Any More Down-to-Earth Historical Fiction? No Pocket Dimensions or Systems 有没有正常一点的的年代文？不要有空间系统之类

1. 1 年 The Supporting Girl in the Period Novel Rolled Her Eyes 年代文女配翻了个白眼 Cai Wangwang菜汪汪Modern Romance1.9M WordsOngoing [The blurb is misleading. This isn't a wish-fulfillment novel, and the leads are ordinary people. If you only like mindless wish fulfillment, please don't read this. Thank you.] Qiu Bailu transmigrates into a period novel as a clownish, supporting villainess, destined to scheme her way to a lifetime of poverty. She's so angry she laughs. She's unapologetically hypocritical. When she read the book, she sided with the protagonist and thought the villainess was awful. Now that she's the villainess, 92.2kReads8.8Score6.5kShelves

   Reader note

   None of these three books have any cheat codes!

2. 2 穿 Life as a Sent-Down Youth Returning to the City 穿成回城知青的日子 Moonbud Pond月芽池Modern Romance1.1M WordsCompleted (The rating has only just come out, so it's a little low. It'll gradually rise later.) (Ensemble Cast + Family Life + Gourmet + Making a Fortune + Cozy Everyday Life) Zhou Wei wakes up to find that she has transmigrated to the 1980s and become an educated youth returning to the city. As soon as she arrives, she's pressured to marry an ugly man. Get married? Whoever wants to can marry him. She's not doing it! To change her fate, Zhou Wei puts her advantages to use and earns her first pot of gold 9.3kReads7.8Score679Shelves
3. 3 重 Back to the 1980s, I Lead My Whole Family to Wake Up and Strike It Rich 重回八零，带着全家一起觉醒暴富 Jing Mo京墨Modern Romance1.5M WordsCompleted In 1989, Shuangxi's uncle, younger uncle, and aunt all headed south for work with their spouses, leaving behind nine children without anyone to look after them, as well as their elderly grandparents. It was Shuangxi's parents who stayed home to care for the children and look after the two old folks. Like oxen, they worked themselves to the bone farming the land, sending one nephew or niece after another to university and out into the world. When her father was injured in an accident and lost the 42.7kReads8.1Score4.4kShelves
4. 4 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 29.8kReads8.6Score11.3kShelves

   Reader note

   This is especially beautiful.

5. 5 老 My Husband Cheated, So I Swapped Husbands with His Mistress to Change Our Fates 老公出轨，我和小三换夫改命 Du Wanxing杜菀星Modern Romance553k WordsCompleted A new novel currently being serialized, with its rating just posted! [Not a wish-fulfillment story] [Period setting + remarriage + devoted husband + marriage first, love later] [Some ensemble cast elements] [No System] [No pocket dimension] [Realistic everyday life] In the height of summer in 1977, Xu Nan, a temporary worker at a machinery factory, caught her husband, Cheng Peng, having an affair with Liang Yan Min, an employee at the same factory. To protect his reputation and prospects, Cheng 17.2kReads8.4Score1.2kShelves

   Reader note

   Traditional Era Text

6. 6 大 The Courtyard Compound: The Warmth of Everyday Life 大杂院：人间烟火气 Du Xiaore杜小惹Modern Romance546k WordsCompleted [Period setting + family drama + everyday life] If you're young and inexperienced, take this as a warning and steer clear. This book probably isn't for you. It has none of the usual wish-fulfillment tropes and no imaginary cheat powers. It's simply an ordinary story about people in northern China. [No transmigration, no System, no pocket dimension, no being reborn, and none of the modern-novel elements you know.] It records the ordinary life of a northern town in the 1980s, capturing the memorie 8.8kReads9.1Score775Shelves
7. 7 走 Through the Trials 走过劫难 Li Xinxin李馨欣Modern Romance275k WordsCompleted Disaster strikes a once-happy family of five. After suffering a heartbreak so piercing it feels like ten thousand arrows, how will a mother who has only just reached middle age, and is already frail and sickly, lead her three underage children through hardship and toward the future...? 140Reads—Score—Shelves

   Reader note

   The real era, the real story.

8. 8 沂 A Family by the Yishui River 沂水河畔一家人 Li Xinxin李馨欣Modern Romance540k WordsCompleted This book tells the story of a large family over nearly a century, from the late Qing dynasty to the end of the twentieth century, through turbulent changes, banditry and warfare, twists and turns, and eventual reversals of fortune. Led and subtly influenced by the protagonist, several generations endure decades of hardship yet remain upright, united, and determined to improve. In different eras and historical circumstances, they do everything they can, persevering in their efforts to contribute 6.1kReads8.8Score564Shelves
9. 9 七 The Family's Beloved Girl: The Cannon-Fodder Darling of Her Terrible Family 七零团宠：极品家人的炮灰娇娇女 Ten Red Leaves十红叶Modern Romance1.1M WordsCompleted [Brooding, Brawny Man + Sweet Wife + Completed] Lu Jiajia is delicate and soft. Then, in the blink of an eye, she becomes a useless cannon-fodder character in the 1970s, with a whole family of vicious oddballs in tow. Yet in an era that favors men above women, she is the apple of her family’s eye. Her father and mother: “Jiajia is our precious girl. She deserves to be spoiled.” Her brothers: “My sister is frail and sickly. How could she do farm work!” Lu Jiajia: “…I want the ultimate winning han 88.1kReads9.4Score8.4kShelves

   Reader note

   I recommend the second book; it's exceptionally good.

10. 10 八 A Great Beauty Raises Kids in a Beijing Courtyard, 1980s Style 八零大美人四合院养娃日常 North to South由北向南Modern Romance1.2M WordsCompleted (Slice of life + sweet romance + raising children + family life + career) Zhao Jinshu was in her sixties. Her children had grown up and started families of their own, and she had seen her parents-in-law off. She was just about to travel around the country when she was reborn. She returned to the time a few months after she had first moved to the city. Back then, she knew nothing. A young bride from the countryside, she was shy, too embarrassed to speak up, and insecure. Even though her husband 54.2kReads9.3Score4.6kShelves
11. 11 高 A Match Between Equals: My Officer Husband Is a Hopeless Romantic 高门对高门，军官丈夫是个恋爱脑 Lin Miansui林绵穗Modern Romance1.4M WordsCompleted [Gentle, Ethereal Su Embroidery Beauty x Handsome, Irreverent Military Heir] [Two Prestigious Families] [Military Marriage] [Lighthearted, Funny Everyday Life] [Feel-Good Power Fantasy] [Adorable Kids] [Family and Country] [Passing on Traditional Culture] [The Pocket Dimension Is Rarely Used] Lin Renzhi stayed up embroidering and worked herself to death. When she opened her eyes again, she had become the only daughter of a senior officer in the 1970s. She had a top-tier family background and loo 165.8kReads9.1Score25.8kShelves

    Reader note

    It's incredibly good; the romance between the male and female leads feels natural, and the content is well-researched. [Masterpiece by QueShi][Masterpiece by QueShi][Masterpiece by QueShi]

12. 12 七 The 1970s Stepmom: Raising Kids and Keeping Her Husband in Line 七零后妈，养娃御夫有一手 Moonlit Journey月途Modern Romance1.0M WordsCompleted After dying of an illness, Yu Hui woke up to find herself in 1978, in the body of a young stepmother who shared her name! She had just been branded the most evil stepmother in the compound. In an era of relative scarcity, before the economy had fully opened up, she had no steady job, but decided to keep playing the stepmother for now. Her stepson was too unruly? She would set him straight. Her husband was too easily swayed, handing over belongings and money whenever his former in-laws came aroun 7kReads8.4Score981Shelves

    Reader note

    None of them have cheat codes

13. 13 七 A Mismatched Marriage in the 1970s: The Factory Director Spoils Me Rotten 七零错嫁，被厂长宠上天 Lu Changting鹿长亭Modern Romance398k WordsCompleted [Period setting, marriage first and love later, devoted husband, everyday life] To escape her suffocating stepfather's home, Lin Zijing volunteered to go to the countryside. Her mother gave her a thorough scolding, then found her a blind date. But her stepsister happened to overhear and swooped in to steal the match. Unaware of what had happened, Lin Zijing went on a blind date with someone who shared the same name as the man she'd originally been set up with. Only after they got their marriage 6kReads7.1Score475Shelves
14. 14 相 After a Blind Date, She Marries a Rugged Man and Becomes the Village Belle's Darling 相亲嫁给糙汉后，村花被娇宠上天 Autumn Is Long秋很长Modern Romance1.0M WordsCompleted [Transmigration + 1970s + Devoted Husband + Raising Kids + Striving] Qin Hui never imagined anything so bizarre could happen to her: she transmigrated to the 1970s! Looking at the drab yellow-mud house and meals with no meat three times a day, Qin Hui couldn’t help thinking: When will this life without meat or pretty clothes ever end? This is too hard! Luckily, Heaven arranged a husband for her. Qin Hui never expected that after marrying the rough-hewn man by her side, he would spoil her rotten. 11.7kReads8.9Score745Shelves

    Reader note

    A simple and peaceful life, warm and happy.

15. 15 能 A Capable Village Belle and Her Good-for-Nothing Live-In Son-in-Law 能干村花和她的窝囊倒插门 Ink-Wash Creek水墨小溪Modern Romance218k WordsOngoing Zhao Hua is the capable, no-nonsense village beauty of Taiping Village. She supports her family with a small shop, while her adoptive parents hope she'll marry a man who can support them in their old age. A scandalous affair involving a potential match ruins the marriage prospects outright. Unable to find a man willing to marry into her family, she chooses the impoverished Li boy who lives behind her house. His family is buried in debt, he's timid by nature and always lowers his head when troubl 3.8kReads—Score125Shelves
16. 16 美 The Beautiful First Half of Her Life 美艳的前半生 Ink-Wash Creek水墨小溪Modern Romance528k 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 10.3kReads7.1Score228Shelves
17. 17 土 The Lingering Warmth of the Earthen Bed 土炕上的余温 Nine-Nine Cat九玖猫Modern Romance1.0M WordsCompleted 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 12.1kReads8.9Score768Shelves
18. 18 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 WordsCompleted 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 20.9kReads8.0Score1.2kShelves
19. 19 1 The Flirtatious Girl of 1992 Gets Caught Up in Romance as She Makes Her Way to the County Seat 1992俏妞情乱闯县城 Bright Years岁岁昭明Modern Romance51k WordsOngoing In 1992, Chen Xiu'e had failed the college entrance exam several times. Her boyfriend, who had passed the exam and gotten into university, coaxed her into coming to the county town, promising they would build a life together. But soon after arriving in the city, he changed his mind and dumped her. Then another letter came from home: they wanted to sell her to a crippled man from another village for bride money to help her brother get married. Xiu'e had a younger sister, and the thought that her 21Reads—Score—Shelves
20. 20 六 The 1960s: After Getting into Technical College, I Secure a Cadre Position 六零：考上中专后，我稳坐干部岗 Don't Know Any Better孬不道Modern Romance999k WordsCompleted [1960s + everyday life + extremely, extremely slow-paced + family squabbles + no rural assignment + vocational school entrance exams + few awful relatives] [This is a female-oriented novel! The heroine is an ordinary person, not a powerhouse heroine. Please don’t read if that bothers you.] Heartbroken and still looking for an internship? To escape reality, senior college student Zhou Yuan casually signed a contract for the full-immersion game Awakening. When she opened her eyes, she had become Z 17.2kReads8.5Score1.3kShelves

    Reader note

    This book, while not featuring a superpower or special abilities, does have a relatively minor one. Its lower rating is due to fewer reviewers. It primarily depicts the warm daily life of the main family. Its strength lies in its excellent portrayal of the era; this is the most historically accurate depiction I've read on Tomato Book. Prices are reasonable, details are meticulously researched, and there aren't many extreme characters, making it feel like living in that era. The only drawback is the slow pace; there isn't much romance yet. It can be enjoyed as a historical fiction combined with a farming/developmental story.

21. 21 六 The Sixties Villainess Wants a New Husband, and Her Rugged Army Officer Is Getting Anxious 六零女配要改嫁，糙汉军官他急了 Little Cat Doesn't Eat Lychees小猫不吃荔枝Modern Romance1.4M WordsCompleted [Main story complete] [Rural army-family third generation + dazzling beauty of a painter + no pocket dimension + slow-burn romance + both are each other's first and only love + ensemble cast in the latter half] Jiang Xizhu stays up all night painting, then opens her eyes to find herself in a period novel as the country fiancée of the male lead, who dies young. Her former fiancé is already married. By a twist of fate, she also ends up marrying a grubby, scruffy husband. They say she's shameless, 77.6kReads9.0Score10kShelves

    Reader note

    This book is absolutely amazing! It's one of the best historical fiction novels I've ever read. Most importantly, the supporting characters are all fantastic: Yin Yin, De Shan, Xiao Ping, the eldest sister, the second sister, Gu Haitian, Wang Jing… it's truly a wonderful read.

22. 22 改 Remarried to the Rough-Hewn Neighbor, the Young Bride Is Spoiled Rotten 改嫁隔壁糙汉，小媳妇被宠上天 The Eldest Miss of the Muzi Family木子家大小姐Modern Romance1.8M WordsOngoing Original title: "Left Alone at Home, the Neighboring Roughneck Has His Eye on Her" [1980s | Countryside | Realistic | Devoted Couple | Possessive Favoritism | Age Gap | Love Rival Showdown] In 1980, Li Chuntao is married off in exchange for her older brother’s marriage. But on their wedding night, her groom elopes with his old flame. Overnight, she becomes the village’s target of scorn, branded a woman who brings bad luck. Her mother-in-law calls her a jinx, while a pack of old bachelors eye 38.1kReads8.6Score1.5kShelves

    Reader note

    This story takes place in the 1980s. There are no cheat codes; it's a realistic depiction of events. Once you start reading, you'll be hooked and want to read it every day.

23. 23 文 The Art Troupe's Gorgeous Supporting Actress Charms an Officer and Raises His Kids 文工团漂亮女配，撩个军官养崽崽 Timid Girl懦女Modern Romance532k WordsCompleted The rating is low because the book just launched, but it's bound to rise! Ye Yijia was a rich and beautiful woman from the twenty-first century. She got so distracted admiring the abs of a handsome man on the beach that she tripped and fell into the 1970s, where she became the only female worker in the steel-rolling workshop. As for her family, her father brought two sons and her mother brought two daughters. Together, they formed the Ye family, and then had one daughter of their own, the origin 1.5kReads8.4Score168Shelves

    Reader note

    This author is amazing!

24. 24 七 Little One of the Seventies, Hoping to Make Dad a Dragon 七零小崽，望父成龙 Timid Girl懦女Modern Romance1.0M WordsCompleted [Period] [Rivals] [Ensemble Cast] [Everyday Family Life] [No Golden Finger] [The 1970s] [Book Transmigration] After transmigrating, Zhang Liuliu had been living the good life, convinced she was the chosen one. Here comes this gorgeous woman who’s going to get rich! Then one day, her beautiful mother stroked her head and said, “Liuliu, Mom is going back to the city.” Zhang Liuliu felt like the sky had fallen. It turned out she was living inside a book, and she wasn’t just not the heroine: she was 7.5kReads7.7Score740Shelves
25. 25 穿 Transmigrated into a Period Novel: The Villainess Is a Little Unhinged 穿进年代文：反派女配有点颠 Only Envy the Immortal Lord只羡仙君Modern Romance786k WordsCompleted Just because she made one snarky remark about people who were lovesick, Su Yitong transmigrates to the 1970s, becoming a young woman sent to work in the countryside in a remote, impoverished village. Still dazed, she takes a hostage and gets mistaken for an enemy spy, then locked in a woodshed. Only then does she realize she's transmigrated into a book as a melodramatic, ruthless villainess who meets a gruesome end! Follow the System's plot? Not a chance! This villainess loves doing the opposite 8.7kReads8.4Score585Shelves

    Reader note

    No special abilities, no cheat codes. But the people inside might be a bit eccentric [laughing and crying emojis][laughing and crying emojis], a bit crazy and funny, I love it [laughing and crying emojis][laughing and crying emojis]

26. 26 大 The Courtyard's Rebellious Son 大院逆子 The Too-Late Jinx为时已晚的克夫Urban203k WordsOngoing This is not a hero's story. It's the story of someone who is alive, living on behalf of those who died. Military life, the Sino-Vietnamese War of Self-Defense and Counterattack, reconnaissance soldiers, brotherhood, father-son bonds, a bygone era, growing up, passion, heartbreak, and tears. 94.3kReads7.6Score6.5kShelves

    Reader note

    👍👍👍👍👍👍👍

27. 27 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
28. 28 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
29. 29 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 81Reads7.0Score105Shelves
30. 30 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 5.3kReads6.8Score207Shelves
31. 31 糙 The Rugged Man’s Overwhelming Love: His Sweet Little Wife Falls for Him 糙汉强势爱，娇软小媳妇沦陷了 Su Jiabai苏加白Modern Romance1.4M WordsOngoing Originally titled “A Lonely Bed Is Hard to Bear, While the Rugged Neighbor Scratches at Her Wall Night After Night” [lonely nights / maximum sweetness / period setting / delicate beauty / devoted love / slow-burn romance / building wealth / glimpses of an ensemble cast / love at first sight / close proximity / sisters-in-law as foils] Delicate young wife × iron-willed, rugged man Hua Xiaoyue is left alone in an empty bed, the long nights hard to endure. Her family scolds her, her in-laws berate 9.3kReads8.5Score565Shelves

    Reader note

    Authentic rural life

32. 32 军 A Powerful Military Marriage: I Married the Strongest Soldier and Had Triplets 军婚霸宠：嫁最强兵王生了三胞胎 Su Jiabai苏加白Modern Romance1.0M WordsCompleted Triplets / Love at First Sight / Devoted Love / Adorable Kids / Scheming / Deep Devotion / 1980s / Alternate Setting / For When You’re Out of Books A sweet, soft-spoken little rabbit with steel teeth × a domineering, protective, fierce big wolf with a scheming side Ye Suisui was born in the 1980s. Fair-skinned and frail, with slender arms and legs, she looks like an easy target. Lu Zhengyao is 1.9 meters tall, with a fierce, icy presence. He can kick his cousin’s leg hard enough to break it, and 2.1kReads7.7Score258Shelves
33. 33 小 The Little Five-and-a-Half-Year-Old Bun Makes His Dad's Head Split in Two with Anger 小小包子五岁半，气得老爹头两瓣 Listening to Lotus in the Night Rain夜雨听荷Modern Romance1.3M WordsOngoing The manhua adaptation is now online. Enjoy! [Period setting + coming-of-age + a touch of ensemble cast. This little girl is just an ordinary child, with no superhuman strength or instant cheats. Her personality and background mean she will never let anyone push her around.] Li Tian, an overworked office drone, catches the latest trend and transmigrates into a book! The good news: she becomes a third-generation military family kid, with an impressive background! The bad news: she transmigrates in 321.3kReads8.6Score3.2kShelves

    Reader note

    It's just transmigrating into a book; there are no cheat codes or special abilities.

34. 34 六 Sweet Little Wife of the 1960s: The Educated Youth Dotes on Me Without Hesitation 六零小甜妻：知青宠我没商量 Another Road另路Modern Romance586k WordsCompleted [Steady Educated Youth vs. Beautiful Village Girl / Entire Cast Are Locals, No Golden Fingers or Black Markets / Everyday Life / Marriage First, Love Later / Flawed Characters / Leads Grow Together / Sweet Romance] Lin Yuan goes to the countryside at eighteen. As the youngest child in his family, he gets first pick of all the food and drink, giving him a broad-shouldered, narrow-waisted, long-legged frame that stands six feet tall. It doesn’t take long for someone to set their sights on him as s 65.3kReads8.9Score10.1kShelves

    Reader note

    This book perfectly captures the essence of ordinary, heartwarming daily life, as if transporting you back to that era.

35. 35 八 The 1980s: The True Heiress Strikes Back 八零：真千金逆袭记 Birdsong in the Quiet Mountains鸟鸣山幽Modern Romance527k WordsCompleted [Period Setting + Military Marriage + Fake and Real Heiresses + Self-Improvement + Everyday Life + Striving] [The heroine grows quietly, then amazes everyone; she won’t take abuse and always talks back] Xia Xiaoxi lost both her parents at a young age. Her uncle’s family moved into her home under the pretense of raising her, took all the family’s money, worked her and her brother to the bone, and eventually tried to make her take her cousin’s place in an arranged marriage. Furious, Xia Xiaoxi fou 190.3kReads9.2Score13.6kShelves

    Reader note

    A purely indigenous female lead, with no special abilities, just a clever one [smirk]. It's a good watch.

36. 36 共 Sailing Together 共舟行 Little Mouse Maomao阿鼠毛毛Modern Romance300k WordsCompleted [Small-Town Fiction | Slow Burn | 1v1, Both Leads Chaste | Ensemble Growth | Working-Class Struggles | Realistic | Period Setting] “Across a thousand miles, the boat speeds on; a letter of love rides home on the wind.” A small town in southern China in the 1990s A young man holds an unremarkable bouquet of roses And lays his feelings bare beneath the night sky From scraping by with a street stall to finding a way forward together Through wind and rain, they share life's many ups and downs This i 2kReads—Score114Shelves

    Reader note

    This book is great!

37. 37 重 Reborn as a Little Blade of Grass 重生之俺是一颗小小草 The Junior Sister Who Doesn't Like Clay Pot Porridge不爱吃砂锅粥的师妹Modern Romance255k WordsCompleted Reborn, Tian Jincao refuses to be a dependent vine in the big city ever again. She kicks her trash ex to the curb and resolutely returns to the mountains, determined to help the girls there soar, leave the mountains behind, and see a wider world. To her surprise, the man she had loved in her past life has also been reborn. When they meet again years later, the first thing he asks is, “Will you marry me?” Tian Jincao answers, “Yes. I absolutely will!” In their previous life, the leads missed thei 5Reads—Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    No special abilities, no cheat codes, a reasonable plot, not simplistic or mindless, it's good, go watch it!

38. 38 穿 I Transmigrated Into a Book Set in the 1970s and Married the Male Lead's Uncle 穿书七零嫁给男主他叔 The Junior Sister Who Doesn't Like Clay Pot Porridge不爱吃砂锅粥的师妹Modern Romance647k WordsCompleted Lin Susu woke up one day and transmigrated into a book, becoming the villainous female character in a period novel. In the book, the villainess sabotages the romance between the male and female leads, causes trouble at every turn, and ultimately meets a miserable end. Transmigrated Lin Susu declares: The male and female leads must stay together. Wouldn't it be better to cling to the uncle who's taller, more handsome, higher-ranking, and richer than the male lead? Her uncle says: “Be good, you ca 2.3kReads8.7Score207Shelves
39. 39 相 My Blind Date Was Stolen? The Gruff Army Officer Calls Me His Darling Every Night 相亲被截胡？糙汉军官夜夜喊她宝 Chang Xing Chang Xing长幸常幸Modern Romance644k WordsCompleted [Period setting + military marriage + sweet romance + marriage before love + family life; rugged older military officer and sweet young wife, eight-year age gap, he’s been plotting this for ages, one-on-one and both leads are each other’s only ones] Complete. Read with confidence! _ Su Ruan went on a blind date. The bad news: Her nemesis swooped in and stole her date. The good news: A stranger suddenly appeared and pretended to be her boyfriend, saving her face. The bad news: The man who saved h 17.2kReads8.4Score1.9kShelves

    Reader note

    This is a lighthearted and sweet novel without any special space or system, written in a slow-paced, gradual style, and feels very realistic.

40. 40 拖 The Tagalong Found Herself a Long-Term Meal Ticket 拖油瓶给自己找了一张长期饭票 Zhou Bei洲北Modern Romance475k WordsCompleted When her older sister got married, their stepmother made one condition: she had to take her younger sister, Mo Li, with her. So Mo Li went with her sister to her brother-in-law’s home. But after only a few days, her brother-in-law’s mother decided she ate too much and threw her out while her sister was away. With nowhere else to go, Mo Li turned to Ji Hefeng. Ji Hefeng had no desire to get married, but people told him, “She has nowhere to go.” “She comes from a respectable family. Marrying her w 8.7kReads8.4Score850Shelves

    Reader note

    🍀🍀A contemporary romance set in a modern era, focusing on marriage and love. The stepmother forces the older sister to marry and tries to drive the female lead away. The older sister takes the female lead with her to the wedding, but the female lead is ostracized in her in-laws' home, so she marries someone else herself. The male and female leads fall in love after an arranged marriage, and their relationship is quite good. A sweet and doting story. [Please follow][Please follow] ["Thank you, Xiao An. Xiao An is such a good boy." Molly smiled at Mo An. Bringing Mo An to live with her was to fulfill the responsibilities that the original owner of the body should bear. After living there for several months, she didn't regret her decision at all; on the contrary, she was increasingly glad to have brought Mo An along. She loved such a thoughtful and capable younger brother so much.]

41. 41 江 Life Afloat on the Riverbank 江岸浮生 Snake Eats People蛇吃人Modern Romance1.0M WordsCompleted [Contemporary realism + period chronicle + rural ensemble cast + women’s struggles] Spanning half a century of rural China, this book tells the story of three generations of women on the Jianghan Plain. Caught in the tides of history and the shackles of their families of origin, each struggles against fate in her own way and faces her inner demons, ultimately learning to live for herself. (I’m only here to tell the story as it is. I won’t give the characters perfect personalities. I’ll portray h 593Reads8.5Score106Shelves

    Reader note

    This is the only period novel I've ever recommended when I was experiencing a reading slump. I think it's a real shame if anyone misses it. It's heartfelt and tear-jerking, without any cheat codes or wish-fulfillment elements. It's a true story of three generations of women. Everyone who's read it says it's great, and those who haven't read it simply haven't.

42. 42 沉 Years of Quiet Reflection 沉淀的岁月 Li Xinxin李馨欣Modern Romance560k WordsCompleted The story follows the lives of three high school girls from rural backgrounds. In the fall of 1964, the confident, ambitious “top student” Yu Hongying, the warmhearted and forthright “knight-errant” Li Chunfen, and the reserved, introspective lady Yue Shuqian unexpectedly meet in their first-year dormitory, along with the “campus belle” Yang Yuhuan and the “fake Marxist-Leninist” Wu Lihong. This sets off a series of stories, some serious, some amusing, some bizarre, and some full of joy and sorr 544Reads—Score—Shelves
43. 43 最 The Strongest Clan: No One in the Yu Family Backs Down 最强家族：郁家无怂人 A nomi阿nomiModern Romance549k WordsCompleted Yu Yu thinks the sky has fallen. She turns out to be the fake heiress. The real heiress is coming in hot. What should she do? Sniffle, Dad, are you still going to care about me? Oh, good. As long as you still do. Boohoo, Big Brother, you can't treat her better than me. Fine, I won't. And just like that, the sky clears again. In a turbulent era, great families struggle to survive. The Yu family alone stands firm, unyielding! When family members scheme and the world turns ruthless, the Yu fami 6.6kReads8.0Score341Shelves

    Reader note

    Normal two-point era text

44. 44 1 In 1975, I Went to the Countryside to Escape Disaster 1975年我下乡避祸 Niu Shi牛柿Urban1.5M WordsCompleted This is not a feel-good power fantasy. There is no pocket dimension, no System, no rebirth, and no transmigration. The times are turbulent, and the road ahead is uncertain. To protect Li Chengxiao, his family bears the pain of sending him to the countryside for an assigned rural posting, away from danger. Alone, he puts down roots in the village, enduring hardship and lying low with quiet resolve. With his unique insight and steady temperament, he establishes himself amid adversity, discreetly b 91.3kReads8.5Score11.1kShelves
45. 45 婆 When the Mother-in-Law Takes Charge, Her Son Returns to a Shocking Sight 婆婆当家，儿子归来傻眼了 A Mushroom一枝蘑菇Modern Romance571k WordsCompleted For the two years since her son got married, Yang Yufen never showed up. Everyone said she was a mean mother-in-law who looked down on her daughter-in-law, Qin Nian: she didn’t help when Qin Nian was pregnant, and she was nowhere to be seen when her grandson became seriously ill. It wasn’t until Qin Nian had an accident and the child died that Yang Yufen finally came to her senses. At the hospital, she saw her missing son with a homewrecker. She slapped him, only for the woman to shove her down 15.4kReads9.2Score1.8kShelves

    Reader note

    Highly recommend this book! 🐼🐼

46. 46 三 Three-Inch Golden Lilies 三寸金莲儿 Yi Fengchen逸风尘Modern Romance290k WordsCompleted The 1960s. In a dilapidated mansion in Northeast China, the Fan family had eight children, and Fan Jinlian'er became their only source of money. The girl with tiny bound feet supported the entire Fan family. To feed the whole household, Fan Jinlian'er became the family’s bargaining chip. They married her off again and again in exchange for bride prices. They didn’t care whether the groom was blind, lame, or an old man. As long as the betrothal gifts were generous enough, Fan Jinlian'er had to ma 147Reads—Score112Shelves

    Reader note

    Both are suitable

47. 47 水 Water Willow 水性杨花儿 Zhang Xiaoshu张小殊Modern Romance2.3M WordsOngoing (The rating was just added and will rise. It's already going up!) Neighbor Guo Hongmei ran off with another man? What? That man is Yang Hua'er's husband, Zhao Dashan? Talk about gossip coming right back to bite you. They say nine out of ten people born in the Year of the Sheep are fated to have a hard life, but Yang Hua'er doesn't believe in fate. Even without a man, she can still make a warm and happy life for herself. 9.8kReads8.2Score657Shelves
48. 48 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 4.2kReads7.5Score220Shelves

    Reader note

    This novel, set in Beijing during a specific era, is very realistic, featuring family, friendship, love, and human emotions. It also includes exciting business battles and clashes in a savage era, full of memories of the time. It's a deep read; those looking for a lighthearted, fast-paced story should avoid it.

49. 49 躲 So What If You Hid for Five Years? The Commander Still Has You Wrapped Around His Finger 躲了五年又如何，首长又被拿捏了 Flowing Clouds, Purple Journey流云行紫Modern Romance557k WordsCompleted [Period setting + fake siblings + the hero is a stubborn coward at first + Marriage Before Love + groveling chase + a straight man's change of heart] Fu Chenzhou is the feared devil of the military camp in the Northwest, impervious to bullets and blades, cold-hearted and emotionless. Except when it comes to Qin Moyu, for whom he falls completely and utterly. She is the “younger sister” he has raised and doted on, but when she turns fifteen, he develops feelings for her that he shouldn't have. He 3.2kReads—Score275Shelves

    Reader note

    Everyone is a native, no cheat codes, no systems, no rebirths, no time travels, everyone has brains.

50. 50 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 89.5kReads9.4Score5.4kShelves

    Reader note

    Highly rated, smooth-flowing period novel! Highly recommended! It seems a few books feature spatial abilities, but these aren't particularly useful and don't significantly impact the plot.

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