Any More Realistic Stories Set in a Particular Era? Looking for Recs 有没有真实一点的年代文啊？求推荐

1. 251 重 Reborn in 1980: The Village Beauty Can Read Fortunes 重生1980：村花媳妇会算卦 Snowfall Through the Years飞雪流年Urban1.2M WordsCompleted The live-action short drama and comic adaptation are now available. If you're interested, click the “More Adaptations” button in the bottom right to watch. Longtime bachelor Lin Feng finally gets his lucky break: he transmigrates back to the 1980s and marries a village beauty so stunning she's almost too beautiful to be real. She has a tiny waist, long legs, and a captivating smile. The only problem is, she's an idiot! But Lin Feng loves her to death, because this girl has an astonishing talent: 12.6kReads8.2Score1kShelves

   Reader note

   This book is written in a very realistic and simple style. It tells the story of a modern young man who travels back to the 1980s. Because his family is poor, he can only marry a mentally challenged woman. Unexpectedly, this woman is not only beautiful, but also knows how to tell fortunes. With her abilities, she not only becomes rich, but also bravely fights against evil people and eventually reaches the pinnacle of success.

2. 252 1 Another Spring of the 1977 College Entrance Exam 1977年高考又一春 Young Master Xiaoxiao孝孝公子Modern Romance3.6M WordsOngoing [A story-driven take on history. Note: There is no single fixed protagonist. Multiple leads reflect the changes of the era and offer a full picture of the 1977 restoration of the college entrance exam.] [The story focuses on several main characters: Hu Wei and Wang Ting, Pan Xia, and Lu Xiaoyun. Their stories weave in and out according to the timeline. If you prefer to follow one character at a time, you can read their chapters in sequence for a complete biography. The other characters may only 5.4kReads8.0Score399Shelves

   Reader note

   Good books are hard to find, and this one is absolutely fantastic! [Sending hearts][Hearts][Sending hearts] Focusing on the entire process of the resumption of the college entrance examination, this is a captivating classic period novel! Adapted from a true story, it tells the tale of a protagonist who overcomes adversity to succeed in the exam and seizes opportunities to accumulate wealth. With a devoted wife and children by his side, the book is filled with delicate details and a fast-paced narrative, brimming with warmth and inspiring ambition. Written from the perspective of ordinary people, it deeply moves readers and is a masterpiece of both period fiction and documentary literature!

3. 253 烟 Love Amid the Fireworks of Life 烟火今生情 Witty and Clever妙语玲珑Modern Romance108k WordsCompleted The story of a young woman studying biopharmaceuticals as she grows from an inexperienced college student into an adult making her way in the world, encounters a terrible man, and struggles through a thorny path. Along the way, she finds a close male friend and a soulmate, and grows through her independent efforts... 29Reads—Score—Shelves

   Reader note

   Urban life, a realistic portrayal of a bygone era!

4. 254 回 Back to 1968: I Won't Be a Baby-Making Tool 回到1968：我不当送子工具人 Little Orange Who Loves Strawberries爱吃草莓的小橙子Modern Romance643k WordsCompleted [No CP] [Period] [Book Transmigration] [Women's awakening] [Political career] [Scientific research] [Pocket dimension] [No child-rearing] [Ensemble cast] [Reborn] Xie Yun, a modern orphan, returns to 1968 and becomes Xie Yun, a country girl raised by a widowed mother, with an exceptionally capable younger brother named Xie Shen. She discovers that she hasn't just transmigrated through time, she's also transmigrated into a book: a story about a stepmother raising children, where she is the first 9.4kReads9.3Score756Shelves

   Reader note

   The first book realistically depicts the shopping habits of ordinary people in rural areas under a planned economy; the second is a true female empowerment novel, with compelling female mutual support and thoughtful reflections on women's living conditions and the era itself; the third features a protagonist with a special advantage, yet the family bonds are portrayed warmly, touching upon the hardships endured by the previous generation in building Xinjiang; the fourth book shows a female protagonist who changes her destiny through education.

5. 255 疏 Sparse Ink Shines Through the Winter Chill 疏墨照岁寒 Meimei and Hehe美美与和和Urban189k WordsCompleted In an era of taboos, he boarded a train with no way back. Winter, 1973. Sui Muhan, a young intellectual sent to the Great Northern Wilderness, finally got leave to visit home and boarded the train back. He was the child of a “Black Category” family: his father was a professor locked away in a cowshed, and his mother, once a pianist, could only make pasteboard boxes. He silently endured the blizzards and denunciations of the Great Northern Wilderness, believing he had long ago lost the ability to 408Reads6.5Score100Shelves

   Reader note

   A very realistic historical novel

6. 256 平 The Plains' True Colors 平原底色 Ban Liang搬凉Urban116k WordsOngoing Beginning in the twenty-first century, this novel follows Fang Lizhu, a child of the post-80s generation growing up in the rural Jianghan Plain of central China. Through Fang Lizhu's education, work, and the many people he meets and events he experiences, the novel portrays how life has changed for people across the plains since the start of the new century. It also depicts the many ways ordinary people respond to sweeping changes in a new era and a shifting social landscape: the choices they ma 17Reads—Score114Shelves

   Reader note

   A very realistic novel, worth reading! The novel begins at the beginning of the 21st century and is told from the perspective of Fang Lizhu, a post-80s child in a rural area of ​​the Jianghan Plain in central China. Through the description of the various people and events that Fang Lizhu encounters in his studies and work, the novel reflects the changes in the lives of the people in the plain after the beginning of the new century. It also reflects the various aspects of life of ordinary people in the face of great changes in the era and background, whether they actively or passively choose, actively persevere or passively escape.

7. 257 我 My Whole Family Was Reborn in the 1950s With a Pocket Dimension and Billions in Assets 我全家携带百亿物资空间重生五零 Meng Jiang Herself孟姜本尊Modern Romance424k WordsCompleted In 1955, Ye Li and her entire family are reborn. Their first act is to make their grandfather, who abused them in their previous lives, eat a bullet. Their second is to return to the Great Northwest they have always longed for. Life is peaceful and cozy without any rotten relatives around. In her spare time, she raises a little wolf cub, hunts alongside the wolf king, and races across the desert on a wild camel. Dahei leisurely chews grass as he follows behind, with Xiaohuang, a little camel who 2.6kReads9.4Score378Shelves
8. 258 尘 The Dust of Mortal Life 尘事 A Still Pool一池静水Modern Romance194k WordsCompleted This book chronicles a family across a hundred years. An illiterate country woman is forced to abandon her newborn child, then wanders from place to place amid the chaos of a turbulent era, struggling to survive in the cracks. Told as a work of documentary fiction, this story depicts the joys and sorrows of several generations of an ordinary family, bringing a long-buried past to light. Let posterity decide who was right and who was wrong! 1.7kReads8.9Score149Shelves

   Reader note

   I recommend a realistic novel.

9. 259 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

   Having read "Ordinary World," we see the hope of farmers seeking their fortunes elsewhere; after reading "Going South," we understand the silent sacrifices of a generation of migrant workers. Back then, countless fellow villagers of Yuan Shoushan bid farewell to the mountains of northern Guizhou and flocked to southern cities. Building roads and skyscrapers, each bustling metropolis was soaked with their years of sweat. In the past, farmers paid grain taxes and bore the burden of various levies, using agriculture to support industry; in the wave of urbanization, hundreds of millions of migrant workers left their homes, sacrificing their youth to support the rapid development of cities. The times have moved forward by leaps and bounds, and cities enjoy the dividends of development. Yet, many of this generation, who have dedicated half their lives, find themselves in awkward situations. Only a minority can ultimately establish themselves and return home in glory. A large number of ordinary people cannot integrate into the cities, nor can they return to their hometowns. They poured their energy into building the era in their youth, but in their old age, their security is meager, and they are adrift and destitute in their later years. It's hard not to feel moved: the foundation of this country's rapid development is carried by this group of the most simple and silent laborers. They don't seek great wealth or status, only a stable and dignified old age. "Going South" doesn't feature any vehement accusations; it simply recounts the changes over decades through the lives of four generations of a family. If you have parents or relatives who have gone to work in other places, opening this book will help you understand that these people who silently bear the burden deserve to be treated gently by time.

10. 260 嫁 Marrying a Disabled Soldier: The Gorgeous Beauty Charms and Coaxes Him 嫁军婚残夫，娇艳美人撩他诱哄他 Clouds Upon Clouds一朵朵云Modern Romance1.6M WordsOngoing [Military marriage + marriage first, love later + doted on by everyone + no golden finger, your mindset determines your fate] [A cast story starring a great beauty who gets a villainess role without realizing it] In 1974, Yu Wan transmigrates into the body of an undocumented drifter, then uses her beauty to become the Qiao family’s stepdaughter. With a new identity, Yu Wan is overjoyed. The Qiao family members each have their own agendas, but they know the truth and keep quiet. Not long after Yu 25.7kReads9.0Score2.5kShelves

    Reader note

    The first book I downloaded was by Tomato, and when I read it, I felt it was different from other period novels. It clearly better reflected the era and the characters' development trajectories. The second half, about developing their careers in Hong Kong, was also quite good. The second book was also by the same author, a serialized novel about a charming but scheming beauty and a third-generation military family—a good read, highly recommended. The third book was a filler fantasy novel; the plot was smooth and had humorous moments, but the ending felt a bit rushed. I couldn't finish the other period novels I read.

11. 261 七 The 1970s: The Little Village Girl Brings Honor to Her Country Through Education 七零小村姑，靠读书为国争光 Only Plays Zhen Ji只玩甄姫Modern Romance1.4M WordsCompleted [Period Setting + Family Drama + System + Academic Prodigy + Knowledge Changes Your Destiny + Ensemble Cast] Wang Zhaozhao becomes the unwanted granddaughter of the Old Wang family, part of the village brigade in Riverside Village in the 1970s. When she is five, her mother becomes her eldest uncle’s wife, while her father marries a stepmother who brings along a stepsister. Later, she gains two younger sisters, one born to her eldest uncle’s wife and the other to her stepmother. Her days are full 14.1kReads8.6Score1.3kShelves
12. 262 她 Her Walled-In World 她的围城 Su Laosan素老三Modern Romance5.0M WordsOngoing This book is based on a true story. It's not a wish-fulfillment novel, and it is slow-paced. In the 1990s, Jing An gets married. Unsure yet hopeful about marriage, she endures her in-laws' schemes and her sister-in-law's attempts to drive a wedge between her and her husband. At last, she and Jiuguang make it through their difficult adjustment period, and she thinks a brighter future is finally within reach. But that light is stolen by another woman. And so begins a battle of schemes and rivalr 29.3kReads9.2Score810Shelves

    Reader note

    A slow-burning, period drama based on a true story, it depicts a woman's struggles and redemption within her marriage, the hardships she faces raising her child alone after breaking free, the setbacks in her career, and the dreams she harbors.

13. 263 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

    Very realistic! It's good; if you don't, feel free to criticize me!

14. 264 饥 Dried Jujubes in the Famine Years 饥荒年的干枣 Little Chubby Lump小肥坨Modern Romance358k WordsCompleted Female-oriented + famine years + period drama + family memoir This novel chronicles the ups and downs of the 80-year life of Wang Xiaoyuan, a farmer from southern Sichuan. Following the family and married lives of his four children, it reveals the many sides of Wang Xiaoyuan. In 1958, Wang Xiaoyuan secretly took his son Wang Kesheng to the market to buy a bull, and adopted a little beggar named Qin’er. As an adult, Keqin apprenticed himself to Feng the Carpenter and mastered the trade. He later 169Reads6.9Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    A historical novel set in a city in southwestern Sichuan! Authentic, no time travel elements. Welcome to read!

15. 265 呜 Waaah! After Becoming a Luan God’s Demoness, the Male Lead Forced Me to Marry Him 呜！成鸾神妖女后被男主强娶了 Clouds Upon Clouds一朵朵云Ancient Romance605k WordsCompleted [A scheming beauty devoted to her ambitions × a refined scoundrel from a cultivation sect] Not a Mary Sue, not a perfect heroine, and not a conventional cultivation novel. A flawed, pampered young woman + a cold-hearted man + leads who aren’t love-struck fools Everyone has their own agenda; a slow-burn story … Lin Yishan, a doting mama’s girl, accidentally transmigrates to ancient times and becomes a bedchamber maid! She spends over a month slacking off, only to realize she’s transmigrated into 2.9kReads8.5Score297Shelves
16. 266 这 What a Deal! My Rough-and-Ready Husband Knows How to Spoil Me After Our Marriage Swap 这波不亏！换嫁后糙汉老公很会宠 Slacking Off Is a State of Mind摆烂是一种心态Modern Romance356k WordsOngoing Sisters reborn + swapped marriages + rugged country man + contrasting fates + pure romance + 1v1 No System! No golden finger! After being reborn, the younger sister cried and pleaded to marry Chen Ping, Tian Wanhua's husband in her previous life, convinced she'd enjoy the good life in the city. Her older sister, Tian Wanhua, smiled and let her have him. "Fine. I'll go to the countryside." Everyone in the village said Lu Chengshan was a poor bachelor who herded cattle. His three big-tiled houses 50Reads—Score116Shelves

    Reader note

    I'm here to recommend a reborn-in-the-era novel without any special abilities, systems, or cheat codes. It's about sisters swapping marriages; the female lead has to go to the countryside to live right after her rebirth. It's not the kind of fast-paced, action-packed story where you jump right in and start slapping and tearing each other apart. The pacing is slower, and the relationship between the male and female leads is very stable. The current downside is that the male lead is constantly busy—herding cattle, working in the fields to earn work points, or doing technical work. He's always exhausted and has very little time to be affectionate with the female lead. [Kissing emojis]

17. 267 六 The Sixties: Traveling the World with My Pocket Dimension 六十年代之带着空间畅游天下 Happy Salted Fish开心的咸鱼Modern Romance1.8M WordsCompleted Li Beibei grew up surrounded by stories, then unexpectedly transmigrated into the body of a lucky girl in the 1950s. Touched by her family’s favoritism and kindness, she gladly accepts their love and decides to repay them with her own abilities. As she plans her future, Li Beibei chooses two careers that will let her travel at public expense, hoping to make up for the regrets of her past life: journalist and diplomat! And so begins her extraordinary journey in this world. By the seaside: “Qing f 9.3kReads9.3Score749Shelves

    Reader note

    A very realistic historical novel. A good read.

18. 268 我 My First Love 我的初恋情人 Recluse Qingxu清虚散人Modern Romance164k WordsCompleted I met Yu on an early spring day. It was overcast and windy. He was passing by my house just as I came out of the yard. Our eyes met, and his lit up at once. He stopped in his tracks. My face flushed, and I lowered my head to look at my old cloth shoes, with my toes poking out. My family was so poor that my clothes were covered in patches. Yu didn’t seem to care about my shabby clothes. He kept walking, glancing back at my face. I didn’t know who he was or what he was doing in our village. But a 118Reads—Score—Shelves
19. 269 穿 Transmigrating to the 1940s: The Landlord's Son and the Bandit's Daughter 穿越四零：地主儿子与土匪闺女 Happy Salted Fish开心的咸鱼Modern Romance1.0M WordsCompleted [Completed] [1940s] [Husband and wife both transmigrate] [Husband becomes a woman] [Wife becomes a man] At the edge of a cliff: “Wife, let go!” Chen Yiqiao is sprawled over the edge of the cliff, one arm wrapped around a large rock at the top while one hand clutches Chen Bing's hand tightly, refusing to let go. “No! If we live, we live together. If we die, we die together!” Feeling Chen Yiqiao's body slowly slipping lower, Chen Bing panics. “Wife! Let go! I want you to live!” “Shut up! I said, i 22kReads9.4Score1.9kShelves
20. 270 八 In the 1980s, I Opened My Eyes and Pounced on the Broad-Shouldered, Slim-Waisted, Cold Military Officer 八零睁眼就扑倒宽肩细腰高冷军少 Huo Lanshan霍澜山Modern Romance363k WordsCompleted [Military Marriage + Satisfying Revenge, No Taking Abuse + Devoted Hero + Putting Scumbags in Their Place + Family Life + Officers + Commanders + King of Soldiers] When Shen Xia wakes up after getting a second chance at life, there’s a man with an eight-pack beside her, his arm wrapped around her waist. She tries to slip away quietly, but he pulls her closer until their noses are almost touching. “Don’t move.” He holds her wrist, leaving no room for resistance. She lies against his strong chest 1.9kReads—Score112Shelves

    Reader note

    9.9 points 🍒 Possessive male lead sits on lap and kisses, spoiling her rotten! ❤️ Super charming, forceful love, a wolf in sheep's clothing, he's so fierce, making the older sister blush and her legs go weak, super exciting, super thrilling, I absolutely love it! Absolutely amazing, it's so good! [KISS]

21. 271 折 The Age of Turmoil 折腾时代 Jing Xiaomo荆萧默Urban492k WordsOngoing Life is all about taking chances! In that restless age, Li Anran works in a big city, and her dream is about to come true. But when she returns to Qinzhou for a funeral, she's practically put under house arrest and told to stay and work in the small city. Zhang Huifei has the talent to get into one of China's top universities, but he unexpectedly fails the college entrance exam. To make sure his sister Li Anran can stay in Qinzhou without worries, he starts stirring things up... As a result, Li 11Reads—Score—Shelves
22. 272 穿 Transmigrated to the 1980s: The Military Bigwig Spoils Me and My Quadruplets 穿越八零，一胎四宝被军区大佬娇宠 Su Muhe苏沐禾Modern Romance1.0M WordsCompleted (Transmigrate into a book + period setting + military marriage + love after marriage + devoted couple + adorable babies) Ye Shuang, a preschool teacher, was hit by a car and killed while saving a student. When she opened her eyes, she had become the male lead’s ill-fated former wife in a stepmother-era novel, a cannon-fodder character who died in childbirth. Her surname was Ye, and her fate was to die giving birth to quadruplets. Just as she was about to give up and accept her circumstances, a c 27.7kReads8.4Score3.1kShelves
23. 273 捡 The Bargain-Hunting Era: Lin Mei’s Daily Life of Scoring Freebies 捡漏年代：林美的薅羊毛日常 Dimension Mender次元缝补匠Modern Romance361k WordsCompleted [Historical Era + Everyday Life + Finding Bargains + Ordinary Person Reborn in the Womb + No Handouts, No Saintly Heroine, No Throwing Herself at Men + No Being Sent to the Countryside, No Military Marriage, No Rough-Hewn Hero + A Small Golden Finger That Gradually Levels Up + A Palm-Sized Pocket Dimension for Stashing Private Savings] Reborn in the womb in 1949, Lin Mei becomes the daughter of an ordinary farming family in Linjia Village. Beautiful but useless, she’s not cut out for great thing 14.5kReads9.2Score1kShelves

    Reader note

    Both books are very realistic. The first one is simple and heartwarming, revolving around the female protagonist's family; she doesn't go to the countryside. The second one features a female protagonist without any special abilities, focusing on her own needs. The background is very realistic. While special abilities are mentioned, they are only briefly and used as tools by the protagonist.

24. 274 出 A Way Forward Through Mountains and Rivers 出路之山重水复 I Am But Floating Dust我本浮尘Urban1.1M WordsCompleted [Period setting + Family + Women + Career + Workplace business battles + No romance + Society + An exploration of human nature] No cheat powers, no dramatic comeback. A deep look at the struggles and prospects of 99% of ordinary people! Wish-fulfillment stories are everywhere, but once the excitement fades, only emptiness remains. In the end, we all have to face the grind of daily life and the warmth or coldness of human relationships. This slow-burning work of realism offers no lucky breaks or 2.5kReads9.5Score354Shelves

    Reader note

    This book presents the lives of two generations in a narrative style. The language is simple yet elegant, and the writing is fluent and beautiful. It is well worth reading carefully.

25. 275 重 Reborn in the 1970s: After Taking It Easy, I Refuse to Be the Family's Scapegoat Big Sister 重生七零：摆烂后我不做冤种大姐 Chicken Drumstick Number Three三号鸡腿子Modern Romance225k WordsCompleted [Reborn] [Literary Fiction] [Not a Power Fantasy] [Family Life] [Building a Fortune] [Mutual Devotion] [Happy Ending] The story of a woman who gets a second chance at life and fights to change her fate. In her previous life, Zhao Keqin had been a workhorse for her family from the moment she was born. Her father used to say, “Keqin, Keqin. It means you should work hard all your life and never be lazy.” Her father arranged for her to marry a man she didn’t love, taking the bride price to build a h 4Reads—Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    Based on a true story, this game features no system or cheat codes, and tells a pure love story set in the 1970s. Come and check it out! The female lead is neither unintelligent nor a saint.

26. 276 守 A Comeback After Twenty Years of Widowhood 守寡二十年逆袭 Little Pear Blossom O小梨花OModern Romance466k WordsCompleted The Red Fruit animated series adaptation of "After Twenty Years of Devotion, She Finally Found a New Life" is now streaming. [Historical setting + strong female lead + farming + family drama + widow's comeback + single mother] On her wedding night, Liu Chunhong's husband is crushed to death by a roof beam, and she becomes known as the “husband-killing jinx.” Her mother-in-law forces her to give birth to her posthumous child, then turns on her and throws mother and daughter out while Liu is still 7.3kReads6.8Score366Shelves

    Reader note

    The main focus is on authenticity!

27. 277 流 A Shooting Star Streaks By, Leaving Traces on the Years 流星划过，岁月有痕 Amber Aurora琥珀色北极光Modern Romance168k WordsCompleted This is a powerful work that deeply portrays the intertwined paths of growth for the post-80s generation and the changes of the times. The story follows its protagonist, Zhao Fei, from his green and innocent days in middle school, through the passionate years of university, and into the struggles and discoveries of life after graduation. It delicately depicts how Zhao Fei and his generation search for themselves and realize their worth amid the currents of the times, while also reflecting the sw 7Reads—Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    A true-to-life story set in a bygone era! This powerful work profoundly depicts the growth trajectory of the post-80s generation intertwined with the changing times. The protagonist, Zhao Fei, journeys from his naive and uncertain middle school years to his passionate university years, and finally to his struggles and explorations after entering society. It portrays how Zhao Fei and his generation found themselves and realized their value amidst the torrents of the times, while also reflecting the enormous political, economic, and cultural transformations China has undergone in the past thirty years. This is a story about dreams, struggle, love, and sacrifice; a heartfelt reflection on the past and a firm vision for the future. In the bittersweet stories of Zhao Fei and others, everyone can find their own reflection and feel the era experienced by the post-80s generation.

28. 278 山 Love Among the Mountains and Rivers 山水情 Green Plum青梅Urban2.7M WordsCompleted (Urban slice of life, inspirational growth, a nostalgic era, rich in detail) The beauty of mountains and rivers, the many faces of humanity, the fickleness of the world. The protagonist, Jiang Nan, knows right from wrong and values loyalty and affection. He grows from a poor boy who suffers humiliation into a fine young man admired by everyone. This story is grounded in real life, with family bonds, friendship, romance, and a deep love for his hometown. He leads the villagers to prosperity, ris 12.8kReads9.1Score1.4kShelves

    Reader note

    Realistic writing, authentic

29. 279 穿 I Became the Wife of a Commander Who Died Young! Now His Whole Family Dotes on Me 穿成早死首长的妻子！被全家团宠 A Simple Life平淡生活Modern Romance1.0M WordsCompleted (A Novel Set in the 1980s) (Military Marriage + Marriage First, Love Later + Transmigrating into a Book vs. Transmigrating) A car accident sent Ye Fangfei into a novel. Its world was a parallel timeline in the early 1980s. The novel’s protagonists were the younger brother of her husband, Shen Zhanxun, and his wife. Shen Zhanxun was nothing but a stepping-stone they used to build their wealth. In the novel, Shen Zhanxun left the military to join the municipal public security bureau. He died while 94.8kReads9.0Score11.7kShelves

    Reader note

    This book is good. Both the male and female leads are strong, there's no special abilities or cheat codes. The plot is reasonable, interesting, and enjoyable.

30. 280 寒 A Woman from a Poor Family 寒门女人 Green Plum青梅Modern Romance814k WordsCompleted (Family melodrama + romance + revenge) Bai Xue's birth brought her mother untold hardship. Crushed by feudal beliefs, she and her mother struggled just to breathe, hoping to escape that man's clutches as soon as they could. Overwhelmed with grief, she could no longer face the love her boyfriend gave her. Every day was agony, and the hatred in her heart drove her to swear she would find the man who had violated her and make him pay. Will she find him? What will become of her and her boyfriend? R 2.2kReads9.0Score264Shelves
31. 281 一 One Person’s Glory, Two People’s Ending 一个人的精彩两个人的结局 She Wen佘温Modern Romance2.2M WordsCompleted [Rated 9.5 + 1.68 million words + ongoing + based on real experiences + Vietnam + Cambodia + Thailand + slow-paced + everyday life] In 2000, I was a 17-year-old girl who went south to find work. Later, a job took me to Vietnam. I once dated a rich second-generation boyfriend there, but in the end, he was only passing through my life. Later, I went to Cambodia and Thailand, one after another. Life and the surroundings abroad more than twenty years ago were completely different from what they 2.8kReads9.4Score248Shelves

    Reader note

    This is very realistic.

32. 282 陶 The Tofu Seller of Tao Village 陶庄豆腐郎 The Witty Lever杠杆笑匠Urban181k WordsCompleted In 1980s Taozhuang, tofu maker Duan Jinliang prospers thanks to his strange balance scale, enjoying a life of wealth and fame. But two twin brothers at the village entrance set up a wager and snap the scale’s beam in front of everyone, revealing the mercury inside and shocking the whole village. With his reputation in tatters, how can he repay his debts and redeem himself? Hidden in a little tofu shop are turbulent events that test the conscience. 8Reads—Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    Mercury is hidden in the scales, and hearts are lost outside the scales. The once-glorious tofu seller fell from grace overnight, and from then on, day after day, he grinds soy milk and cooks tofu, slowly repaying the debt of conscience he owed to everyone amidst the smoke and heat of the kitchen. 🌿

33. 283 穿 I Transmigrated into a Book as a Widow Who Brings Bad Luck, Then Remarried a Rough Man Who Spoils Me Rotten 穿书成克夫寡妇，再嫁莽夫狠狠宠 A Jun Is Stubborn阿君特别犟Modern Romance143k WordsOngoing [Transmigrate into a book + period setting + brawny, rough-edged men + everyday family life + slow and steady romance + a happy family + a touch of ensemble cast] ※ Original, written from scratch * A chatty young couple, sickeningly sweet together * Sisters-in-law who are frenemies, constantly at each other’s throats * Riding the protagonist’s golden finger and lying flat “Know anything about the woman Jiang the Second married?” “I think she’s Old Liu’s daughter from the next village...” “Ol —Reads—Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    You can take a look at this book. Although the author did not experience that era, there are bound to be some discrepancies between the writing and reality. However, he still tried his best to be true to the realities of rural Northeast China.

34. 284 七 Pretty Young Educated Youth of the Seventies: My Military Husband Is as Sweet as Honey 七零俏知青：军婚老公甜如蜜 Qing Wanwan卿宛宛Modern Romance769k WordsCompleted [Marriage Before Love + Transmigrate into a Book + Military Marriage + Devoted Couple + Not an All-Powerful Female Lead Fantasy + Childbirth + Multiple Births + Fertility Luck + Raising Children + Sweet Romance + Alternate Setting + Good Fortune] Qin Shizhen, a hard-working public servant, died suddenly and transmigrated into the body of a minor female educated youth in a period novel. Her parents were university professors, sent down to a cowshed for reeducation because of the times. Her three 3kReads9.2Score340Shelves

    Reader note

    🌿🌿🌿The female protagonist, Qin Shizhen, transmigrates into the body of a sent-down youth, facing family upheavals and the threat of being harmed by other sent-down youths. Fortunately, she is rescued and married by soldier He Lanting. There are no cheat codes or special abilities, just plenty of everyday family drama. The female protagonist is incredibly lucky, and the two share sweet and heartwarming interactions. Fans of period dramas shouldn't miss this! 😉

35. 285 我 My 1989 我的1989 Ruo Zhihan若知湳Modern Romance577k WordsOngoing Twenty years ago, a homewrecker tore my family apart and took my father away; Twenty years later, her greed returned, and now she wants to take the only home left to my mother and me. My father was cold and heartless, abandoning his family. With a powerful enemy at the door, every move was a calculated trap. I stopped holding back and bet everything I had on fighting back head-on. From a helpless daughter trapped by the wounds of her upbringing to someone who turns the tide and claims her own ha 1Reads—Score885Shelves

    Reader note

    The film is rich in Beijing local characteristics, with detailed depictions of scenes such as Shichahai, old courtyard houses, and old-fashioned buses. The opening conflict between middle-aged people vying for houses grabs attention, while past childhood memories are interspersed to enrich the characters' backgrounds, and the pacing is well-balanced.

36. 286 阿 A-Dou’s Comeback 阿豆的逆袭 Ah Shuilan阿水兰Urban182k WordsCompleted He was born with a disability: no neck, his head almost resting on his shoulders... On top of that, he lost both his parents as a child. Yet this very man eventually made a comeback like Forrest Gump. He not only married the village beauty, but also found success in his career. How did he turn his life around and rise to the light? Was it luck? Character? Talent? Maybe it was a bit of everything. 10Reads—Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    It's not a time-travel or reincarnation story; it's a period drama set in a real-life era.

37. 287 八 The Eighties: After Refusing to Get a Zero, I Made It into College 八零，拒考零分后，高考上岸 A Little Lemon Sauce一只柠檬酱Modern Romance3.8M WordsCompleted Yu Xiaoxiao was a poor student. She wasn't much good at studying, and her job was only so-so. She had no great ambitions in life. All she wanted was a job where she could slack off and live like a couch potato until retirement. Then, without warning, she found herself in the 1980s. With no particular talents to speak of, Yu Xiaoxiao was at a loss. She had no idea how to survive in such a harsh and unforgiving era. In the end, she chose the hardest path of all. A poor student to begin with, she s 10.2kReads8.9Score1.1kShelves

    Reader note

    I think these two books are super good; they're heartwarming slice-of-life stories.

38. 288 从 From Village to City: Their Lives Swept Along by the Tide of the Times 从村到城，她们在时代洪流里沉浮 Ah Shuilan阿水兰Modern Romance505k WordsCompleted Their fates seem to repeat across generations. Three generations of women all grew up under the shadow of fathers who left or divorced their mothers. Raised in households with only their mothers, the women share similar traits: resilient and adaptable, dignified and self-assured, hardworking, and devoted to living life well. From the countryside to the city, women of the new era have finally welcomed a spring of their own. Their lives have become richer and more colorful, full of endless possibi 8Reads—Score—Shelves
39. 289 穿 Transmigrating to the 1960s with a Pocket Dimension to Become a Security Guard 穿越60带着空间当保安 No Good People in the Six Realms六界无好人Urban2.6M WordsCompleted Who am I? Where am I? Other people transmigrate, and so do I. They can crush the heavens, the earth, and everything in between. One burst of their kingly aura, and they get whatever they want. I transmigrated here and have nothing. I can’t even get enough to eat. I’m sixteen, but built like a thirteen- or fourteen-year-old. A gust of wind could blow me away. Where’s my System? Aren’t Systems standard issue for transmigrators? ... 88kReads8.5Score6kShelves
40. 290 上 Shanghai People Eat Rice Porridge 上海人吃泡饭 The Writer Who Writes in Shanghainese用上海话写作的人Modern Romance627k WordsCompleted In the middle of the night, Wang’s Granny was being beaten so badly she could barely move, and could only call for help. Uncle Huang was still fuming over how she had humiliated him during the day, so angry he couldn’t sleep. He heard what sounded faintly like a cat meowing, but when he listened more closely, he realized it was a cry for help coming from Wang’s Granny’s house. He was about to go save her when his wife grabbed hold of him... 450Reads8.1Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    "Shanghainese Eating Rice Porridge," also known as "The Taste of Eating Rice Porridge in the Alleyways," is a novel written in Shanghainese, depicting the lives of ordinary people living in Shanghai's alleyways. Currently being published, it has been praised by the media as an online version of "Blossoms." Through the lives of Uncle Huang, Mrs. Wang, the Ningbo woman, Li Yingying, Boss Wang, and their families in an old alleyway, the novel portrays the love, family ties, joys, and sorrows of a group of ordinary people who eat rice porridge in the old alleyways, amidst their everyday lives and mundane affairs. Their loves, hates, and passions intertwine, weaving a Shanghai flavor never before depicted by other writers.

41. 291 重 Reborn in the Nineties: The Alluring Beauty Snares the Cold, Abstinent Tycoon 重生九零，钓系美人拿捏禁欲大佬 Jin Yangyu金洋宇Modern Romance336k WordsOngoing [Power Couple Showdown] [Extreme Push and Pull] [科技 Strong Nation] [Business Warfare in a Bygone Era] [Alternate Universe] The Untouchable Ice Queen VS the Master Manipulator This is an evenly matched battle of wits, and a legend about the rise of a great power's industrial technology. In 1992, with nowhere left to turn, Jiang Wan set her sights on Shen Yichuan, a technical expert with formidable financial backing. What began as mutual exploitation and wariness evolved amid the surging tides of 122Reads—Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    How about checking this out... After all, the 90s are the 90s, a time of developing the electronics industry, starting with semiconductors in Huaqiangbei... The female lead has no special abilities, no cheat codes, only the advantage of being reborn with access to advanced technology! In this life, she wants revenge and to revitalize her only passion from her previous life: the electronics industry! She wants to make it big and strong! How can she utilize the technological and informational gaps of the era to ensure her own safety while still building her career? In this life, she needs to find a reliable "strategic partner"! Winning over the male lead in the early stages is a bit difficult, since he's not a womanizer who accepts every woman who takes the initiative... Both the male and female leads are strong! Oh, I wrote this myself, so of course I think it's awesome!

42. 292 芳 A Forest of Blossoms 芳华自成林 Autumn Reeds by the River河畔秋芦Modern Romance346k WordsCompleted [Period Drama, Entrepreneurship, Strong Female Lead, Younger Man, Semi-Documentary Fiction] A friendly reminder: this is a slow-burn story. Four years of blissful dreams, shattered in a single day. A premature birth. A divorce. Lin Fang, who had grown up cherished and protected, decides to stand on her own two feet and face the world with a clear head. While recovering from childbirth, she learns how to conduct herself and do business from her older brothers. She takes her daughter south to —Reads—Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    This is quite realistic.

43. 293 窝 The Cowardly Old Madam Zeng Is Reborn 窝囊了一辈子的曾老太重生了 Mao Lili猫离离Modern Romance514k WordsCompleted [An elderly woman reborn + 1980s + everyday family life + building a fortune + all-female family + no golden finger + no romance + character growth, not wish fulfillment] Seventy-six-year-old Zeng Yuying is reborn, back in the days just after her husband died, when all four of her daughters were still alive and well. In her previous life, she was weak-willed and indecisive. As soon as her husband died, her in-laws carried their luggage into her home. From then on, she never had another easy day, 659Reads6.4Score113Shelves

    Reader note

    The old woman is reborn at the time her husband just died. She starts from scratch with her daughters, fights against her awful in-laws, is neither a saint nor does she let go, and becomes rich to support her daughters.

44. 294 熬 She Outlived the Other Woman, Then Was Reborn 熬死小三，她又重生啦 Meow, Meow猫啊咪啊Modern Romance605k WordsOngoing [Not a palace-intrigue novel, not a farming novel: the heroine's growth and the redemption of a life.] Bai Chunyu had a miserable life in her previous life. When she opened her eyes again, she had returned to the 1970s, before any of those tragedies had happened! She decisively cut ties with her family, severing them once and for all. She would protect her genius little daughter with her life. Her family's ancestral silver bangle concealed a pocket dimension, stocked to the brim with supplies. S 251Reads7.6Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    Yes, no matter how much we develop, it will always be an era of scarcity.

45. 295 金 The Award-Winning Nanny Reborn with a Professor's Book Collection! 金牌保姆带教授藏书重生啦！ Meow, Meow猫啊咪啊Modern Romance1.5M WordsCompleted [Reborn + family bonds + everyone’s favorite + healing + mystery] The main story is complete, with some bonus chapters in the works. Feel free to dive in. Lin Chuyi was a top-tier caregiver who spent more than a decade looking after an elderly professor and his wife. They treated her like their own daughter. Before they died, they left her an inheritance and a jade pendant, which sent her back to the age of eighteen. The pendant is a key, and the library is a space connecting her past and future 483Reads9.2Score100Shelves
46. 296 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 34.8kReads9.1Score4.2kShelves

    Reader note

    This is a highly recommended book. It's one of the few medium-length novels I've read in its entirety. It has a strong sense of the era, and the story is both realistic and very exciting and interesting, featuring a micro-ensemble cast.

47. 297 重 Back to the 1990s: I'm Done Being a Good Girl 重回九零，不做乖乖女 Meow, Meow猫啊咪啊Modern Romance583k WordsCompleted [Lighthearted Comedy + Inspirational Youth + Reborn and Doted on by Everyone + Healing] Completed. He Laifa still hasn’t woken up. No one knows if she ever will, but her passion, her hard work, her determination, and her kindness and intelligence have all affected the people around her. The people of Yangjiatun will never forget her. The people of Hejiabao will never forget her. He, and all the others, keep striving in their own posts, shining brightly. She is strength. She is hope. She is their 212Reads8.9Score—Shelves
48. 298 九 The 1990s: The Gruff Factory Director Begs for Love with Red Eyes 九零年代，糙汉厂长红眼求爱 Gu Yin En顾寅恩Modern Romance1.0M WordsCompleted [Cool and aloof top female student × clingy, rugged veteran officer] Lin Lu: a promising student at a prestigious university in the capital. Song Chen: a promising officer with a bright future in the military. After he saves her life, the two are forced into marriage and have a child. Lin Lu assumes Song Chen is just as unwilling as she is, so once the baby is born, she leaves without a second thought. After being harmed and confined to her bed for seven years, Lin Lu wakes up and finally realiz 6.9kReads8.8Score425Shelves
49. 299 辛 I Put You Through College, and You Say You're in Love with My Sister 辛苦供你上大学，你说爱的是我妹 Silver Night by the Inkstone砚边银夜Modern Romance361k WordsOngoing [Two Reborn Leads + Period Setting + Scumbag-Slapping + Feel-Good Story + Everyday Life + Farming + Sweet Romance + Family Drama + Getting Rich] The first thing her younger sister does after being reborn is swap fiancés with Yan Bingxin. In their previous life, her sister chose the factory director’s son, who came from a wealthy family, while she married Zhao Jianing, a poor young man determined to get into college. Everyone envied her sister for becoming a city dweller. But the factory director 398Reads—Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    Without any special abilities or cheat codes, the female protagonist and her cousin are reborn together, choosing different paths in life. The female protagonist works hard to achieve a good life through her own efforts, while the scumbag sister and boyfriend are locked in a deadlock and receive their just deserts.

50. 300 五 Back to Field in the 1950s 五零年代向往的生活 Lan Xuewei蓝雪微Modern Romance691k WordsCompleted [The 1950s] [Beast Taming System] [Independent, Self-Reliant Female Lead] [Clearing the Names of Martyrs] [First Women's Representative] After dying, Zhao Meili, a teacher at a forest farm in Northeast China, transmigrates to 1954, becoming Zhao Meili at the age of seventeen... With her Beast Taming System, she can form contracts with animal companions. She takes good care of her parents in a mountain village in the 1950s and lives the Back to Field life she has always longed for... Note: This i 351Reads7.0Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    It has a system that allows you to contract beast pets, but it doesn't feel like fantasy; it's quite down-to-earth and subverts typical tropes. In the author's words, it's like a Russian nesting doll [laughing].

Other lists with Reborn in 1980: The Village Beauty Can Read Fortunes