Looking for Period Dramas Like Xia Xiaolan's. Similar Is Fine, but Not Too Different 🙏 求跟夏晓兰差不多的年代文差点也行。别差太多🙏

1. 1 重 Reborn in the 1980s: My Wife Is a Little Spicy 重生八零：媳妇有点辣 Dressed in Splendor宝妆成Modern Romance5.0M WordsCompleted Her parents died young, her family was poor, and she was plain-looking. Xia Xiaolan had been dealt a terrible hand, but after nearly twenty years of hard work, she became an executive at a multinational corporation and finally put her life back on track... Then she wakes up to find herself reborn in the 1980s, as another Xia Xiaolan, this time with a face capable of bringing a kingdom to ruin. The original Xia Xiaolan had been dealt a winning hand, but chose to take her own life under the pressu 45kReads9.5Score5kShelves

   Reader note

   Both are equally brilliant, just from different male and female perspectives; a must-read for those in business [kissing emoji] The smart people of the 1980s

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
3. 3 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 95.8kReads9.6Score8.7kShelves

   Reader note

   These three books are divided into three parts. The first is a heartwarming and peaceful story where the female protagonist transmigrates into the body of a suicidal supporting character in her cousin's period novel. She decides to stay away from the male and female protagonists and uses her knowledge to live a stable and happy life in the 1970s. The second book is told from the male protagonist's perspective and showcases the customs and culture of Northeast China in the last century. This book is really good and the writing is smooth. The third book is one that many people will enjoy, focusing on the gossip-loving side of the characters.

4. 4 重 Back to 1985: Tales of the Northeast 重回1985：东北往事 Heading North向北Urban1.9M WordsCompleted These are fiery years spent feeling one’s way across a river by touching the stones, a time of thriving vitality where the bold could eat their fill, and of wild growth where big shots were everywhere. The rules of this society have never changed: the meek fear the tough, the tough fear the ruthless, the ruthless fear the reckless, and the reckless fear those who don’t care if they live or die. But even those who don’t care if they live or die fear madmen. And so, Zhou Dongbei went mad. (TV adap 86.2kReads9.6Score8.8kShelves

   Reader note

   Excellent! A must-read for those who appreciate good writing, plot, character development, and logical consistency!

5. 5 成 Why Help Others Get What They Want? I’ll Choose Myself 成全别人？不如成全自己 Yue Cangyun Nali月藏云那里Modern Romance235k WordsCompleted In the book, Xu Jing'an spent her whole life helping others and putting them first, yet in the end, no one even said a kind word about her. This time, she's going to look after herself first and do what's best for her. 141.6kReads9.5Score11.6kShelves

   Reader note

   The first book features Xu Jing'an, who is incredibly rational; this period drama feels remarkably realistic. The second book tells the story of how she successfully transformed her wayward husband through manipulation and pranks, turning him into a loving husband, father, and family man!

6. 6 穿 Transmigrate Into a Book Set in the 1970s: The Cannon-Fodder Female Lead Gives Up and Takes It Easy 穿书七零：炮灰女配咸鱼了 A Little Feather一个小羽毛Modern Romance468k WordsCompleted [Period setting + Transmigrate into a book + Spatial powers + Married] She wakes up as the central figure at a funeral, having transmigrated into a period novel as a spiteful, selfish woman. Well, in that case, she might as well let loose. Her persona is already established, and she has a golden finger. Why work hard when she could have a wonderful life without lifting a finger? Liu Qingqing declares, “I’m going to be a couch potato.” 18.1kReads9.3Score1.8kShelves

   Reader note

   I also got hooked on novels after reading Xia Xiaolan, and then I almost went crazy reading historical fiction. I think these few are pretty good 😊

7. 7 七 The Song Family's Daughter in the Seventies 七零宋家女 Nerve Plug Girl神经插头姬Modern Romance662k WordsOngoing In her previous life, she was a little-known singer. She gave her life trying to save a child who had fallen into the water. When she opened her eyes again, Song Sheng had become the third daughter of the Song family in the 1970s. Her family was so poor they could barely make ends meet: her grandmother played favorites to the extreme, her third aunt bul 3kReads6.6Score241Shelves

   Reader note

   I absolutely loved these two books; they're about a family of sisters who united as one and built their fortune together.

8. 8 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
9. 9 穿 Transmigrating to the 1970s: The One-Shot System Takes Me to New Heights 穿越七零：秒杀系统带我飞 Mu Ran9牧然9Modern Romance1.4M WordsOngoing The rating just came out, so it’ll go up later! 1970: I Have a Golden Finger and a Maxed-Out Family Ding! Your limited-time flash-sale System has been bound! Wen Jingshu, an English major in graduate school in 2024, was halfway through studying for the civil service exam when she transmigrated. When she woke up, she’d become a graduate student in trade and economics in 1970. Her father was a police bureau chief, her mother a section chief at the agricultural bureau, her eldest brother a battalio 62.7kReads8.5Score7.8kShelves

   Reader note

   [Learned] Traveling back to the 1970s, Wen Jingshu, armed with a limited-time flash sale system, rises from a lowly purchasing clerk at a supply and marketing cooperative to achieve a meteoric rise. She hoards scarce goods, secures large foreign trade orders, and spearheads the construction of an instant noodle factory, earning awards and promotions through sheer ability—her career soars. With supportive family, the story is rich in period detail, packed with satisfying moments, and fast-paced, addictive – a truly exhilarating period drama.

10. 10 重 Reborn in the 1970s: My Wife Is a Little Spicy 重生七零：媳妇有点辣 Verdant Willow Hues青青柳色Modern Romance2.6M WordsCompleted In her past life, Jiang Xiaonuan earned a place at university, only for her own sister to steal it. Then her sister and her scumbag boyfriend teamed up to frame her. Her sister went on to become the elegant, respectable wife of a high-ranking official, while Jiang Xiaonuan spent her life in poverty and misery. Reborn at the end of the 1970s, Jiang Xiaonuan punches her scumbag ex, kicks her heartless sister to the curb, and gets thrown out by her cruel mother. She takes down every rotten jerk who 5.3kReads9.0Score624Shelves

    Reader note

    Both of these are period dramas, similar to Xia Xiaolan's works. You might want to check them out.

11. 11 黑 The Black Lotus Returns Reborn, and Her In-Laws Tremble in Fear 黑莲花重生归来，婆家瑟瑟发抖 Rice Bowl 114饭碗114Modern Romance1.3M WordsCompleted Original title: The Black Lotus Is Reborn, and Her In-Laws Tremble in Fear Short dramas: The Crazy Stepmother and New Life from Old Snow In her past life, Su An was abused by her husband. After she called the police, the officer told her it was a family matter and not their concern. She fled to her parents' home for help, but her grandmother said, “Take care of the kids, cook the meals, look after the elders, and hand over your wages every month. Then he won't hit you, will he? That's how it is 57.7kReads9.5Score6.9kShelves
12. 12 小 With My Hands Behind My Back, I Transmigrated to the 1970s, Where I Can Make Trouble and Money with Ease 小手一背穿七零，搞事赚钱样样行 Heavy Clouds云沉沉Modern Romance1.0M WordsCompleted Also known as "Transmigrating into a Book Set in the Seventies: I Collect Eighty-Eight Paychecks Every Month" Su He woke up one day and transmigrated into a period novel, becoming a fake heiress who had been sent back to her village. In the book, the ungrateful real heiress was practically blessed by cheat codes, with schemes and tricks appearing one after another. The Su family ended up destroyed, while the original owner wished she were dead. Looking at her impoverished home and family members 101.8kReads9.6Score10.1kShelves

    Reader note

    A highly-rated historical fiction novel that surpasses even Xia Xiaolan's! I stayed up all night reading it! [Facepalm][facepalm][facepalm][facepalm]

13. 13 八 After Rejecting the Match in the 1980s, I Opened a Canteen at a State-Owned Factory 八零拒婚后，我在国营厂开饭馆 Fairy Pond Koi仙池锦鲤Modern Romance500k WordsCompleted [Reborn] + [The 1980s] + [Gourmet] + [Building a business] Shen Qingyue returned to the 1980s. In her previous life, her family drained her dry, and all three sisters were cheated by their grandparents. Reborn, she refuses to be a sucker again. She takes on the unreasonable troublemakers, and whoever picks a fight with her gets crushed underfoot. After splitting from the family, she starts a business with her sisters, opening a restaurant at a state-owned factory. The troublemakers fail to get t 3kReads9.0Score237Shelves

    Reader note

    She's just as beautiful as Xia Xiaolan. The female lead takes over a state-owned factory restaurant with her lunchbox-selling skills, selling spicy hot pot and barbecue, attracting many customers. No matter how much food she prepares, it's never enough to sell. No matter how much money she earns, she's always broke, investing all her profits in the next project—a sure-fire way to make money.

14. 14 怕 Help! Pregnant with Twins, and This Rugged Man Won't Stop Spoiling Me! 怕！双胎体质，被糙汉掐腰猛宠！ Cute Little Mango可爱小芒果Modern Romance1.0M WordsCompleted (Complete) (Period setting + rugged man + devoted husband + everyday life + devoted couple, one-on-one romance) As a minor cannon-fodder shrew of a supporting female character in a period novel, she was destined for a miserable ending that would leave everyone sighing with pity. But sorry, I'm here now. Looking at the man before her, with his straight, sturdy posture, phoenix eyes, and high nose, both his face and physique seemed made to match her tastes perfectly. Bai Yueji: How thoroughly brai 82.4kReads9.4Score5.4kShelves
15. 15 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 73.7kReads9.1Score8.3kShelves

    Reader note

    Well, the female lead is an old lady, and her children are all scheming and have their own agendas. After the old lady is reborn, she sharply criticizes each of them, and each character has a distinct personality and their own hidden agendas. It's both realistic and funny.

16. 16 改 Reforming My Good-for-Nothing Husband, Starting at Age 20 改造废物老公，从20岁开始养老 Teletubby Without an Antenna没有天线的天线宝宝Modern Romance1.1M WordsCompleted [Period story x making money x family and village life x a touch of ensemble cast x raising kids] Lin Hui has a dream. In it, she turns fifty after spending twenty-seven years as a widow, struggling to raise her children, only to develop cancer and die before she can enjoy life. When she wakes, she finds herself back in 1980, the year she just married Xu Dongsheng, the “lazy bum” of the surrounding villages. She grits her teeth. She absolutely cannot let her life follow the path in her dream. Fr 34.3kReads9.1Score4.2kShelves
17. 17 穿 I Transmigrated to the 1970s and Led My Whole Family to Wealth 穿越七零我带领全家发家致富 Blue and Miserable Girl蓝瘦姑凉Modern Romance239k WordsOngoing Zhou Sheng had just won a sanda championship when she died in an accident at the hands of an obsessed fan wielding a knife. When she opened her eyes again, she had traveled to the resource-poor 1970s and taken over the body of a country girl who had become mentally disabled after being injured while saving someone. From then on, she used the memories of her previous life to build a business and make her fortune in the 1970s. What’s more, with her remarkable intelligence, courage, and resourceful 9Reads—Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    This is a great book whose title doesn't do it justice. The female protagonist is intelligent and leads her family to wealth.

18. 18 重 Reborn in the 1970s: The Educated Youth Wants to Let Go 重生七零：知青想放手 Qu Linglong曲玲珑Modern Romance2.6M WordsCompleted [Ensemble Cast, No Space, No System, Not a Wish-Fulfillment Story] One scheme tied two people’s lives together. Reborn in the 1970s, Zhu Xiaomin is determined to scheme her way back. First, she’ll set free the other unlucky soul who’s just like her. Second, she’ll tear that scumbag apart. But things seem to be slipping out of her control. The unlucky one came rolling back on his own and won’t leave, no matter how much she tries to drive him away. Well then… she’ll keep him. “I’ll protect you thi 11kReads9.1Score1.2kShelves

    Reader note

    This is the best novel I've ever read. It has no special abilities or cheat codes, making it a typical "feel-good" novel, but it also has many ideas that made me laugh out loud. The content is fantastic, completely different from the formulaic nature of other rebirth novels. It's definitely worth reading.

19. 19 带 Taking the Taobao System with Me to the 1970s 带着淘宝系统穿七零 2 Chuan2川Modern Romance2.1M WordsCompleted Technically minded military officer VS powerful, down-to-earth woman; the heroine builds her career. The System plays a small role early on, then gets to take it easy. Period setting + comedy + both leads devoted only to each other “When a lie-flat System meets a crazy Host” Other people transmigrate to the 1970s: fight nasty relatives, make money, and marry a soldier. Xiang Nuan transmigrates to the 1970s: ✓ Fails to be reborn six times, then angrily kicks the coffin lid off ✓ Hacks her relativ 23kReads9.4Score2.7kShelves

    Reader note

    This book is good, but it's rare to find a female protagonist who works as a lawyer while Xia Xiaolan is a businesswoman.

20. 20 考 Go to College, Build the Power Grid! She Conquers the ’70s 考大学，搞电力！穿七零她赢麻了 The Dream Wanderer回梦人Modern Romance2.4M WordsCompleted ~A short drama is in production. Stay tuned!~ Gu Yaotang’s life dream is to be a happy, irresponsible gambling addict. Just as he runs farther and farther down the road to becoming a scumbag, his usually obedient daughter suddenly starts acting like she’s been struck by lightning. Every day, she rebels and finds new ways to torment him. Whenever this little devil of a daughter catches him gambling, she beats him up, then makes him work! Enough! Why should I put up with this? Gu Yaotang’s coun 20.6kReads9.0Score2.3kShelves

    Reader note

    Like Xia Xiaolan, every female protagonist is strong, inspiring, and career-oriented! The ensemble cast is also exceptionally well-written.

21. 21 怼 Clapping Back and Making Money Feel So Good 怼人和赚钱都好爽啊 Goldfish Huaguoguo金鱼花果果Modern Romance1.9M WordsCompleted [Period Setting + Reborn + Face-Slapping and Scum-Bashing + Top Student + Corporate and Business World] Complete! Reborn in a poor village in the 1980s, Xia Yan is dealt a terrible hand: her biological father is seriously ill, her mother favors someone else, and she has no money for school. Xia Yan quickly fights back. She collects the debts owed to her, gives her abusers a piece of her mind, and protects the money she earns herself! Her elders watch her transform from a well-behaved girl int 6.9kReads9.1Score898Shelves
22. 22 重 Reborn at Fourteen, I Made 99 Buildings 重生十四岁我挣了99栋楼 Miss Xia*Miss 夏*Modern Romance1.1M WordsCompleted [Reborn + strong female lead + business + top student + realism + independent heroine] He Wenlin, the daughter of migrant workers, is reborn in the year 2000! She has not dropped out of school yet, her father has not been scammed, and her family is debt-free! Given a fresh start at life, she is determined to change her fate and leave no regrets! She sells boxed lunches, opens a food factory, sells holiday goods, and trades in shoes and clothing. Whatever makes money, she does it. At seventeen, w 1.7kReads8.3Score153Shelves
23. 23 只 I Only Wanted to Sell a House and Make a Quick Buck, Not Steal the General Manager Away 只想卖房捞一笔，没想拐走总经理 One Digit, One Technique一桁一術Modern Romance1.2M WordsCompleted I’m reborn!!!? And I still don’t have a golden finger~~ At first, Yin Yi only wanted to change her miserable fate as a mortgage slave in her previous life. By chance, a bubbly saleswoman from a real estate office dragged her along to collect a bag of rice. And so began her journey to becoming a sales champion. She might not have a golden finger, but she had good luck and kept unexpectedly finding customers. She raked in the cash, determined that there was no way she’d be a mortgage slave in this 7.3kReads9.4Score816Shelves
24. 24 重 Reborn in 2007: From Internet Celebrity to Queen of Investment 重生07，从网红到投资女王 Not Late 11不晚11Modern Romance1.0M WordsCompleted [Reborn + grounded realism + escaping a toxic family + making money] Jiang Xue was reborn, returning to 2007. Her father didn't care for her, her mother didn't love her, and they expected her to work in a factory tightening screws! There was no way she was going to work in a factory. The internet was still wide open in 2007, and WeChat and Weibo hadn't even launched yet. Using her makeup skills, she became a celebrity on Tianya, a makeup artist for stars, a renowned photographer, one of the firs 11.2kReads9.0Score1.2kShelves
25. 25 穿 After I Transmigrated into a Book, My Sons' Golden Fingers Merged with Mine 穿书后我和儿子们的金手指合并了 Iron Empress Dowager铁太后Modern Romance1.7M WordsCompleted [Twins + Space + System + Book Pavilion + Military Marriage + Everyday Parenting] The male lead is basically just a background character, though he gets a little more screen time later on. Qiu Yinuo transmigrates into a book, becoming the vicious supporting female character in a period novel, as well as the future commander’s plump wife, who dies young. As the wife of a powerful man, she has everything she could want, yet she makes trouble at every turn and ends up bringing about her own death 35kReads9.4Score5.1kShelves

    Reader note

    👉These books are just as good as Xia Xiaolan's! 👈 First book: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Qiu Yinuo, the female CEO of a listed company, gets into a car accident involving three cars! She unexpectedly travels back to the 1970s, a disastrous start! Her husband, a soldier whose fate is unknown! Her mother-in-law, who has run away from home and lost her memory! Moreover, her two sons are not simple either; one is a future top star, and the other is a physics genius. Her two precious sons are actually the two people she was in the car accident with. The second book, with its heartwarming, inspiring, and hilarious plot: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ The female lead, Lin Xiangnan, marries a military rogue to avoid being sent to the countryside. There's no rural setting because the female lead is a modern person who transmigrated and can't endure hardship, haha. The third book: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ The female lead, Shen Danluo, is reborn and awakens a cheat ability. To make up for the family's ruin and hardship in her previous life, she leads all the women in her family to awaken their cheat abilities, fight against eccentric relatives, and capture various lurking spies. The plot is full of twists and turns, and you never know what will happen next. In short, it's incredibly exciting!! The fourth book: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ The female lead, Ming Dai, is mistakenly taken by the Black and White Impermanence. She could have lived to eighty, but she dies prematurely, and her body is already cremated. There's no other way but to send her into a book to live a second life. So, the mad village bully that everyone feared, the one who beat anyone he saw, was completely under the female lead's thumb. In the end, he was cured by her and became her innocent, adorable puppy! Fifth book: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ The female lead, Su He, transmigrates to the 1970s, with only two words on her mind: making money! To maximize her wealth, she takes on multiple jobs—in a food factory, a machinery factory, a textile factory, and so on. Ultimately, because she's so good at making money, all the major factories are vying for her attention, wanting to possess her!

26. 26 带 I Brought a Fortune to the 1970s and Became the Boss of the Family 带着巨额财产穿七零，成家中一霸 The Sun on the Mountaintop山顶的太阳Modern Romance1.0M WordsCompleted Period drama + military marriage + pocket dimension + family life On the first day after Lin Xiangnan transmigrates, her family gets into a huge argument over sending someone to the countryside. At first: “So what if I have to go to the countryside? I've got hundreds of millions of supplies in my pocket dimension. How could I possibly fail to get by out there?” After helping her second great-uncle weed his fields for two days: “There's no way I'm going to the countryside. I'm lazy, gluttonous, a 105.4kReads9.3Score8.9kShelves
27. 27 重 Reborn in the 1970s: Grandma, Today It's Your Turn to Get Divorced 重生七零：奶，今天轮到您离婚啦 Great Golden Immortal大罗金仙Modern Romance1.8M WordsCompleted Also known as: Reborn in the 1970s as a Lucky Little Carp with Space Tens of billions in supplies, serving the country, the family’s darling, adorable child, satisfying story In her previous life, Shen Danluo’s family was harmed by her wicked second uncle, and she avenged them all by herself. Now she has been reborn with a space that can exchange for all kinds of supplies. In this life, she will change everyone’s tragic fate. Take down the worst offenders and punish the scum. Then quietly make a 34.5kReads9.5Score4.4kShelves
28. 28 七 A Mad Couple in the 1970s 七零年代疯批夫妇 The Colorful Xue Jingfei色彩缤纷的薛静妃Modern Romance1.2M WordsCompleted Historical era + green tea schemer + obsessive love + unhinged + powerful lead + everyday family life + pocket dimension + food + healing + transmigrate into a book This is the story of two unfortunate souls saving each other. After transmigrating into the countryside as a little orphan, Ming Dai meets Zhou Sinian, a mad powerful man who loves wearing red headscarves. Under the protection of his reputation, she manages to establish herself in the village. Zhou Sinian was a cannon-fodder characte 107.2kReads9.3Score11kShelves
29. 29 还 I Have Three Months Left to Live, So Let Me Die in Peace 还剩三个月命，请让我从容赴死 Reclining in the North高卧北Urban169k WordsCompleted From childhood onward, Zhuang Zi'ang was the kind of kid everyone called “the child other parents wish they had”: a model student every year and always first in his class. But after his parents divorced and his father started a new family, he became a child neither parent loved. At just eighteen, Zhuang Zi'ang is diagnosed with a terminal illness and given only three months to live. With his final three months, he decides to let out his rebellious, wild side and be truly himself for once. While 166.5kReads9.8Score19.1kShelves

    Reader note

    I used to only read novels over a million words, but this novel changed my perspective on short stories. At only 170,000 words, everyone who's read it has given it a good review. Highly recommended! [Heart][heart]

30. 30 穿 Transmigrate to the 1970s: The Lucky Star Sets the World Ablaze 穿越七零：福运大佬燃翻天 Beef with Green Peppers尖椒牛柳Modern Romance1.2M WordsCompleted Synopsis: Futuristic high technology, strengthening the country and enriching its people, the whole family’s darling, a lucky charm, power fantasy Gu Jinxiu arrives in the 1970s with a pocket dimension full of future technology. After getting revenge on her scumbag father, who married into her mother’s family, and her wicked stepmother, making their lives worse than death, she takes her younger brother and heads to the countryside in style. Out in the countryside, she builds a career and runs bu 10kReads9.1Score1kShelves

    Reader note

    What's even more exciting is that the female lead goes to the countryside as an educated youth, leading the villagers to do side businesses, participate in trade fairs, and earn foreign exchange, making the villagers rich.

31. 31 带 I Traveled to the 1970s With a Dedicated Worker System 带着敬业系统穿七零 Ma Nini马尼尼Modern Romance1.8M WordsCompleted Xu Taotao, a descendant of imperial chefs, keeps her culinary skills hidden while living among ordinary people. Then she dies suddenly from overwork and gets bound to a workaholic System, which sends her to the 1970s. She becomes the famously ugly daughter of a butcher at a meat-processing plant. Determined to become beautiful, she has no choice but to keep working hard. With her superb cooking skills, she climbs the career ladder, gets a raise, and marries Professor Gu... No, wait! “Ding-dong! 17kReads9.1Score2.6kShelves

    Reader note

    I have something to say about period dramas [Admiration]: These few are really good, all of them are "light and cheerful," and I don't recall any angst. The female leads are really great ☀️ the kind that sparkles. They're the kind of books that will make you laugh out loud while you're reading them. So if you like this style, give them a try! The "period feel" in many of them is quite natural.

32. 32 六 The 1960s: The Walk-On Character Made Her Fortune Through Divorce! 六零：路人甲她靠离婚发家了！ I Want to Be a Landlord我想当房东Modern Romance1.3M WordsCompleted Period setting + satisfying revenge + strong heroine + transmigration + multiple male leads There’s a different male lead in every phase of her life, and the heroine won’t stay for anyone. She’s selfish. She has a pocket dimension, but she’ll have to steal to get it. Rather than deal with awful people, the heroine would rather make them furious. P.S. This story includes an unconventional romance. Please read with caution if that bothers you. After dying suddenly, the embittered office worker Zho 11.4kReads9.3Score1.5kShelves
33. 33 渣 After My Scumbag Ex Was Stolen, I Thrived in the Military Compound 渣男被抢后我在军区大院蒸蒸日上 Lin Juejue林觉觉Modern Romance1.0M WordsCompleted [Devoted, tough soldier husband + pampered heiress] [One couple, faithful to each other] Su Ying is reborn at nineteen, right at the scene where she catches someone cheating. Before anyone arrives, she makes a deal with the “other man” in front of her: they’ll get married. Next, she methodically kicks the scumbag to the curb, exposes her green-tea sister for what she is in front of everyone, and places a newspaper notice severing her mother-daughter relationship. In this new life, if you can go 17.9kReads9.3Score2.5kShelves
34. 34 上 After Turning In the Script, the Useless 1980s Female Supporting Character Wins by Doing Nothing 上交剧本后，八零废物女配躺赢了 What a Huge Melon好大的瓜Modern Romance626k WordsCompleted Shen Zhixia finds a script inexplicably appearing in her mind as soon as she is born. In the script, she is the foil to the heroine of a period novel. The heroine Li Zhidong’s parents are hardworking, kind, honest, and down-to-earth. Everyone for miles around knows them as good, honest people. Shen Zhixia’s parents are mean, lazy, greedy, and shameless. Everyone for miles around knows them as the worst kind of people. Li Zhidong will make many influential connections and have countless admirers. 12.3kReads8.3Score934Shelves
35. 35 八 The 1980s: The Newly Popular Starlet Transmigrates into a Book and Lives It Up 八零：新晋小花穿书后日子爽翻了 Happy Lemon幸福柠檬Modern Romance436k WordsCompleted (Period + powerful male lead + sweet or sassy + never takes abuse + devoted husband + mind-reading moments + building a fortune) Su Luyun is a rising star who has taken the entertainment world by storm. After refusing her cousin's request to use her for publicity, her cousin wrote her into a novel as a disposable foil to the heroine! Su Luyun: “...” She looked at her comatose husband, a handsome 185-centimeter-tall man lying in bed after being injured in the line of duty, so good-looking he made 29.1kReads8.8Score1.7kShelves
36. 36 六 The Beloved Darling of a Remarkable Family in the 1960s 六零年代极品一家人的团宠 Sunny Peach桃子晴朗Modern Romance533k WordsCompleted [Beloved by all in a period setting + shrewd self-interest + a whole family of eccentrics + ensemble cast + personal dimension] Jiang Yuan thought she was the heroine, since she got bound to a lousy System from the start. Well, the System was completely useless. All it did was make her sing “Little Messy” in front of her whole family in the middle of the night. It also turned her into a romance novelist, writing ridiculous, melodramatic stories that got her blacklisted throughout Hong Kong, forc 6.7kReads9.0Score438Shelves
37. 37 穿 After Transmigrating to the 1980s and Becoming a Substitute Bride, I Became the Army Officer's Most Beloved 穿越八零替嫁后我成了军官心尖宠 Over Ten Thousand a Day日收过万Modern Romance1.6M WordsCompleted [Transmigration + Substitute Marriage + Military Marriage + Stepmom + Mutual First Love] (Fictional Military Marriage + Everyday Life as a Military Wife) Yang Niannian, a college student, was so furious after losing ten ranked matches in a row in Honor of Kings that she blacked out and transmigrated to the 1980s. The moment she opened her eyes, her mother was pressuring her to marry, sobbing and sniffling all over her. “Lu Shishen is a soldier with a secure government job. If you marry him, you’ 111.3kReads9.2Score14.6kShelves

    Reader note

    1. Lin Yuzhu, a trio focused on careers, with limited romance, but a good read. 2. The female lead is a modern-day transmigrator, and the male lead is a young general who transmigrates with memories of his past life. Their son is the son of the male lead's comrade-in-arms. The female lead is career-oriented and not a saint.

38. 38 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, set in a 1960s town, depicts the lives of ordinary people. The female protagonist's parents are both working, and she is still in junior high school in the city. The family scenes are very heartwarming. There are few eccentric characters—no military marriage, no rough men, no scumbag fathers, no stepmothers. It's a warm and down-to-earth family story, full of everyday life, so simple and peaceful that it makes you want to keep reading. 🌸

39. 39 八 In the 1980s, the Commander Stopped Pursuing Me, and I Found Happiness Divorcing with My Child 八零，首长不追了，带崽离婚真香 Spicy Strips That Aren't Spicy辣条不辣Modern Romance1.1M WordsCompleted Completed, with bonus chapters. A short drama adaptation is now online. (Rebirth, comeback, ex-husband begs for her back, second male lead wins) In her previous life, her son and the son of her husband's fallen comrade's widow fell into the water at the same time. Her husband saved the widow's son. After suffering the loss of her child, Jiang Yi spent thirty years in a miserable marriage, then died of grief. Reborn in a single moment, she returns to the time before her son falls into the water. 36kReads8.7Score3.6kShelves

    Reader note

    If you like fast-paced movies, watch this one. It covers love, family, and career. The female lead isn't that shrewd, but that's what I like more.

40. 40 回 Back in the 1980s, Starting My Career Anew 回归八零再就业 Lost but Not Lost迷途不迷途Modern Romance2.1M WordsCompleted While everyone else who transmigrates gets to live another life, Qi Xinlan loses twenty years of hers! One moment she's a thriving, ambitious administrative director at a multinational corporation; the next, she's a fifty-two-year-old woman. This is the bittersweet story of how the white-collar elite Cindy Qi became Auntie Qi to her neighbors. Her most promising son is gone, her daughter-in-law has run off, and a whole bunch of little children are left behind! See how a modern HR and administrat 16.3kReads9.5Score1.6kShelves

    Reader note

    I think this one is better than Xia Xiaolan's. The female protagonist rides the wave of opportunity, closely follows the government's lead, and leverages the development of the vegetable basket and non-staple food markets to help her family's village develop its economy, making her own family wealthy as well. What's even more impressive is that she not only became rich herself, but she also taught her children and grandchildren about interpersonal relationships and social skills. I learned a lot.

41. 41 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

    Xia Xiaolan's novel is always my top pick among period dramas. Whether it's the scope, values, worldview, rich plot, or the author's broad knowledge, her heroines are always positive, inspiring, and upwardly mobile—truly strong female protagonists. I also like the other three of her books; you might want to check them out.

42. 42 重 Reborn in the 1980s: From the Start, I Took a Factory Job 重生八零，开局进厂打工 Jiang Twenty蒋二十Modern Romance1.2M WordsCompleted Ji Yunxi transmigrates into the role of a universally loathed supporting character, the female foil to the heroine. The heroine endures endless hardships without giving in, while Ji Yunxi lives in comfort, spoiled and cruel. During the 1987 wave of migrant labor, the heroine gets into college and finally holds her head high, while Ji Yunxi uses connections to land a job on an assembly line. The heroine lives out a romantic drama straight from real life every day, while Ji Yunxi seethes with jeal 47kReads8.4Score5.2kShelves

    Reader note

    Recommended by a reader with 20 years of experience

43. 43 重 Reborn in the Nineties: Starting a Fortune with the Factory Girls 重生九零，致富从厂妹开始 Dragon Musk龙麝香Modern Romance607k WordsOngoing [Reborn in the 1990s: A Career-Driven Female Lead] Lin Wei returns to the 1990s with decades of business opportunities at her fingertips. She cleverly puts surplus fabric to use, starts her own business, and builds her fortune from nothing. She brings her hardworking mother and timid younger sister to live with her, giving them a stable and comfortable life. She helps women trapped in difficult circumstances and teaches them how to earn a living and stand on their own. The factory girl from the 1.3kReads—Score104Shelves
44. 44 百 The Many Flavors of Life, Part One: A Snowy Night of Lost Souls 百味人生第一部：失魂风雪夜 w Nankew南柯Modern Romance1.0M WordsCompleted Family, love, and adultery. This small mountain village seems peaceful, but undercurrents run deep, and human dramas of sorrow and joy unfold every day. On a bitterly cold, snowy night, a young and beautiful mother is assaulted and becomes pregnant. Afterward, she lives every day in fear and pain, desperately trying to keep the secret. When the truth comes to light, the demon who has appeared in her dreams countless times has never really gone away. What will the mother do? This book offers a 14.6kReads9.2Score1.5kShelves

    Reader note

    The writing is excellent, the language is sharp, and the word choice is accurate, perfectly interpreting the idea that home is a warm harbor.

45. 45 七 A Marriage Swap in the 1970s: I Marry the Strongest Officer and Get Doted On 七零换亲，嫁最强军官被宠麻了 Plenty of Lemons柠柠有余Modern Romance893k WordsCompleted (Reborn + period setting + marriage first, love later + strong heroine) Gao Wenyue and Gao Hongyan were both reborn. In their previous lives, Gao Wenyue married Liu Changfu, the director of a woodworking factory, while her younger sister married Lu Xiangye, an army officer. The Lu family parents were senior leaders at a machinery factory, and Lu Xiangye was a promising young officer. Everyone said her sister had married better. But who could have guessed that Gao Hongyan would complain about the 348Reads8.1Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    This book is really good, it's really good. The female protagonist is reborn and starts doing business step by step. She is very smart in business. It's super good.

46. 46 惊 Astonishing! The Top Scientist Is Being Kept by the Strongest Officer 惊！科研大佬被最强军官吃软饭了 Huang Xiaobai黄小白Modern Romance1.1M WordsCompleted [1970s setting + transmigrate into a book + pocket dimension + making money + apocalypse powerhouse + romance + military marriage + scientific research] [Also known as: Military Marriage: The Fierce Beauty Goes to the Countryside to Crush Her Enemies Without Taking It Easy] [Content warning: The heroine is extremely protective of her food. She spends the early part of the story in the countryside, for about 450 chapters, before turning to research] [Content warning: There is a male lead, but he 17.5kReads9.3Score1.8kShelves

    Reader note

    Don't be misled by the title of this book. The protagonist initially works as a sent-down youth in the countryside, and only later does he conduct scientific research on weapons. Overall, it's a very good read. 😊 The apocalyptic tycoon Qiao Yunxi transmigrates into a period novel, becoming a character with no lines—a corpse used as a tool. At the beginning, someone tries to kill her, so she turns around and turns that person into a strange, mentally challenged person. Her adoptive mother tries to steal her job and house, so she paralyzes her adoptive mother and hands her over to her lover. Her adoptive sister tries to ruin her reputation, so she turns around and signs her up to go to the countryside, preparing to repay her with a 'perfect man'! Want to steal her bicycle? She'll pop your eyeballs and bring you to justice, thus catching a fugitive wanted for years. Want to steal her money? Then choose a burlap sack; from then on, the name 'Pink Burlap Sack' resounds throughout Shenjia'ao. The village scoundrel tries to defile her, so she gives him a boar in return; from then on, the scoundrel becomes pigeon-toed. The man jumped down from the wall, looking at the petite figure in front of him, wielding a stick and beating people with incredible ease and joy. He hesitated slightly: "Um, I think I went the wrong way. Why don't you continue?" From then on, he embarked on a journey of taking the blame for her, carrying her on his back until finally carrying his wife, Qiao Yunxi, on his back: "Weren't you discharged from the army?"

47. 47 罗 Luo Zijun Reincarnates Before Her Divorce 罗子君魂穿离婚前 A Little Spark on a Tree一树小火花Female-Channel Fanfiction211k WordsCompleted How can a good-for-nothing housewife make the most of her life? Give Luo Zijun another chance. Give the Desperate Housewives another chance. Sometimes marriage isn't just about love. It's also about money, power, trust, balance, and a whole host of other issues. If I could live my life over, could I change the first half of it? Could I break the curse of relying first on my husband, then on my best friend's husband? 33.7kReads9.4Score3.1kShelves
48. 48 资 The Capitalist's Daughter Takes Her Vast Fortune to the Countryside to Join the Army 资本家小姐携巨额家产下乡随军 Zero Point Two Seven零点二七Modern Romance1.1M WordsCompleted [A stone-faced military officer with bulging muscles and a complicated mind VS a delicate, radiant heiress from a wealthy family] [Military Marriage] [Light Sci-Fi] [Sweet Romance] [Easy, Satisfying Read] [Light Fantasy] [Goofy Robot] [Combat Pet] [Cards] [Lightning Powers] A word of warning: The heroine talks about keeping a low profile, but doesn’t act like it. If she has a golden finger, she’ll use it. Leng Yunhuan had just won the Grand Slam for Best Actress when she stayed up late playing a 9.5kReads8.5Score1.6kShelves

    Reader note

    Take a look at this book and see if it meets your requirements.

49. 49 军 Sweet Military Marriage: The Rich Heiress Is Doted on by All, and Has Triplets 军婚甜蜜：白富美被团宠一胎三娃 Wen Xingyun温幸运Modern Romance2.0M WordsCompleted Military marriage + 1970s + reborn + sweet romance + life with the troops In her previous life, Jiang Yue was set up by her enemies and believed the slander spread by her fake-sweet friend. She misunderstood her husband and made a scene in the family compound, trying to get a divorce. In the end, she became the troublemaker everyone in the compound hated. After a carefully orchestrated explosion, Jiang Yue was reborn in the 1970s. She came back stronger than ever, pampering her husband and putti 3.5kReads9.0Score475Shelves

    Reader note

    The title of this book held it back, but most importantly, it's now complete! The content is quite good. The female protagonist is reborn with memories of her past life, sees through many of the old tricks, makes many changes, and lives a rich and colorful life in this world. Come and see how she outwits and outmaneuvers her troublesome past self!

50. 50 重 Reborn in the 1960s: This Heroine Is a Little Crafty 重生六零：这个女主有点茶 Plain Robes, Pure Melody素衫清韵Modern Romance1.4M WordsCompleted The person the members of Lengshuigou Production Team hate most is A Cha. She may be young, but she’s ruthless, and she’ll steal chickens or pull any other dirty trick. On top of that, she’s impossibly hard to kill: her father and mother are both dead, and anyone who gets close to her is doomed to bad luck. But Gao Qingyang doesn’t care. He keeps finding ways to get close to her. He knows A Cha isn’t nearly as awful as people say. She’s a good person! 6.6kReads9.1Score571Shelves

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