, satisfying, mindless fun + everyday face-slapping + family squabbles + husband chases wife to the crematorium + wife chases husband to the crematorium] In her previous life, Bai Li was framed and lost her virginity. She had an abortion that left her unable to have children, and her uncle and husband schemed to take her mother's inheritance. Her husband cheated on her with her cousin. She waite 301Reads7.5Score—Shelves
19. 19 土 The Lingering Warmth of the Earthen Bed 土炕上的余温 Nine-Nine Cat九玖猫Modern Romance1.0M WordsOngoing The quarry in the hills behind Laojing Village buried the men from half the village. All that remained were a village full of widows and children crying from hunger. Thirty migrant miners moved into the workers' barracks, all strapping bachelors. The widows cursed men to their faces, then dug out their floral jackets at night and deliberately walked past the barracks. Each of the three widows had her own reasons: one wanted a protector to help raise her child, one hoped to get some rice and flou 12kReads8.9Score761Shelves

    Reader note

    A gentle, flowing narrative, [thumbs up] A very good period rural novel.

20. 20 俏 The Charming Village Girl Doesn't Give Her Heart Away 俏村花她不走心 Nine-Nine Cat九玖猫Modern Romance1.0M WordsOngoing People say that a widow’s doorstep invites trouble, but Chunfang isn’t afraid. She goes out of her way to surround herself with men. After years of struggling in the dirt, she’s seen through it all: you can’t rely on a man’s heart, but you can rely on his money and connections. So she smiles as she plays several men against one another. One helps her come up with the cash, another finds her a market for her goods. The villagers call her shameless. Chunfang sneers. “How much is a reputation worth 21kReads8.0Score1.2kShelves
21. 21 新 On Our Wedding Night, the Cold-Faced Officer Washed the Sheets 新婚夜，冷面军官洗床单 Meat Sauce Dumpling肉酱团子Modern Romance217k WordsCompleted The ratings came in on Singles’ Day, and they started out a little low. They’ll gradually rise, though~ [Military marriage in a bygone era + sweet beauty VS stone-faced officer + devoted husband + cozy everyday life] She transmigrates into a book on her wedding night. They’ve barely finished when he wants to run away? Jiang Muning raised an eyebrow. “In your dreams!” When she woke up, she discovered that her archenemy, who was supposed to have died with her in an avalanche, had also transmigrate 11.7kReads9.0Score983Shelves
22. 22 美 The Beautiful First Half of Her Life 美艳的前半生 Ink-Wash Creek水墨小溪Modern Romance523k WordsOngoing The story takes place in a rural village in Hebei in 1999. Meiyan has been sweet, beautiful, and clever since childhood, and everyone in the village agrees she's the local beauty. After failing her university entrance exams on her second attempt, she has no choice but to face the path fate has laid out for her. Swept up by Li Gangqiang's relentless pursuit, she gives him everything. But on the very day he steps through the gates of college, he gets together with another woman. Betrayed, Meiyan s 11kReads7.1Score248Shelves
23. 23 霞 Xia Guangnuan's First Book 霞光暖暖的第1本书 Warm Glowing Clouds霞光暖暖Modern Romance568k WordsOngoing [Period Setting + Realistic Rural Life + Family Matters + Adultery + Beloved by Everyone + A Woman’s Growth] Hong Xing is a village doctor, twenty-three years old, and the mother of two daughters. Only after her husband dies unexpectedly does she discover that the man who always seemed so honest and quiet, a man who could hardly get a word out even if you beat him with three sticks, had betrayed her. Her whole world collapses. She had always followed the rules of a virtuous wife, respected her p 1.3kReads7.9Score131Shelves
24. 24 铁 A Tough Soldier Falls Into the Tender Embrace of a Pretty Wife 铁血汉子陷进了俏媳妇的温柔乡 Summer Hail夏冰雹Modern Romance500k WordsCompleted [Rugged hero + military marriage + 1970s + no System or pocket dimension + family life + building wealth + sweet romance] Shen Chao was reborn on her wedding night. In this life, all she wanted was to live happily with her husband. But he was always teasing her until her face flushed and her heart raced. “If you don’t want me touching you, which other man are you saving yourself for?” “You’re my wife. What’s wrong with me hugging you? Can’t I even hold you under the covers?” “Blushing again? Get 8.3kReads8.2Score403Shelves
25. 25 村 Xia Hua, the Village Girl 村女夏花 The Cat Who Loves Gold爱黄金的猫Modern Romance268k WordsOngoing [Realistic rural life + slow burn + heroine’s growth + family and everyday life + face-slapping the scoundrels] Lin Xiahua’s husband is dead. With two children and a dimwitted older brother to support, she has become the most tempting target in Hama Gou Village. Burdened with her family, without a single plot of land, and with her mother-in-law threatening to sell her by the pound to an old widower and his son! To survive, Xiahua learns to navigate all kinds of men and women. She smiles and char 94Reads7.0Score105Shelves
26. 26 八 Reborn in the Eighties: My Rugged Husband Keeps Flirting with Me 八零重生夜：糙汉老公撩妻忙 Grape-Flavored Fizz葡萄味气泡Modern Romance1.0M WordsCompleted [Main story: sweet romance and everyday life. Side story: career and making money] [More family and village life in the early chapters] “Are you going to run away again?” Her rugged husband grabbed her by the waist and threatened her. Wen Yuan could only plead for mercy. “I won't run, I won't run…” Song Jingnian was the only university student in the surrounding villages, and he doted on his newlywed wife. Even though Wen Yuan was indifferent to him, he was more than happy to keep loving her 1.7kReads8.5Score110Shelves
27. 27 念 Half a Lifetime of Missing Qiu 念秋半辈子 Ink-Wash Creek水墨小溪Modern Romance1.1M WordsCompleted [Everyone’s favorite + farming + building wealth + family squabbles + strong heroine] Shen Nianqiu’s husband died. He was stabbed to death by the husband of his lover. Because Shen Nianqiu is beautiful, shapely, intelligent, and capable, she is very popular. A rural doctor whose wife has died gradually falls for her; A butcher from the neighboring village has been secretly in love with her for a long time. A teacher assigned to the countryside admires her beauty and intelligence, and vows to mar 26.5kReads8.0Score1.8kShelves
28. 28 铁 Tiezhu's Fate 铁柱的命 Ink-Wash Creek水墨小溪Urban291k WordsCompleted In the 1990s, the twenty-year-old Tiezhu, whose given name was Gao Fei, was handsome, dashing, and well educated. He studied hard, hoping to change his fate through knowledge and escape the countryside. But fate kept playing tricks on him, making him fail time and again. Disheartened, he found the courage to face life again with encouragement from Yanhua, the village beauty. His excellence always won him admirers. After meeting different women, he gradually realized who loved him most. Sadly, by 5.4kReads6.8Score210Shelves
29. 29 表 Her Love Letter Went to the Wrong Address, and the Delicate Young Woman Joined the Army in Tears 表白信寄错，娇娇女含泪随军 One More Spoonful再吃一勺儿Modern Romance309k WordsCompleted (Period setting + local characters + marriage before love + coercive romance) Pay special attention to “coercive romance.” (The male lead is dark and obsessive, like a sinister ghost; the female lead is pampered, prickly, sharp-tongued, and heartless. Read on only if you can handle that. If you can't, don't force yourself. The values in the story do not represent the author's values.) The main story is complete. Zhu Qingning had fallen in love at first sight. After mulling it over for a long tim 17.6kReads8.3Score1.8kShelves

    Reader note

    I'm currently reading a historical romance novel, it's super good!!!

30. 30 娇 Spoiled in the 1980s: The Military District's Young Scoundrel Couple Strikes Back 娇宠八零：军区纨绔夫妻要翻身 Iron Iron Snuggle Iron Iron铁铁贴贴铁铁Modern Romance232k WordsOngoing [The Theater Troupe’s Spoiled Beauty x The Capitalist’s Young Master] [Secret Crush Between Rivals + Two Spoiled Brats Turn Their Lives Around + Face-Slapping in the Military Compound + Getting Rich Through Business] The most famous people in the military compound weren’t the decorated officers, but two spoiled brats who caused trouble every day: Gu Yan and Qiao Weiwei. These sworn enemies, who bickered whenever they met, had secretly gotten married! “Qiao Weiwei! Did that Gu Yan kid threaten yo 32Reads8.1Score—Shelves
31. 31 深 A Romance at a Shenzhen Factory 深圳工厂情缘 Jiangnan Yixiao江南一肖Modern Romance1.7M WordsCompleted My new story is here! You’re welcome to read it on Tomato Novel. I hope you’ll enjoy it. Your support motivates me to write, and I’ll do my best to tell every story well! 3kReads8.9Score217Shelves

    Reader note

    A collection of stories about working in the 1990s, worth reading!

32. 32 资 The Reborn Capitalist Heiress Is Doted on by Her Military Officer Husband 资本家大小姐重生军官老公掌心宠 Yan Xingyan言星妍Modern Romance1.4M WordsCompleted [Historical Setting + Joining the Army Husband on an Island + Reborn + Young Lady + Sweet Romance + Everyday Life] [Alternate setting, 1960s] [Flirtatious, high-maintenance heroine and rough, arrogant hero] Shen Yitang thought there must be something seriously wrong with her. She had spent five years disliking Gu Huaizheng, but after he died, she spent a full ten years missing him. She missed the strong arms that had protected her in the catastrophic flood, and the safe haven he had built for he 19.3kReads7.9Score1.5kShelves
33. 33 守 After Three Years as a Widow, I Took Grandma to Join My Officer Husband 守寡三年我带奶奶投奔军官老公啦 Wasabi Lemon芥末柠檬Modern Romance414k WordsCompleted The short drama is now streaming: The Lucky Wife of the 1970s: Her Tomb Raider Secret Identity Is Out! [Cold, tough military officer × female tomb raider, who later joins a research institute to serve her country] [Alternate-history military marriage + tomb-raiding System + married first, love later + raising kids + mind-reading + one-on-one, both leads inexperienced in love + nine-year age gap] [Reader's guide: The early chapters have a few plot holes, and the story is a silly comedy with no lo 10.9kReads8.6Score1.2kShelves

    Reader note

    🫧🫧A super good and hilarious historical fiction [facepalm], 🌿① Forced by circumstances, Jiang Yao returned to her old profession. Who knew that she'd be arrested as soon as she emerged from the tomb. Interrogation room: "Name?" "Jiang Yao" "Gender?" "Female" "What were you doing?" "Digging up my husband." Everyone: !!! Then her husband, with a dark face, pushed open the door…

34. 34 军 Military Marriage: You Want to Send Me to the Countryside? I'll PUA Your Whole Family 军婚:逼我下乡?我PUA他全家 Li Baozhu李宝珠Modern Romance1.1M WordsCompleted [Military Marriage + Sweet Romance + Devoted Couple + Pocket Dimension] In her previous life, Fang Ying was poisoned by her stepmother and grew uglier by the day. Her childhood sweetheart and fiancé got together with her stepmother’s daughter. Then her entire family pressured her to give up her place at a workers, peasants, and soldiers university and go to the countryside in the other girl’s place! She turned around and married her fiancé’s uncle, a decorated soldier. But he died in action si 53.3kReads9.0Score7.2kShelves
35. 35 八 The Eighties Cannon Fodder Charms the Male Lead and Climbs to the Top 八零小炮灰，撩爆男主要上位 Cheng Yiqi橙以七Modern Romance1.2M WordsCompleted Historical setting + devoted couple + sweet romance + marriage first, love later + everyday military life + rugged husband who dotes on his wife + older man + falling in love day after day Xu Zhouzhou transmigrates into the body of a stunningly beautiful minor character in an 1980s novel. The minor character is a background extra who gets killed off from the start. But she happens to have a breathtaking face, and as the village’s last educated youth unable to return to the city, she lives alone 10.2kReads8.8Score1.2kShelves

    Reader note

    🌈Both of these are great reads, and neither has any overpowered plot devices. One is set in a military compound, and the other in a cotton mill compound. 🌈First book: A handsome military officer (a rough man with limited literary skills) as the male lead, a beautiful and wealthy woman who educates and nurtures her children, and a talented woman. 🌈Second book: A capitalist's son as the male lead (refined and reserved), and the most beautiful woman in the factory (a beautiful but somewhat naive girl).

36. 36 大 The Compound’s Factory Beauty Has Been Snatched Up by the Villainous Capitalist Young Master! 大院厂花被反派资本家少爷拱了！ The Witch's Apple女巫的苹果Modern Romance1.0M WordsCompleted [Period Setting, Beautiful but Miserable and Powerful Tycoon's Son + The Factory's Most Beautiful Woman, Friends with Benefits to Lovers, Face-Slapping and Striving in the Factory Compound, The Villainous Family's Loving Everyday Life] Bai Xiaotong finally found a chance to sleep with her childhood sweetheart. Only afterward did she realize she'd slept with the wrong man, and that this world wasn't real at all. It was merely a novel set in a bygone era. In this fictional world, her cousin was th 29kReads8.3Score3.5kShelves
37. 37 报 Report, Commander: Your Grandson Took His Wife Out to Beat Someone Up Again 报告首长你孙子带媳妇又去打人了 Bobo Bedhead啵啵呆毛Modern Romance1.0M WordsCompleted [Complete + male lead takes the domestic role, female lead takes the career role + fussy, love-struck husband + daily face-slapping antics of the compound's little tyrant in the 1970s] Shen Xia transmigrated into an ongoing period novel and became a pitiful girl whose father didn't care for her and whose mother didn't love her. After transmigrating, Shen Xia accidentally discovered that something was wrong with her identity. She reported her adoptive parents, sent her adoptive father to labor ca 17.2kReads9.0Score2.3kShelves

    Reader note

    The first book features a female lead with exceptional fighting skills, especially adept at arguing and fighting. The male lead is a local bully who, to escape societal pressures, goes to the countryside where he meets her. Their initial love is incredibly sweet; the male lead causes trouble, while the female lead cleans up the mess. He's completely devoted to his amazing wife—a classic "pampered husband" story. The second book features a beautiful and charming female lead who only wants a good life. The male lead, at the pinnacle of power, dotes on her immensely, never letting her suffer any hardship. If you're strong enough, you truly won't suffer any injustice. The third book is a slice-of-life story about a family struggling together to make ends meet. Each of the four sisters has a good development and a good romantic partner.

38. 38 重 Reborn 20 Years Ago: From Street Tough to Upstanding Young Man 重生20年从顽主到四有青年 Mr. Red Flag红旗先生Urban1.7M WordsCompleted [Reborn] [No System] [Ensemble cast] [Everyday life] [Business rivalry] [Romance] [Martial world] Does being reborn count as rebirth if you have no memories of your past life? In 2024, business tycoon Chen Yuanping is framed and sent back to the autumn of his nineteenth year. A completely different life begins... At the foot of the imperial city, in Liulichang. A group of young people born in the sixties and seventies leave the crowded courtyard houses in the hutongs, carrying their dreams 4.2kReads7.5Score222Shelves

    Reader note

    Don't look at the score! Don't look at the score! Don't look at the score! I recommend a different kind of period drama. It's the story of a group of people born in the 1970s growing up. In that wild and untamed era, everyone was striving and fighting for tomorrow. Friendship, family, love, business warfare, and scheming. It's very good. Readers who are tired of Tomato's formulaic and overly exciting novels should definitely check this out. You won't regret it.

39. 39 六 The Fierce and Charming Female Soldier of the 1960s: Winning the Cold Commander's Heart 六零娇辣小女兵：狠撩高冷首长心 Fish in the Woods00林中鱼00Modern Romance367k WordsCompleted [A High-Ranking Cadre Romance Set in the 1960s] [You Sit Upon the High Terrace, I Stay by Your Side] A bewitching, flirtatious heroine and a powerful, high-ranking cadre hero I grew up beside the water city I sit in your arms I hold a beautiful dream close to my heart And stumble into your peaceful world [Deliberate Seduction + A Powerful Man Bows to Love] When Lin Yiqiao first arrives in the capital, she seems sweet, naive, and gentle, but she has no shortage of schemes and tricks. All she wa 42.9kReads9.1Score3.9kShelves
40. 40 重 Back to the 1980s: Bringing My Family of Six to a Better Life 重回八零：带着全家六口过好日子 Yu Fu余弗Modern Romance1.3M WordsCompleted The Gu family has no sons, only four daughters. Plenty of people in the village are waiting to laugh at them. But they wait and wait, only to watch the Gu family build a two-story house and buy a car. They hear the family has even bought a grand home in the capital. The Gu sisters are each more successful and more devoted to their parents than the last. The villagers: What are you waiting for? Go home and have daughters! After being reborn, Gu Siqing discovers that her sisters are nothing like t 92.9kReads9.4Score5.6kShelves
41. 41 校 The Campus Belle’s Diploma Is Torn Up? Her Devoted Officer Won’t Back Down 校花毕业证被撕？痴情军官死死磕 The White-Faced One of the Elixir Pavilion丹阁白面者Modern Romance791k WordsOngoing "Young Master Xiao, Who Has Kept to Himself for Years..." Era, modern romance, sweet romance; school life, campus belle, business and entrepreneurship, urban life, military, equally matched leads, technology and research. Thank you, readers, for your reviews. The book has received a rating. It may not have shot straight to the top, but every review you leave helps raise its overall score. Thank you for your support. I also hope new readers will give it a few chapters. You won't regret investing 579Reads8.2Score101Shelves

    Reader note

    No cheat codes, very realistic. Highly recommended!

42. 42 4 At Forty, I Remarried a Commander. My Ex and His Mistress Are Both on Their Knees 40岁二嫁首长，前夫小三全跪了 The Fish's Secret鱼的秘密Modern Romance970k WordsOngoing The rating has only just come in, and it’ll rise later! [Second-chance military marriage + era-set comeback + two powerful, devoted leads + rugged man spoils his wife] Lying on the operating table, Jiang Wanning finally learned that her marriage had been a trap: her husband had tried to kill her for the insurance money, and the son she had raised with so much effort was actually the illegitimate child of her scumbag husband and cousin! To survive, she climbed into the bed of Commander Gu Yuanzhe 316.8kReads8.6Score15.5kShelves

    Reader note

    I definitely have to read these two. No special abilities, no cheat codes, they're super good!

43. 43 姐 The Sisters Join the Army and Mistake the Wrong Man for Their Husband: The Fierce-Looking Officer Falls for Them 姐妹随军认错夫：面凶军官沦陷了 Half-Moon Lemon月半柠Modern Romance1.6M WordsOngoing [Mistaken husband + following the army + sweet romance + snow-mochi heroine / “dirty bun” hero] Gu Zhaoning and the Gu family's adopted daughter, Su Jingwei, are both introduced to potential marriage partners. They meet two brothers from the Pei family. The elder Pei brother is destined to become a high-ranking officer, while the younger brother is destined to die heroically. So in this life, Su Jingwei secretly switches the men they were set up with and snatches the elder Pei brother before Gu 55.7kReads8.5Score3.9kShelves
44. 44 哥 Bro, Keep Simping for That Fake Sweetheart and I'll Go After Your Nemesis 哥，你再舔白莲花我就舔你死对头 The Wilderness and the Wind Conspire Together山野与风同谋Modern Romance422k WordsCompleted [Training Her Brother + Training Her Husband + Girl Pursues Guy (Gives Up Halfway) + Guy Pursues Girl (Face-Slapping Comeuppance)] Sharp-tongued military rogue male lead vs. spoiled, rebellious female lead. They come from equally matched families. A hilarious, satisfying period romp where everyone is crazy! The female lead is a little selfish and morally dubious! In her previous life, her hopelessly lovesick older brother devoted himself to fawning over a fake innocent, only to meet a tragic end 19.7kReads8.1Score1.9kShelves

    Reader note

    The female protagonist, lacking a special ability, is reborn and learns that in her past life, a scheming, seemingly innocent woman had ruined her family. In this life, to stop her brother from flattering such a woman, she grovels before her brother's arch-enemy. Meanwhile, her brother is constantly arguing with his enemy and has no time to spare for the scheming woman.

45. 45 八 The 1980s: Keep Your Voice Down! Is It Really Something to Brag About That Five Powerful Men Take Turns Proposing to You? 八零：低声些！五个大佬轮流求婚光彩嘛？ Little Lingyu小令羽Modern Romance338k WordsOngoing [Alternate-Reality 1980s + Love Rival Showdown + Everyone's Favorite + Competition for Her + All Male Leads Are Sexually Inexperienced] The Shang family of Senhe Mansion had a daughter of extraordinary beauty, noble and pampered. For nineteen years, her parents and five older brothers had cherished her like a treasure, afraid even to speak harshly in case she burst into tears. Then the real heiress showed up, saying that a nurse had mixed up the babies at birth. Overnight, the most precious gree 15kReads6.4Score2.1kShelves

    Reader note

    If you enjoy period dramas with intense conflicts, this book is worth checking out. The female protagonist is a pampered beauty who, after nineteen years of luxury, awakens from her dream only to find her identity switched. Her original family only intends to marry her off for a dowry. To escape her fate, she enters into a fake marriage agreement with her older brother, who appears to have a hidden illness. The female protagonist fully believes it's just a formality, unaware of the turbulent thoughts hidden beneath the man's restrained exterior. Later, several other male protagonists appear, gradually building up the tension and competition.

46. 46 七 Marrying a Rugged Disabled Man in the 1970s, I Bring a Warehouse and Make My Husband and Son Thrive 七零嫁残疾糙汉，带仓库旺夫旺仔 Achoo Achoo啊啾啊啾Modern Romance1.0M WordsCompleted The short drama adaptation, The 1970s’ Lucky Little Bride, is now streaming on Hongguo. [Complete] [Rugged Hero + Sweet Wife + Gourmet Food + Transmigrate into a Book + Pocket Dimension + Secret Identity + Feel-Good Story] Top banquet chef Jiang Congyu was suddenly killed when a crystal chandelier fell on her while she was cooking. When she opened her eyes, she had transmigrated into a book she had read before. And not just that: it was her wedding night, and a handsome man was pinned beneath he 15.5kReads9.3Score2kShelves

    Reader note

    These four are truly timeless classics. Even though I've lost one of my accounts, I still searched for that account to find my bookshelf and read them again. If you prefer something a bit more subdued and don't have much space, you can check out the third one. These books also have some satisfying, "cool" elements, though not the fantastical kind, they're still quite enjoyable. Kids can also enjoy them. [Heart emoji]

47. 47 七 A Sweet Wedding Night in the 1970s: Even an Arranged Marriage Can Be Wonderful! 七零新婚夜，包办婚姻也很甜！ Orange Soda and Lemon Juice橘子汽水柠檬汁Modern Romance1.0M WordsCompleted [Completed Military Marriage Romance] [Beautiful, Sweet-Talking Wife + Gentle, Healing, Rugged Husband] She wakes up on the night of her arranged wedding in the 1970s. Her husband is a handsome, idealistic man with impeccable credentials. Should she marry him or not? Lin Qingya soon decides she’s glad she did. Her rugged husband is surprisingly sweet! The heroine is career-focused, clear-headed, and sensible. The hero dotes on his wife and is gentle and reassuring. Sweet romance throughout, no 6.2kReads9.1Score450Shelves
48. 48 穿 Reborn as the Cannon-Fodder Wife, I Stole the Show in the Military Compound 穿成炮灰原配后，我惊艳军区大院 Moon Rising over the Blue Sea苍海升月Modern Romance1.2M WordsCompleted Also known as: Before I Lost My Virtue, I Rewrote the Life of the Cannon-Fodder First Wife [Period setting + military marriage + face-slapping + no golden finger + sweet romance + devoted couple] Xia Qingning unexpectedly transmigrates into a period romance novel written by a classmate who envies her. She becomes the original wife, who shares her name and is framed into losing her virtue, then jumps into a lake and dies tragically. The moment she opens her eyes, she’s at the scene of her violati 54.6kReads9.2Score5.4kShelves

    Reader note

    These four are truly timeless classics. Even though I've lost one of my accounts, I still searched for that account to find my bookshelf and read them again. If you prefer something a bit more subdued and don't have much space, you can check out the third one. These books also have some satisfying, albeit not the fantastical kind, parts, which are still quite enjoyable. Kids can also enjoy them too! ❤️

49. 49 分 After Three Years Apart, She Asks for a Divorce, and the Chaste Commander Loses His Cool 分居三年提离婚，禁欲首长红了眼 Tun Er豚二Modern Romance1.2M WordsCompleted [Period setting + military marriage + sweet romance + raising children + no golden finger + native-born characters + life in a military compound + everyday family drama] This is not an effortless wish-fulfillment story. It’s a warm tale of personal growth, so read with care if that’s not your thing. Cen Jing Yi gives birth to her daughter prematurely and is thrown out by her in-laws. She struggles alone to raise her daughter until she’s two. Then her husband, who returned to his unit the day aft 14.2kReads8.8Score947Shelves

    Reader note

    These two period novels are both excellent and highly recommended 🥰 [Sparrow's Masterpiece]

50. 50 七 A Military Officer Was Forced to Marry a Village Woman, but Their Arranged Marriage Turned to Love 七零军官被迫娶村妇，先婚厚爱 Men Xiaoxie门小协Modern Romance506k WordsCompleted No transmigration + not reborn + no space + no golden finger + relies on her own abilities With nowhere left to turn, Shen Yining jumps into a river to kill herself, but the passing officer Ji Zhonglin pulls her out. She rolls her eyes and latches onto him, insisting he did something improper to her. Ji Zhonglin: “...” He must have gotten up too soon and pulled her out too soon. Before she jumped into the river, he pissed in the wrong place. Before they are forced to marry, Ji Zhonglin says 49.7kReads8.9Score6.1kShelves

    Reader note

    These two period novels are both excellent and highly recommended. [Admiration][A masterpiece by Que Shi]

Other lists with His Stunning Wife Has Given Birth Again, and the Commander Comes Every Night to Soothe the Baby