Looking for Stories About Ordinary People, Street Life, and Rural Life in Ancient Times 求古代小人物，市井生活，农村的小说

1. 1 逃 After Fleeing Famine, My Sister and I Married the Brothers Next Door 逃荒后，我和阿姐嫁给隔壁兄弟 The Running Garfield奔跑的加菲猫Ancient Romance1.1M WordsCompleted [Fleeing famine + family life + farming + slow-paced and steady + heartwarming] A devastating flood that swallowed the south left the Su sisters homeless and orphaned. To protect themselves on the road as they fled famine, the two peerlessly beautiful sisters chose to disguise themselves as ugly servants. After traveling a thousand li to Longnan, they were settled by the local authorities, and a matchmaker arranged their marriages. Faced with a life-changing decision, the sisters spoke in unison 8.7kReads8.1Score83714d adds

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   The story tells of twin sisters who fled famine and arrived at a village. In order to stay together, they married brothers from the same family, and through their efforts, their lives got back on track.

2. 2 我 I Bring Bad Luck to Husbands, You Bring Bad Luck to Wives 我克夫，你克妻 Baby Wants Wealth宝宝求财Two Male Leads412k WordsCompleted Two male leads + an ancient-world slice-of-life story + constable and his husband, both pure [No transmigration or rebirth] Xiang Xi is a young man who became a widow before he even married. Just after his engagement was arranged, his fiancé died in an accident, leaving him branded as a husband-killer. Yang Tongchuan is a constable at the county yamen. Last year, he married a new bride, but she mysteriously disappeared less than a month after moving in. Some said he beat her to death, others sai 13.5kReads9.0Score2.3k14d adds

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   1. An ancient, slice-of-life story about a constable and his young husband. A story of two virgins raising a child, sharing meals and the changing seasons – a simple, everyday tale. No imperial examinations or court politics; just ordinary people earnestly living their lives. The child is adorable. 2. A heartwarming and sweet slice-of-life story about food and everyday life. No cheat codes; it tells the sweet daily life of a chef and a mover working together to improve their lives. Purely sweet and without any angst. ⌯Oᴗo⌯

3. 3 镖 The Escort Agency Heir’s Bookkeeping Husband 镖局少东家的账房小夫郎 Baby Wants Wealth宝宝求财Two Male Leads389k WordsCompleted The main story is complete [Historical danmei + mutual chastity + the sweet everyday life of a bodyguard agency’s young master and his clever accountant husband] Wolfdog gong × savvy shou + life in an ancient city + a story about a husband who is a xiao-ge'er. Everyone is a native of this world. No System, no golden finger. Cui Liang is a headstrong xiao-ge'er who inherited his adoptive father’s knack for figures. He was born to be a living abacus. Unfortunately, his adoptive father died suddenl 6.3kReads8.8Score1.2k14d adds

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   No kings or generals, no cheat codes, just ordinary people living their lives.

4. 4 奴 A Servant’s Nature 奴才本性 Simple Mountain Birch朴实的山桠Ancient Romance307k WordsCompleted In Lin Bin’s eyes, Zhou Mingchen had three different faces. One was the impeccably proper man he usually was, responsible and dependable in both word and deed. Another was the servant who followed her around, as doglike as they came. She’d heard there was a third side to him, one that relied on his master’s power to throw his weight around, though few people had seen it. All three faces revealed his nature as a servant, and yet he was her husband... The heroine transmigrates and has the original 2kReads8.7Score16214d adds

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   Very realistic. Although the male protagonist is not pure, he is real. How many men can remain unmoved by a woman's advances? The author's writing is good, depicting the living conditions of people at the bottom of society in that era.

5. 5 我 I'm a Punk, but the Girl I Kidnapped Is Trouble 我烂仔，绑的姑娘不对劲 Come See the Moon来看月Historical1.1M WordsOngoing (Ancient-Era Underworld + Everyday Life + Sweet 1v1 Romance + Lighthearted + Contrast + Farming + Business Management + Conquering the Realm) I accidentally kidnapped a girl beautiful enough to bring ruin to a kingdom. She blinked her innocent doe eyes at me and asked, “Are you after ransom, or did you kidnap me because you fancy me?” Before I could react, she sighed. “I suppose just taking my money is fine too.” I realized something was off and tried to make a run for it. She patted down he 78.6kReads8.7Score10.7k14d adds

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   An ancient version of the underworld, a slice-of-life novel, telling the story of a local ruffian's rise to power!

6. 6 穿 Transported to a Year of Famine, I’ll Feed My Whole Family Meat, Not Tree Bark 穿到荒年，啃啥树皮我带全家吃肉 Sugarcane Is Too Tough to Chew甘蔗嚼不动Historical3.1M WordsOngoing This book has been adapted into short dramas: The Hunter King: Steamed Buns and Meat at Every Meal During the Famine; The Whole Village Chews Tree Bark in the Famine, While I Gorge on Meat with My Family; No Food After the Locust Plague, but My Granary Is Piled High. [Farming + Power Fantasy + System + Lighthearted Comedy + Cozy Daily Life] Gu Zhouyuan opened his eyes to find himself as the third son of the Gu family in ancient Datong Village. Lazy, gluttonous, and good for nothing, he was hated 36.1kReads8.5Score2.7k14d adds

   Reader note

   That basically matches what you said.

7. 7 苟 Farming in a World of Monsters and the Supernatural, I Grow a Wonderful New World 苟在妖诡种田，种出个大好人间 Big Pig Wants to Fly First大猪要先飞Eastern Fantasy350k WordsCompleted [Lots of farming + Everyday life + Slow-paced + Raising an Empress + Multiple heroines] The rating is a little low because it just came out. This is a slow-paced, farming and everyday-life story! It's not an invincible protagonist novel, so readers who like those should think twice before diving in! Chen Xiang has just paid off his debts when he arrives in a world overrun by demons and monsters. His System shows up and gives him a farming system. Chen Xiang: “Wait, brother System, are you seriou 13Reads6.5Score—14d adds
8. 8 穿 Transmigrated to a Farmhouse, Raising a Son to Pass the Imperial Exams 穿越农家，养儿考科举 Ye Panxi叶盼兮Ancient Romance1.0M WordsCompleted A modern unmarried man past his prime transmigrates to ancient times, where he has no strength to even wring a chicken’s neck and finds himself on a battlefield from the start. The good news is that the war is about to end, and he’ll soon be able to go home. The bad news is that before he can make it home, the authorities force him into an arranged marriage. He’s barely in his twenties, yet he’s considered an aging bachelor in this ancient world. If he doesn’t marry, he’ll have to pay a head tax 2.9kReads7.0Score18114d adds
9. 9 当 Small-Town Life After Retiring from Maid Service 当丫鬟退休后的小县城生活 Lucky Matcha Ice幸运抹茶冰冰Ancient Romance400k WordsCompleted (Completed) [Food-stall heroine + storybook-writing hero + fictional setting + no golden finger + gentle, everyday life] Fifteen years after leaving the He household in the capital, Jiang Yu, a retired maid, returns to Daliu Town with her daughter. She buys a small courtyard and sets up a food stall at the mouth of an alley. In Sweetwater Alley lives a successful candidate who writes storybooks instead of doing anything respectable. Cheng keeps odd hours, sleeping by day and staying up at night. 3.5kReads8.9Score36214d adds

   Reader note

   The female protagonist took her and her mistress's child and moved far away to live a peaceful life. 😢 Seeing their child so strong and happy is truly heartwarming.

10. 10 架 Alternate Ancient China: Building a Fortune in Jiangnan 架空古代：江南人家经营致富日常 Rain on Riverside Flowers汀花雨Ancient Romance2.4M WordsOngoing [Ancient-Style Business and Wealth-Building] + [A Jiangnan Family] + [Everyday Family Life] + [Lighthearted, Sweet, and Satisfying] A lighthearted, stress-relieving story about the everyday business and family life of a small household in peaceful Jiangnan, filled with warmth, joy, kindness, and ordinary domestic moments. It tells the story of common people in ancient times. The main characters are not princes or ministers, nor are they members of noble or aristocratic families. From the very st 73kReads9.3Score7.4k14d adds

    Reader note

    Don't be fooled by the ratings; both books are very enjoyable, depicting a simple and peaceful life. The first one is about a family building a business and getting rich on the water; it's quite interesting, and the characters are very well-defined. The second one has a great romance, written in more detail than the first. The first one is a bit more generalized. The two books have different writing styles; choose whichever you prefer.

11. 11 穿 After I Transmigrated, Animals of All Kinds Helped Me Get Rich and Spill the Tea 穿越后，各种动物带我发家又吃瓜 Doesn't Eat Piggies不吃猪猪Ancient Romance957k WordsCompleted No romance!!! (This is important, so it comes first.) Jiang Yu, director of a veterinary clinic, transmigrated one day and became the notorious terror of Jiangjiagou. A bad temper came standard, and her fiery personality was an added bonus. Armed with a straw broom, she opened with a few hard whacks to the backside of a blabbermouth. Jiang Yu, a self-proclaimed couch potato, had planned to slack off. Then she unexpectedly discovered that her veterinary clinic had come along with her as a pocket 450Reads7.8Score10214d adds
12. 12 听 Listening to a Donkey's Thoughts: Daily Life Running a Restaurant in Bianjing 听驴心声：汴京美食经营日常 Golden Flowers in Full Bloom金花朵朵Ancient Romance579k WordsCompleted (The low rating is only because the book was just listed.) · Transmigration + Everyday food and life among ordinary townsfolk + Mind reading (the little donkey is called Xiao Ba, with “Ba” meaning gossip) + A gentle, leisurely pace + A large ensemble cast later on · A modern chef transmigrates to the Song Dynasty. In this paradise of food, she doesn’t just eat: she develops new dishes and brings ancient and modern cuisines together in a grand feast. The Shen Tinghe family moves from the outskirt 4.2kReads8.5Score51714d adds
13. 13 穿 A Farm Girl Busy Crushing Villains, and a Handsome Husband She Picked Up 穿成农女忙虐渣，捡个夫君美如花 As If in a Dream Today今朝若梦Ancient Romance488k WordsCompleted [Revenge on scumbags, with farming and imperial exams on the side + devoted couple + a heroine who can be sweet or sassy, and a gorgeous, poisonous hero] A heroine who grows stronger, takes down scumbags, and never puts up with being mistreated. Fresh out of college, Jiang Ning is hit by a car. Enraged, she gives the spoiled rich girl behind the wheel the finger, then transmigrates. She wakes up in the body of another Jiang Ning: a helpless girl whose parents have died, whose engagement was brok 8.9kReads9.0Score90814d adds

    Reader note

    The following books all depict the ordinary lives of common people in ancient times, whether in the marketplace or farming. Each has its own unique characteristics, so feel free to choose one. I have personally read all of them!

14. 14 古 The Daily Life of an Ancient Couple Making Money and Raising Kids 古代夫妻赚钱养娃日常 Zhuang Sheng Mi庄生迷Ancient Romance735k WordsCompleted A local ancient couple's everyday struggle to save money and raise their child! The village's most beautiful embroiderer × a clever, capable accountant × their smart, well-behaved son! See how this family rises from humble farming roots and climbs the social ladder! The story of Chen Qiuyue and Zhao Huaiyu, a couple born and raised in ancient times, who work hard to save money and pay for their child's education after starting a family. They succeed in raising their child to excel, and their fa 7.3kReads8.6Score53814d adds
15. 15 村 The Family at the End of the Village 村尾人家 Qing You清优Ancient Romance6.5M WordsOngoing [Fictional setting + cozy farming + everyday family life + slow-burn slice of life] With no love from her father or stepmother, Tian Xiaoxi has endured years of torment. Now she is forced to marry Chen Jiawang, a cripple from the neighboring village. She thinks she is doomed to sink into a mire with no hope of ever turning her life around. Little does she know that the man fell in love with her at first sight long ago. After they marry, he cherishes her dearly. They have a lovely son and daug 20.7kReads9.1Score1.1k14d adds
16. 16 身 A Beautiful Farming Life in Another Body 身穿之美丽种田记 Listening to Lotus in the Night Rain夜雨听荷Ancient Romance817k WordsCompleted (No System, no golden finger, just an ordinary person with sound values) This isn’t a get-rich-quick wish-fulfillment story, nor is the heroine a lone beauty who needs no one. She has a grand vision for her family: one flower alone doesn’t make spring, but a hundred flowers in bloom fill the garden with spring. After taking part in a Hanfu event, Zhao Meili unexpectedly found herself in ancient times, where she was rescued by Guo Ping, a hunter. With no household registration, Zhao Meili couldn 2.3kReads8.9Score22114d adds
17. 17 种 Farming: My Rugged Husband Is Rather Sweet 种田：糙汉夫君有点甜 He Mu Shenshen禾木深深Ancient Romance511k WordsCompleted Mu Chunniang had lived with the Mu family for fourteen years, rising earlier than the chickens and going to bed later than the dogs. Both her older sisters were engaged, but she wasn't in a hurry. She figured she'd marry someone suitable when the time came. Who knew she'd first be threatened by someone invoking her father's life debt, then become the target of relatives who wanted to sell her for the money? With nowhere else to turn, Chunniang decided to take a gamble. She brought the money she' 2.9kReads8.3Score30414d adds
18. 18 闻 The Sound of Spring 闻春声 Evergreen and Everwhite长青长白Ancient Romance161k WordsCompleted [Taciturn, stammering country hunk VS vivacious, fiery widow. Farming romance, one-on-one, both leads’ first relationship] [She makes the first move, and the unyielding tree finally blossoms. A period farming romance] At the matchmaker's urging, young Yao Chunniang took her dowry and married into the Zhang family in Lishui Village. Who could have guessed that on their wedding night, her sickly husband would close his eyes and die? Before Yao Chunniang could even process what had happened, she ha 28.9kReads9.6Score3.4k14d adds
19. 19 青 A Cottage Amid the Green Hills 青山可结庐 Zeng Pig Milk Tea曾猪奶茶Ancient Romance297k WordsCompleted The rating is low because this novel just came out, dears. The tags are wrong: it's historical romance and farming. In the first year of Tianyuan, something extraordinary happened in Lijiazhuang, a small village under Fengshui Township. The family of Li Zhijin was actually asking for the hand of Xu Lansi, the second daughter of the neighboring Xujiacun. The Xu family had two daughters, but the elder, Xu Jinxiu, was the real beauty, both talented and lovely, with suitors coming one after another. 3.1kReads8.9Score33214d adds
20. 20 穿 Transmigrate: A Concubine's Journey to Adulthood 穿越之庶女成长计划 Just Juju是橘橘吖Ancient Romance442k WordsCompleted Her birth mother was a favored concubine, yet she was raised by the principal wife. Qing Wanyue thought she was in for a terrible start, but unexpectedly, she thrived in this unfamiliar dynasty. Starting March 30, two chapters will be updated every morning at 8 a.m., for a daily total of 6,000 words. 6.7kReads8.2Score53014d adds
21. 21 嫁 After I Married, I Helped My Husband’s Family Gain Their Freedom and Grow Rich 嫁人后，我带着夫家脱籍奔小富 Sweet Apricot甜杏子Ancient Romance367k WordsCompleted (The male and female leads are ordinary people from ancient times, with no secret identities. The whole family leaves their life as servants in the Marquis’s household behind and works hard to build a life of their own.) Lin Panqiu had always dreamed of marrying into a family where she could eat her fill and wear nice clothes. She never wanted to go back to a life where every meal left her only half full. So when her eldest cousin returned to her parents’ home to arrange a match for her second c 5kReads8.2Score52314d adds

    Reader note

    This story tells of a woman who married into a family and had children, and how she used her family's ancestral recipes to help her husband's family escape poverty and achieve a better life.

22. 22 农 Chunya, the Farm Girl 农女春芽 A Tree Among Branches枝中树Ancient Romance996k WordsCompleted The Bright Pearl of the Zheng Dynasty, Part One: The People's Livelihood [Imaginary ancient setting + slow burn + no transmigration + no pocket dimension + family and village life] [Everyone has their own choices, and everyone has their own reasons for doing what they must.] Song Chunya lived a life that inspired both praise and condemnation. Some called her cold-hearted and hard-fated; others pitied her, saying she had spent her life in hardship and loneliness. Whatever people might say, th 570Reads—Score—14d adds

    Reader note

    Both books are worth reading. The first tells the story of a little girl who is naturally gifted at cooking and farming, and under the guidance of several female elders with different ideas, she forges her own path. The second book is about survival, depicting the struggles of a mountain family to survive during a time of war. What is humanity? What is life? What is blood ties?

23. 23 山 Autumn Hunting in the Mountains 山林秋猎记 Add a Little Sugar to the Rice米饭加点糖Ancient Romance1.3M WordsCompleted In spring, there is medicinal herb soup to cure your ills. In summer, the granaries are full of food to fill your belly. In autumn, strong winds sweep over the mountains and wilds, bringing the fragrance of wild fruit. In winter, idlers weep at desolate graves. The nursery rhyme Zhao Banxia had hummed for more than twenty years came true one day~~ What about digging wild greens in spring, picking immortal melons in summer, gathering endless exotic mushrooms and fruit across the mountains in autu 17kReads8.8Score2.4k14d adds
24. 24 大 A Great Yuan Innkeeper’s Journal 大元酒肆经营手札 Bright Green Persimmon绿澄澄的柿子Ancient Romance620k WordsCompleted The novel has only just started getting ratings, so the score will go up~ Small-town business + easygoing daily life Shen Qingli’s greatest wish in this life is to tend the family’s wine jars, watching her father brew wine and her mother make braised meat. Though she transmigrated into a rundown wine stall in Sophora Blossom Alley, where the wine had gone sour, it’s no big deal. A little activated-charcoal filtering, and suddenly the Shen family’s clear wine is so good that even the Assistant Mi 7.5kReads8.6Score1.3k14d adds

    Reader note

    All are stories about ordinary people in ancient times, everyday life in the city, a gentle and heartwarming tale.

25. 25 穿 A Lowly County Office Clerk with Kids at Home and No Rice to Cook 穿成县衙小吏，家有儿女等米下锅 Don't Discuss the Wind-Banner, Follow Your Heart心动莫论风幡Historical1.3M WordsOngoing [A clerk is no official, and the desk is a mountain of blades] [No errors in the ledger, every stroke of the brush decides joy and sorrow] The male lead had only just transmigrated when someone cracked him over the back of the head. After missing work for three days, he nearly got struck off the rolls. His father thought he was saddled with two useless dependents. His older brother thought he was too inflexible to make money. His fourth younger brother feared his lowly clerk's status would tarni 166.2kReads9.2Score22.8k14d adds

    Reader note

    Small characters, but good-looking.

26. 26 穿 Transmigrated as a Maid, I Get Rich by Doing Hair and Makeup to Buy My Freedom 穿成小丫鬟，靠梳妆赎身暴富 Weave Through Red Threads穿尽红丝Ancient Romance492k WordsOngoing Reading Guide: [Not a wish-fulfillment story] [Alternate Northern Song Dynasty] [A touch of ensemble cast] [Street life and commerce] [A touch of household intrigue] [Family and everyday life] [Slice of life] Lin Fengsui transmigrates to the Northern Song Dynasty and becomes an eight-year-old girl, fortunate enough to be born into the household of the prefect as a hereditary servant. Her mother is a cook in the kitchen, her father is a clerk in the accounts office, and she has an older sister, t 83.2kReads9.1Score13k14d adds
27. 27 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 17.7kReads8.5Score1.3k14d adds

    Reader note

    This book, a super good historical fiction combined with farming, is a masterpiece by Que Shi. The author's writing is delicate, and the imagery is vivid. Prices are reasonable, accurate to the cent. [Already added to my wishlist] It subverts clichés, has no military marriage or stepmother, focuses on everyday life in the city, family matters, and the female lead takes a vocational school exam instead of going to the countryside. [Added to my bookshelf] The only downside is that there aren't many reviewers, so the rating is a bit low. [Thumbs up] Another advantage of this book is its strong sense of the era, depicting the hardships and scarcity of resources, unlike some historical fiction that's not much different from today.

28. 28 穿 Transmigrating to Ancient Times, Surrounded by Children and Grandchildren 穿越古代儿孙满堂 Fishing in the Snowy Cold River钓雪寒江Historical1.2M WordsCompleted It's been adapted into a short drama on the Tomato platform. Come watch! The quality is good, and it's a great viewing experience. I tried it myself! Zhao Qinghu transmigrates to an ancient rural village and becomes a middle-aged man with a house full of children and grandchildren! But his parents favor one child over the others, while his younger siblings bleed him dry! As a fine young man of the modern age, how could Zhao Qinghu let others treat him like a beast of burden? He already has a who 20kReads8.5Score1.3k14d adds

    Reader note

    These novels are alright.

29. 29 为 To Avoid Planting Rice, I Work Hard to Pass the Imperial Exams 为了不插秧，努力考科举 Three Layers of Belly Fat三层肚腩Historical1.0M WordsCompleted [The short drama adaptation is now streaming] A modern SSS-rank researcher dies suddenly and transmigrates to the Great Xing Dynasty. His health is so poor that he's not allowed to pick rice in the fields until he's six. Sunstruck and light-headed, Li Jing decides that farming with this body is a risky business, so he immediately resolves to study for the imperial examinations. That's what he's good at; the transplanting can be left to the professionals! The following year, now named Li Yiqing, 22.8kReads9.3Score2.2k14d adds
30. 30 大 The Second Prince of the Hongzhi Era of Great Ming 大明弘治家的二皇子 Tang Dynasty Yanzu大唐彦祖Historical1.1M WordsCompleted [Little one] [Growing up] [Slow-paced] After transmigrating to the Ming dynasty, Zhu Houwei grows from a human pup into a young man, witnessing the grandeur and turmoil of the Hongzhi era. He sees the suffering of the common people and the unfair tax burden, as well as land being consolidated while the wealthy feast behind red gates. Hongzhi Emperor: Houwei, you're steadier and cleverer than your brother, and more learned and capable, too. You must do your best to assist your elder brother in th 14.2kReads8.6Score1.2k14d adds
31. 31 大 Great Ming: A Terrible Start, and the Old Zhu Can't Stand Me 大明：天崩开局，老朱不待见我 The Pumpkin Became a Rookie南瓜变成菜鸟Historical1.1M WordsCompleted A disastrous start! Zhu Yuntong loses his mother eleven days after birth. At five, his elder brother dies suddenly and his grandmother passes away. In the man-eating imperial palace, Zhu Yuntong becomes known as the “lone star of calamity.” Two great works in a row from a new author! The previous novel is complete at over a million words, and this time, you'll experience what it's like to be an invisible man in the history books who rises with a sword in hand. All of Ming will tremble beneath hi 5.8kReads7.8Score25314d adds
32. 32 跟 Live with Me, and You'll Never Go Hungry 跟我住，管饱 Baby Wants Wealth宝宝求财Two Male Leads192k WordsCompleted A super-sweet, slice-of-life food story. [Two men + both have no past relationships + cozy, sweet romance + mutual devotion + fast-paced + no angst + not a story about the rich] Qu Xiang is a private chef who cooks in people's homes. Before meeting his love, all he wanted was a simple life. As it turns out, fate takes pity on him and gives him a wonderfully dependable, caring partner who pulls him along as they build a better life together, one steady step at a time. Cheng Yijian is an ordinary 7.2kReads9.1Score1k14d adds
33. 33 现 A Modern-Day Wage Slave’s Peaceful Life in Ancient Times 现代牛马在古代的安稳日子 Egg Mom Loves Durian蛋妈爱吃榴莲Ancient Romance298k WordsCompleted There is a space. If you don't like that, don't read. No palace or household infighting, just family squabbles and the everyday lives of ordinary people. If that's not your thing, don't read. There is a male lead, but he appears quite late. Tang Yuan, a modern-day overworked wage slave, dies suddenly after working overtime for a whole month and transmigrates into the body of Tang Yuan, a poor village girl in ancient times whose parents are both dead. From the start, she runs into awful relatives 3.7kReads8.3Score40814d adds

    Reader note

    I highly recommend this one. It's a rural, slice-of-life novel, without any princes or nobles.

34. 34 穿 After Reincarnating as a Farmer’s Daughter, I Made My Fortune in Ancient Times 穿成农家女后，在古代发家致富 Nine Shiitakes九个冬菇吖Ancient Romance310k WordsCompleted [Transmigration and farming · food-driven comeback · no golden finger · gets rich solely by selling pastries and drinks · sweet romance · both leads are each other’s first and only] (A gentle, fatherly male lead × a clever, career-minded heroine) From a modern-day wage slave to a disposable character in ancient times, Lin Qingyue had the worst start imaginable. A gambling-addicted father, a weak-willed mother, a biased grandmother, and the threat of being forced to marry a fifty-year-old vill 39Reads—Score314d adds

    Reader note

    This farming novel is pretty good. I just found it. It's about a math teacher who transmigrates to ancient times, opens a pastry shop, sells milk tea, and gets rich. There are no cheat codes or systems; it's all about making money and building a career step by step. The first part is all about making money and building a business, and then the romance starts later. Sisters who like this kind of thing should check it out. They even sell lemon green tea 🍵, haha.

35. 35 农 Everyday Ways to Prosper on the Farm 农家致富日常 Rain Falls Over Jiangnan江南雨纷纷Ancient Romance2.7M WordsCompleted [Farming + Street Stalls + A Gentle Pace + Everyday Family Life] This is a warm and cozy farming story with no outrageous villains. It's a warm, funny daily-life story about a family focused on making money. There are no villains and no golden fingers. The main characters are ordinary people without any golden fingers, and the whole family works together to build a better life, with a focus on the gentle rhythms of everyday life. At daybreak, smoke rose from the chimneys of many homes in Peach B 13kReads9.0Score1.3k14d adds

    Reader note

    In this book, the male lead's father was a bodyguard who retired due to injury. He returned to his village and bought land, barren mountains, and houses. The male lead is skilled in processing medicinal herbs, making medicinal wine, and hunting. The female lead is skilled in embroidery.

36. 36 和 After Separating from My Good-for-Nothing Husband, My Granary Overflowed 和装货后奶分家后我家粮食堆满仓 The Red Bean Bun Has No Filling红豆包没有包Ancient Romance304k WordsCompleted [Farming + Transmigration + No Romance + A Carefree Country Life] When Zhu Dashan was five, his father married him a stepmother. She was exceptionally “kind”: from the moment she married into the family, she went out of her way to protect Zhu Dashan. When he stole things, she paid the owners back out of her own savings. When Zhu Dashan beat someone up, she would go to their house herself and apologize. Even when Zhu Dashan accidentally caused her child to die, she only said it was her own carele 288Reads8.1Score—14d adds

    Reader note

    This is a pretty good book. It's purely about farming, depicting the leisurely life of a rural family, everyday matters, and nothing too special. It's worth checking out when you're looking for something to read.

37. 37 北 Gourmet Delights of the Northern Song: I Made a Fortune Through Food 北宋珍馐录，我靠美食发家赚万金 I've Met the Cat King见过猫猫大王Ancient Romance843k WordsOngoing [No romance + alternate Northern Song setting + native-born heroine + food + ensemble cast and everyday life + gradual, steady pacing + building a fortune] A new eatery has opened in Daming Prefecture. Its proprietor is a young woman of fourteen or fifteen, always greeting everyone with a smile. People all say she’s kind. But Chen Heniang doesn’t think she’s a good person. Growing up in a family that favored boys over girls, she stole eggs from the neighbors at seven, learned to cry and lie at e 21kReads8.6Score3.2k14d adds

    Reader note

    This is quite good. It's a Northern Song Dynasty food-themed novel with no romantic pairing, depicting the everyday lives of ordinary people in the city. The female lead is a local native who is vengeful. She was sold by her parents and escaped on her own, earning money step by step by selling food and setting up a food stall. It's all about the lives of ordinary people at the bottom of society, a slow and steady story.

38. 38 青 Qingzhou Beauty Parlor: The Eldest Sister's Business Diary 青州丽人坊：长姐的经营日记 Queen Rong蓉大王Ancient Romance578k WordsCompleted Farming, nurturing, entrepreneurship and wealth, independent women, everyday life in ancient times Chu Li, a top modern beauty therapist, transmigrates into the past and becomes a destitute young woman running a rouge shop in Qingzhou City of the Great Zhou Dynasty. She has just been jilted, recently lost her mother, and has a six-year-old younger sister to care for. With a dilapidated shop ahead of her, an adorable little sister to look after, and only a few dozen taels of silver to her name, C 207Reads—Score—14d adds
39. 39 古 A Physician Couple's Handbook from Ancient Times 古代夫妻行医手札 Queen Rong蓉大王Ancient Romance597k WordsCompleted [Farming + Traditional Chinese Medicine expertise + no System + building wealth + devoted sweet romance] Bai Ying, a modern master’s graduate in traditional Chinese medicine and gynecology, opens her eyes to find herself an orphan living in a leaky thatched hut in Niujiao’ao. She starts out in hell mode: the house is bare, the damp cold has seeped into her bones, and her pockets are emptier than her stomach. No System? No pocket dimension? Bai Ying calmly taps her head. No problem. The Treatise 2.3kReads8.4Score28414d adds
40. 40 退 A Retired Palace Maid's Laid-Back Life 退休宫女的躺平日常 Bright Green Persimmon绿澄澄的柿子Ancient Romance532k WordsCompleted [No golden finger, ordinary people, slow-burn story, a gentle unfolding, peaceful daily life, lightly sketched setting] An alternate-world historical romance. All the worldbuilding is the author’s own invention, so don’t overthink it! One couple, sweet romance, mutual devotion, solid careers, and cozy everyday life. A wage slave in her previous life and a palace maid in this one, Wang Youran opens her eyes to an unexpected early retirement. Her life plan is clear: find a beautiful place with hil 2.7kReads7.6Score25114d adds
41. 41 大 The Great Qian Dynasty's First Lady Scholar 大乾第一女先生 Bright Green Persimmon绿澄澄的柿子Ancient Romance708k WordsCompleted A new story. The System is just a tool and doesn't appear much~ A cozy, everyday tale, mostly about women. Jiang Zhi gets divorced, takes her daughter, and leaves her ex-husband's family in utter chaos. Back in Jiangzhou, she opens a curious teahouse. The pastries here are unlike anything people have seen, the rules are unusual, and the stories she tells... are even more unheard-of! A monkey causes havoc in Heaven? A scholar falls in love with a female ghost? And a dark-faced judge named Bao can 3.1kReads8.5Score34114d adds
42. 42 茶 The Fragrance of Tea: The Shopkeeper’s Wife Seeks a Husband 茶韵飘香：掌柜娘子要招婿 Bright Green Persimmon绿澄澄的柿子Ancient Romance622k WordsCompleted Married first, love later, food and everyday life, devoted husband, raising children Ji Yunshu took Qin Lang as a live-in husband, originally just to have a man to support the household. She never expected him not only to be strong, but to cherish her like the apple of his eye. When she wanted to start a tea-ticket business, he went to the docks to establish his reputation and become her strongest support. When she wanted to learn the finest tea-roasting techniques, he trained his hands at the M 600Reads—Score—14d adds
43. 43 食 Love Served at the Table: I Opened a Restaurant in Bianjing 食为媒，我在汴京开食肆 Xyd521zbsdAncient Romance89k WordsCompleted My new work is out! Come read it on Tomato Novel. I hope you'll enjoy it. Your support is what keeps me writing, and I'll do my best to tell every story well! 4Reads—Score—14d adds
44. 44 拾 The Tale of Picking Dew 拾露传 Add a Little Sugar to the Rice米饭加点糖Ancient Romance1.6M WordsCompleted Chen Yaoniang’s dream: Handsome men all around, massaging her shoulders and pounding her back! So much money she could bury several graves with what she couldn’t spend. With one grand sweep of her hand, she’d command the room. If she wanted someone dead by the second watch, then even being a single breath late would be disrespectful to her~~ Chen Yaoniang’s reality: Not enough clothes or food, the sky for a roof and the earth for a bed, with people chasing her and beating her from behind. If she 1.6kReads9.0Score25014d adds

    Reader note

    🔥A very realistic coming-of-age story of an ordinary person, struggling to survive with little food and clothing, full of the grievances of the common people and the spirit of the underworld.

45. 45 嫁 Life Is Amazing After I Marry a Hunter 嫁给猎户后，日子爽翻了 Maodou danko毛豆dankoAncient Romance505k WordsCompleted After Magpie, a farmer’s daughter, broke off her engagement, her father immediately arranged for her to marry a poor hunter. Poor? That’s only because you don’t know the truth. Would someone Old Man Li took a liking to at first glance really be an ordinary farmhand? The poor hunter Shi Bufan never expected to be chosen. Delighted to see his fair-skinned, delicate bride, he was completely won over after just a few meals. The newlyweds lived a sweet life, but before long, disaster struck. “Don’t w 185Reads9.2Score13814d adds

    Reader note

    A story of a young couple in ancient times, depicting their daily life as a family. Even ordinary people possess wisdom. Facing natural disasters, man-made calamities, and war, the family works together to overcome difficulties and weather crises. [Cool][Laugh]

46. 46 小 A Family in a Little Village 小村人家 Fei Qing妃卿Ancient Romance283k WordsCompleted [Farming + Food + No System + No Romance + Building a Career] When Li Yun wakes up, she is still Li Yun, but not quite the same Li Yun anymore. She has been reborn as Li Yunniang in Anyang Village. Her father dotes on her, her mother loves her, and her older brothers and sisters-in-law spoil her. She has plenty to eat and drink, but not a penny to her name. No matter. Let's see how Yunniang leads her family in farming and storing grain, then makes delicious food to sell at a stall. She builds wo 242Reads7.1Score—14d adds

    Reader note

    Reincarnated as a peasant girl, she's the darling of the family, with no worries about food or drink and no savings. She farms, saves grain, sets up stalls to earn money, and leads the entire village to prosperity. No romantic pairing.

47. 47 大 The Blacksmith and the Tofu Maker 大铁匠与豆腐娘 A Shark with One Hand一只鲨手Ancient Romance397k WordsCompleted [Farming story + everyday life + food + raising a child + cozy + no pocket dimension or System for the protagonist + seemingly fierce but actually endlessly worrying, devoted dad-like man x free-spirited pampered sweetheart + face-slapping satisfaction] (The leads are both natives. They'll keep living their own quiet lives and won't suddenly become marquises, prime ministers, or emperors.) Of the three hardest livelihoods, there's boat hauling, ironworking, and selling tofu. Mian, a tofu seller 13.1kReads9.3Score1.4k14d adds

    Reader note

    These are good.

48. 48 穿 Transmigrated to Ancient Times to Sell Bento: The Wicked Sister-in-Law’s Road to Riches 穿到古代卖盒饭：恶毒寡嫂致富路 Gathering Wheat Ears拾麦穗Ancient Romance1.0M WordsCompleted [Transmigrate into a book + food + business + building wealth + slow-burn development] Food blogger Meng Zhao woke up one day to find herself transmigrated into a novel aimed at male readers, as the vicious sister-in-law. Faced with the future “Dragon-Proud-Heaven” male lead, destined to wield power over the world, Meng Zhao had to choose between eliminating him while she had the chance and currying favor with him early. Instead, she chose to become the one worth currying favor with. Starting 3.5kReads8.6Score34614d adds
49. 49 穿 Reborn as a Fool, I Won Over the Big Shot with Snacks 穿成傻子后我靠零食抱上大腿 Evergreen Lantern长青灯Ancient Romance219k WordsOngoing An upbeat, spirited young woman × a germaphobic, narcissistic young gentleman Dou Sui was a simple-minded girl whom everyone bullied. Yet she was pretty, with delicate features, and was known as the beauty of the surrounding villages. The year she came of age, her lazy, gluttonous father wanted to marry her off to the son of the village landlord, a fat, ill-tempered cripple. Under cover of night, her mother fled Doujia Village with her. Who would have thought that after the simple-minded girl ca 4Reads—Score—14d adds
50. 50 古 The Prosperous Little Life of a Farming Couple in Ancient Times 古代农家夫妻的红火小日子 Mu from Envious, Ze from Munze羡慕的慕恩泽的泽Ancient Romance5.8M WordsOngoing (Also known as: A Clearwater Home, A Rural Tale) [Ancient-era farming / fictional map blending north and south / ensemble cast of locals, each the protagonist of their own life / no transmigration / no rebirth / no pocket dimension / no golden finger / country living / a slow, steady pace] The full-cast audiobook is now available. Come give it a listen! Four different comic-drama adaptations are now available. Come watch! A lovely book to pass the time when you have nothing better to do. Thi 155kReads9.2Score12.7k14d adds

    Reader note

    [Ancient Era/Arranged Marriage/No Space/No Cheat Codes/Rural Life/Slow and Steady Progress/Warm and Cozy Life/Mutual Pampering Between Husband and Wife] When Shen Niandi was sold by her adoptive parents to a paralyzed man for a "good luck" marriage, she resigned herself to her fate. Her life was likely destined to be filled with caring for him, exhausting herself. Everyone said her life was over. But why was things different? Her in-laws treated her like their own daughter, and her sister-in-law eagerly helped her with chores. And her paralyzed husband possessed an exceptionally handsome face. He even taught her to read with a gentle voice. She began using her skillful hands to weave bamboo baskets, do business, and make a prosperous life. Those who once laughed at her now envied her greatly.

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