Since the 1990s, the counterclockwise timing narration has aroused great attention in the local novels, which is represented by Yan Lianke’s novels The Passage of Time and Shouhuo. In the counter-current time started by death, the writer emphasizes the end of life, highlights the existence of childhood, and deeply reflects on the relationship among time, existence and death from both ends of childhood and death; At the same time, his journey of time returning to the source also shows that local writers are in a state of confusion between industrial civilization and agricultural civilization. From the viewpoint of literature and life, there is a force“being-towards-death”in the narrative time. However, it’s difficult for us to find hope because of destiny, human nature and the shortcomings of power system. Finally, with this“unreliable”narration, readers may interpret rural history and current reality from different angles, which provides a path for constructing the public space and discourse of literature.