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. 151 关 The Guanshan Saber 关山刀 Yearning for Yaoshan尧山眷恋Historical86k WordsCompleted On the twenty-third day of the twelfth lunar month, the Kitchen God ascended to Heaven. Yan Feilong's father did not come home. Three days later, his mother was found dead in the village temple, a wound in her stomach. The twelve-year-old boy slipped a chipped knife into his clothes and walked into the salt flats, looking for a man: tall and thin, with a mole on his chin. He found him. Three strikes. One for his father, one for his mother, and the last so he could go on living. His revenge was d 41Reads—Score—Shelves

   Reader note

   A novel set in a normal era, my first new work, "The Swordsman of Guanzhong".

2. 152 荒 A Traveler in Years of Famine 荒年客 Yearning for Yaoshan尧山眷恋Urban338k WordsCompleted A survival epic about ordinary Chinese people. From rural China to the torrents of modern life, three generations of the Hou family are swept along by the tide of history. The grandparents put down roots in the land. Their values, admonitions, and “family scandals” form the family's original identity and its shackles. The parents struggle through a time of transition, inheriting heavy burdens while kindling a desire to change their fate. As someone born in the 1980s, I linger at the divide betwe 137Reads6.6Score105Shelves
3. 153 埋 The Sister Buried Beneath My Feet 埋在我脚下的姐姐 Yearning for Yaoshan尧山眷恋17k WordsCompleted The Sister Buried Beneath My Feet 6Reads—Score—Shelves
4. 154 东 Tales of the Northeast: Women Who Climbed Over the High Walls of Grand Estates 东北往事之翻过深宅高墙的女人们 Midnight Woodpecker午夜啄木鸟Modern Romance865k WordsOngoing In 1946, on the black soil of Northeast China, Chunxiang, daughter of tenant farmer Wang Mazi, marries Liu Laogen, the landlord's son. Her father receives several acres of good farmland and dozens of silver dollars as a handsome betrothal gift. She thinks she has married into wealth and will live a secure life as a young madam, but Liu Laogen has a hidden ailment, and their marriage proves to be one in name only. Chunxiang is determined to escape the prison that has trapped her, but her greedy f 53.7kReads8.7Score3.1kShelves

   Reader note

   Completely in line with the era

5. 155 穿 Transmigrating to the Seventies: The Young Educated Youth Is Dumbfounded 穿越七零，小知青她懵圈了 Miss Zhou周大小姐Modern Romance1.8M WordsOngoing (Everyday life of sent-down youth, not a strong female lead, a touch of an ensemble cast, unhurried pacing, with a couple) Gu Xiaoman, from the twenty-first century, dies suddenly after getting drunk while celebrating landing a job. She wakes up aboard a green-painted train carrying sent-down youth in the 1970s. No space, no System, no golden finger, and not even the original owner’s memories. She’s definitely the most wretched transmigrant in history, with none of the usual perks. Good heavens! 12.4kReads8.7Score1.3kShelves

   Reader note

   No special abilities, no system, no cheat codes, no overpowered characters, the female lead is not omnipotent, both the male and female leads are educated youth sent to the countryside, a small ensemble cast, no overpowered characters, everyone is intelligent, and the plot fits the era…

6. 156 替 The Swapped Brides: Whose Fault Is It? 替嫁姐妹，谁的错！ March Knows Painting三月知画Modern Romance1.6M WordsOngoing This book has been adapted into two comic dramas: "The Swapped Brides, Whose Fault Is It?!" and the brand-new version, "Sisters Breaking Free." In a poor, remote village in the 1980s, the Tang family favors sons over daughters. Their three girls are nothing but bargaining chips for bride prices. One absurd bride swap and three exorbitant bride prices send the sisters into three difficult marriages. Struggling through the mud, bound by entanglements for half a lifetime. The long-suffering Tang s 42.6kReads8.4Score1.8kShelves

   Reader note

   My darlings! This period drama is here! The plot is realistic and engaging, the story is fast-paced and engaging, and updates are consistent – plenty to read!

7. 157 旧 Childhood in the Old Days 旧时光里的童年 The Second Kid in the Old Days旧时光里的小二Urban134k WordsCompleted The author recalls a rural childhood in Wuchang County, Heilongjiang Province, during the 1970s and 1980s. The book describes rural life and the changes brought about by the household responsibility system in the early days of reform and opening up, along with the joys and hardships of the author’s childhood before the age of ten, major family upheavals, and the warmth and coldness of human nature. 41Reads—Score—Shelves

   Reader note

   This is a historical novel about the lives of ordinary people, written based on the author's personal experiences. It describes the harsh living conditions of that era, the major family upheavals the author experienced, and the warmth and coldness of human relationships. The plot is touching and tear-jerking.

8. 158 回 Back in 1977, I Married the Queen of the Daughters' Kingdom 回到1977年，娶了女儿国国王 Ji Yuning季宇宁Urban2.2M WordsCompleted Ji Yuning transmigrated back to 1977. He went from being a 21-year-old educated youth returning to the city to a literary young man, a great poet, and a famous novelist. It was all thanks to his memories of his previous life and the books he copied. But his greatest reward was marrying a wife as beautiful as a fairy. 11.7kReads8.0Score759Shelves
9. 159 逃 After Escaping, She Built a Beautiful Life with Her Child 逃离后她带娃美丽 I, Zhu Kongyang lll我朱孔阳lllModern Romance1.7M WordsOngoing Pushed down the stairs by her daughter, she wakes up in a hospital bed, where she is left unattended for three whole days. Meanwhile, her husband is lost in a lovey-dovey reunion with the woman he thought he’d lost forever. Her in-laws, sister-in-law, and daughter seem to be the ones who truly belong together as a loving family. Her heart is utterly shattered, beyond repair. She never had family to begin with, so why keep longing for their affection? Goodbye. She’s leaving to find a life of her 14Reads—Score—Shelves

   Reader note

   A typical historical fiction story, recommended!

10. 160 七 The 1970s: My Father, the Literary Giant 七零之我的文豪父亲 Ji Wa'er吉娃儿Modern Romance353k WordsOngoing [Historical era + actors + literary master + not a mainstream Tomato style + not an over-the-top wish-fulfillment story + everyday career-building] Read with caution if this isn't your thing. This book is also known as: "After My Father, a Yenching University Professor, Returned to the City, I Became a World-Class Best Actress"; "A Lie-Fat Life, Carried by Two Entertainment Industry Titans"; "The Seventies: A Reborn Father and His Transmigrated Daughter's Career Diary"; "The Seventies: A Pioneer 151Reads—Score107Shelves

    Reader note

    A combination of actors from a bygone era and a literary giant. Primarily focused on dual career storylines. Not mindless or simplistic; emphasizes family relationships. The female lead works at the Beijing Film Studio, co-starring with Liu Xiaoqing, Tang Guoqiang, and others. Her father, a professor at Yenching University, returns to the city to write novels and screenplays, promoting his daughter's career. The father and daughter become synonymous with Asian entertainment. A slightly slow start.

11. 161 听 Songs of the Listening Wind Tower 听风楼歌 Splashing Water from the Far Bank隔岸拍水Urban186k WordsOngoing Why does Xiangju run a business that only loses money and never makes a profit? She treats relationships just as carelessly, elbowing her way to the top of the airport’s Twelve Most Beautiful Women. She has Hong Zhi and Brother Gen fighting over her in a jealous brawl, and instead of being ashamed, she’s proud of it. After her eldest daughter gets into a prestigious university, she works hard and becomes independent. She tutors and models cars in her spare time, and accompanies her professor to 790Reads—Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    A heartfelt story set in a bygone era, a deep love story unfolds in the Listening Wind Pavilion. Amidst the most ordinary of everyday moments, who can truly soothe the extraordinary heart of a man?

12. 162 我 I Am a Scout: Zhan De 我是侦察兵一一湛德 Splashing Water from the Far Bank隔岸拍水10k WordsCompleted I’m a Scout: Zhan De 1Reads—Score—Shelves
13. 163 王 Wang Mingzhen Reborn in 1997 王明贞重生一九九七 Big Boss Norma诺玛大大Modern Romance223k WordsCompleted (The rating has only just come out and will rise, so please ignore it.) The heroine is reborn and resolves to become the person she wants to be. Who knew an unexpected turn would bring her face-to-face with the big shot from her previous life? He’s volatile, clingy, and always on the verge of tears. She has no choice but to take him along as she rises to the top. When Wang Mingzhen learns she can’t have children, she wants to break up. She tells Gu Xizhou, “Gu Xizhou, I want you to be happy. Do 190Reads6.4Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    The female lead comes from a family that favors sons over daughters, so she stays away from awful people. The male lead is a ruthless man who's also obsessed with love, but he's not stupid. It's a satisfying read.

14. 164 庸 Beware the Mediocre 庸人小心 Yin Mu殷木Urban370k WordsCompleted Realistic fiction · Unrequited love with a bad ending · Small-town life · Ordinary people · Coming-of-age · No golden finger Based on the true experiences of friends, this story is told from a male first-person perspective and follows Jiang Xin through the ups and downs of his youth in a small southern county town from 2005 to 2014. He was once an elementary-school prodigy admired by everyone. But from the moment he started middle school, his life quietly began to veer off course. As a boy, he 201Reads—Score107Shelves

    Reader note

    This is a purely realistic period drama set in a small town in the 1990s, without any supernatural abilities or cheat codes. The plot is down-to-earth and avoids any unrealistic tropes like spaces, systems, rebirth, or time travel. The entire story is based on the real-life backdrop of a small town in the 1990s, without any supernatural plot devices or precognitive abilities. It follows the simple, ordinary growth path of an ordinary person. The protagonist, Jiang Xin, is an ordinary boy of average talent, without any special items or precognitive abilities. All the ups and downs in his life are driven by his own personality, the environment of the time, and his actual livelihood. He falls from being a top student to struggling financially in his youth, wasting his school years. As an adult, he works away from home, constantly struggling and living in poverty. There are no plot twists like sudden wealth or a miraculous comeback. The story unfolds at a slow and realistic pace. The daily life in the neighborhood, at school, and at work is faithful to the realities of that era. It avoids melodramatic family feuds and exaggerated conflicts. The characters' actions are logically consistent with ordinary people, and there are no absurd plots where a space or system solves all problems. The writing style is light and restrained, focusing on the everyday life and the subtle regrets of growing up. There are no fantasy elements or personal items throughout; it is a purely realistic coming-of-age story set in a small town in the 1990s, with normal logic and a consistent narrative.

15. 165 七 The 1970s Military Wife Who Traded Farming for High-Tech Innovation 七零军嫂不种田，硬核点科技树 Xiao Xiao Mingqiu小小明秋Modern Romance1.8M WordsOngoing [Soul Transmigration to a Past Life + Military Marriage + Career + Raising Kids + Everyday Life as an Army Wife + No System + No Pocket Dimension + Growth in Scientific Research + Rebuilding Family Ties + Slow-Paced Ensemble Story] [An alternate setting in the 1970s] Su Yingke, a top physicist, discovers that her research has been stolen. In a fit of anger, she destroys her experimental data, only to unexpectedly transmigrate into her own past life in the 1970s, becoming an army wife with two 17.8kReads8.9Score2.2kShelves

    Reader note

    Give this one a try.

16. 166 高 The Matriarch of a Powerful Family Reborn as a Wicked Cannon Fodder in a Period Novel 高门主母穿成年代文中恶毒炮灰 The Light of Fuguang扶光的光Modern Romance249k WordsCompleted (1980s setting + transmigrate into a book + everyday life + sweet romance + feel-good story) Just after Su Ke became a First-Rank Lady of Imperial Decree, she transmigrated into a vicious cannon-fodder female character in an 1980s romance novel. The original character worked as a nanny in the male lead's home. Just as the leads were about to confess their feelings, she barged in, only to accidentally help them make up and get together sooner. As a disposable side character, the original woman's 9Reads—Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    No special features or cheat codes, this is basically a slice-of-life story!

17. 167 弃 Leaving Love Behind in the 1970s: The Doctor Goddess Orphan Is Doted on by the God of War 弃爱七零，医神孤女被战神独宠了 Gave It a Shake, and Got Yao摇了个瑶Modern Romance1.4M WordsOngoing Others transmigrated to the 1970s, and Wen Sui'an did too! While others who transmigrated either latched onto powerful patrons or brought along a pocket dimension, Wen Sui'an was lucky enough to get the Qihuang System! She can only earn points by treating and saving people. No patients, no perks. The original owner was a timid pushover, arranged to share a household with Shen Yubai and look after two little ones. Her future stretched out before her, filled with grievances and thankless chores. S 9.2kReads8.1Score1kShelves

    Reader note

    She transmigrated into a body of a military officer and was pampered by her rough-and-tumble husband.

18. 168 南 Leaving on the Journey South 南下归途离开 Shanjiu's Home杉玖家Urban371k WordsCompleted Every so often, a generation leaves home to make a living, leaving its youth behind on construction sites and streets far from home. Our fathers left the mountains with worn-out woven-plastic bags on their backs, heading south to find work. They knew nothing of polished talk. They only knew to keep their heads down and work hard, relying on brute strength to feed their families. They lived in cramped shacks, endured grueling day and night shifts, and swallowed their homesickness and grievances. 24Reads—Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    You made money outside, but you can no longer find your way home. You left the mountains at the age of twenty-four. You carried a snakeskin bag on your back and a crumpled train ticket in your pocket. You told yourself: "I'll come back after I make money." Forty years later, you returned to the village entrance. The road was repaired, the streetlights were on, but you didn't know where to go. The old house's walls were peeling, the roof was leaking, and the courtyard was overgrown with knee-high grass. You stood at the door, the key wouldn't go in the lock—it was rusted shut. You squatted on the threshold and smoked a cigarette. When it was finished, you stood up and put the key back in your pocket. You didn't know whether to repair the old house or turn back to Guangzhou. You worked in the big city for forty years, building bridges, constructing buildings, paving roads, but none of those high-rises were yours. Every month you sent money back home, the remittance slip's remarks saying, "Cheng'an's tuition, study hard." You supported your son through university, and he stayed in the city. You sent every penny of the money you earned in your life back home. But your hometown is no longer your hometown. You've become a stranger who can't return, and a stranger who can't integrate into your hometown. Nearly 13 million people in China have returned to their hometowns to start businesses. They are the group of people who "return to their nests in spring" after the "peacocks flying southeast." They worked outside for ten, twenty, or thirty years, saved some money, learned some skills, and met some people, then returned to their hometowns, trying to put down roots again. But putting down roots is harder than leaving. Some returned to their hometowns to establish agricultural machinery cooperatives, providing full-process mechanized services to surrounding villagers. Some returned to their hometowns to grow rice, expanding from 200 mu to more than 600 mu. Some brought back the experience they accumulated outside, leading their fellow villagers to develop ecological agriculture and create a circular industrial chain. Some rose from assembly line workers to regional general managers, finally choosing to return to their hometowns. They came back. But the road back is longer than the road out. "Going South" is about those forty years of "going out." The protagonist, Shoushan, left the mountains of Guizhou, took a six-day, five-night train ride to Guangzhou, and worked as a steelworker for forty years. He supported his son through university, and his son became a "second-generation farmer"—studying, working, and living in the city, never to return to his homeland. The "70s generation" are unwilling to farm, the "80s generation" don't know how, and the "90s generation" don't even talk about farming—this is the reality facing rural areas. When Shoushan finally saved enough money to return home, he found: the land was uncultivated, the houses were empty, and all the young people in the village had left. He didn't know where to spend the money he had earned. *Going South* is not just about a migrant worker's forty years. It's about—when someone spends their entire life sending the next generation out of the mountains, only to have that generation never return, who will guard those mountains? 55 years, four generations, 70 chapters. This is not a novel about "success." This is a novel about "the journey home"—where you came from, can you ever return? If you've ever considered returning to your hometown—read *Going South*. It will tell you: the road you took to leave was one you forged step by step. The road back was one you earned with a lifetime of effort. *Going South*—a realistic epic of ordinary people. Not all departures have a return date, not all waiting has an echo. But the light must not be extinguished.

19. 169 昂 A Life Full of Vigor 昂扬的生命 Pomegranate Blossoms in May榴花映五月Modern Romance616k WordsCompleted I dedicate this book to the first generation of only children, and to the teachers’ college graduates who devoted themselves to education in this land. Each person has only one life. How should we live this one and only life? Looking across history and around the world, many inspiring books have explored this theme. I, an unknown nobody, hope to join their ranks and have chosen the same theme. I hope my work won’t be lost among the masterpieces of celebrated writers. This work will focus on Ji 224Reads—Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    This book is set in a normal era and tells the story of the changes in a small town in western Sichuan over the past fifty years, as well as the struggles of three generations of a family.

20. 170 女 The Female Bank President's Last Resort 女行长的穷途末路 Xu Ci珝慈Modern Romance102k WordsCompleted A teller's act of withholding checks toppled the first domino in the bank run at Yunhai City Commercial Bank. Though bank president Ma Yuquan fought desperately to contain the crisis, she ultimately could not counter the enormous fallout from the sudden disappearance of the bank's major shareholder and the head of its controlling rural bank. Ma Yuquan sensed the situation was full of hidden twists and turns, yet never revealed the secret of who she had been with during her brief disappearance, w 928Reads9.3Score123Shelves

    Reader note

    Realistic themes, traditional literature

21. 171 9 The 1990s: I Help the Whole Village Read Feng Shui 90年代：带着全村给人看风水 Xu Zhixiao许知笑Modern Romance62k WordsCompleted A modern feng shui master transmigrates into a poor fishing village in the 1990s. The moment she opens her eyes, her aunt is pressuring her into an arranged marriage and a bride swap! Armed with her ancestral compass, she breaks the "Wealth-Leaking Curse" and saves the chicken coop; she dispels the "Reverse Bow Water" and prevents a flood. She proves her worth and gives skeptics a face-slapping, carving out a place for herself in the village. From renovating the village committee's warehouse to —Reads—Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    Travel back to a fishing village in the 1990s, where a feng shui master uses a compass to ward off evil spirits and develop businesses, leading the entire village from poverty to prosperity. This book combines intangible cultural heritage preservation with rural revitalization, making it not only enjoyable but also heartwarming. It's worth reading many times!

22. 172 重 Reborn in the 1960s: I Became Grandma’s Little Sister 重生六零：我成了外婆的妹妹 Jing Jiuzhe荆九折Modern Romance73k WordsOngoing [When an ordinary person is reborn in a rural village in the 1960s, forget about getting ahead or making grand plans. First, stay alive.] [1960s rural life + family and neighborhood affairs + education and growth + ensemble cast] [Not a wish-fulfillment story, not a wish-fulfillment story, not a wish-fulfillment story. Please don't read if that's not your thing. Thank you.] When Zhu Yan wakes up in the body of her grandmother's second-youngest sister, who died young, she vows to change her grand —Reads—Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    A very normal historical fiction story, without any cheat codes or special effects.

23. 173 冷 The Cold-Faced Officer's White Moonlight 冷面军官的白月光 Bai Zhe白柘Modern Romance98k WordsOngoing That night, they sat on the steps outside the photography studio, eating wontons. The July heat in Shanghai was stifling as a steamer, and cicadas poured their cries from the plane trees’ canopies, spreading them across the ground. Shen Zhi prodded a wonton with her chopsticks, then suddenly asked, “How did you get by during those two years in Yemen?” 3Reads—Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    A love story of those born in the 1980s, adapted from true events, entirely realistic, with an artistic flair, a slow-burn romance, perfect for an afternoon with a cup of tea, read at your own pace without rushing the plot.

24. 174 6 At Sixty, I Took on a Scoundrel: I Will Never Lose My Mountain Factory 60岁硬刚无赖，我的山厂绝不丢 The Right Way in This World Is to Be a Vendor人间正道是厂商Modern Romance351k WordsOngoing [Written at the request of Ms. Zhan Xin, whose story inspired this novel. All proceeds will be donated to the China Women’s Development Foundation to help women in poverty take legal action.] Jinshi is a peculiar place that has seen four county magistrates sent to prison in a row. A game known as “catching the New Year’s pig” has long been popular there. They pick a few pigs with shady pasts, herd them into a pen, and keep an eye on them as they live. When the New Year comes, they choose one to 1Reads9.2Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    [Note] The time span is quite long, from 1985 to 2025, a very realistic era, without those exaggerated and melodramatic system spaces or anything like that. I personally really like the resilient female protagonist at sixty.

25. 175 石 Shi Shun's Growth 石顺的成长 Shi Shunzhi石顺之Modern Romance320k WordsCompleted About Growth At the foot of the Dabie Mountains, a young man named Shi Shun journeys forward, one step at a time. Over the first half of his life, he experiences sincere family affection, treasures friendships forged through hardship, encounters tender love, and strives to build an ordinary career. He grows from a naive, awkward youth into a steady and responsible man, tempering his character amid the everyday bustle of life and coming to understand what life means through the companionship of 4Reads—Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    A truly moving and authentic piece of writing from a bygone era.

26. 176 最 The Purest Love 最纯洁的爱 Happy Soy Milk快乐的豆浆Urban2.0M WordsCompleted Qin Feng returns to China after completing his studies in Russia, just as the country reforms its education system and universities abolish guaranteed job assignments for graduates. He then moves with his family to a coastal city, where he meets Xie Lan, a local girl from the countryside. Xie Lan is six years younger than Qin Feng and left school after junior high. They come from vastly different backgrounds in age, education, and family circumstances. Both sets of parents oppose their relations 3Reads—Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    The purest love is like the snow-covered forest in a fairy tale that never melts, where every snowflake is filled with deep affection, serene and romantic.

27. 177 五 One of the Five Categories: My Career in Government Is on the Fast Track 五类人员:我的仕途开了挂 Whose Wondrous Pen凭谁妙笔Urban585k WordsCompleted [Officialdom + Getting Things Done + Realism + No Special Recruitment] A village official’s ten-year journey from the bottom to the top! From a confused young man lured back to his hometown to a pillar of the nation’s central government, Zhao Zhang spends ten years starting out in the most humble of villages. Amid the sweeping changes of poverty alleviation and rural revitalization, he follows his commitment to serving the people through practical work and his dedication to continuous learning, 2Reads—Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    Set against a true historical backdrop from 2015 to 2025, the story spans from poverty alleviation to rural revitalization, from the fight against organized crime to the rectification of corruption among the masses, battling village bullies and the pandemic. The protagonist rises step by step, achieving a remarkable comeback after ten years!

28. 178 重 Reborn in the 1970s: After Divorcing, I Cleared Out My In-Laws’ Home and Went to the Countryside 重生七零：离婚搬空婆家去下乡 Laughing Mad Sword狂剑笑Modern Romance638k WordsOngoing [1970s Setting, Rebirth Power Fantasy, Spirit Spring Space, Making a Fortune, Miracle Doctor, Revenge] Synopsis: On the sixteenth day of her marriage, Xiao Mandong grabbed a thermos full of boiling water and smashed it over her cheating husband and widowed sister-in-law on the bed! In her previous life, she had given everything to support the Lu family, only to have her child switched, her loved ones die tragically, and herself left to die alone with terminal lung cancer. Reborn, she refused to 5.4kReads6.5Score602Shelves

    Reader note

    It's a very normal historical fiction story. Although it has a cheat system, it's not very useful. Trust me!

29. 179 穿 Reborn as a Vicious Woman in the 1970s, I Got Rich After Turning Over a New Leaf 穿成七零恶女，弃恶从善后暴富了 Zi Shan Mu Yu子山木雨Modern Romance130k WordsOngoing A marriage first, love later. One-on-one, devoted couple. The leads focus on building their own careers. After working herself to the bone for days, Xia Tian, the office workaholic, gets into a car accident from driving while exhausted. When she opens her eyes again, she discovers she has transmigrated to the 1970s. Worse, she’s caught in the act by her mother-in-law. “You shameless hussy! You were the one who kept throwing yourself at my son, and now you dare to cheat on him while he’s away? I’ —Reads—Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    In this perfectly normal era, there are no special abilities or cheat codes. The male and female protagonists work together to make a living.

Other lists with The Guanshan Saber