The Art of Office Politics: A Sharp Edge Beneath the Surface

Zhang Houhei, a naive newcomer, enters the workplace brimming with enthusiasm and plunges into a cutthroat game of survival. With his keen insight into human nature and social complexities, he weaves the art of being thick-skinned and black-hearted into every decision about when to advance and when to retreat. From a workplace rookie dealing with a harsh boss and navigating office politics, he steps deeper and deeper into the treacherous waters of officialdom.

Amid open and covert struggles, he strikes a balance between having a thick skin and a ruthless heart. In the whirlpool of competing interests, he masters the advanced arts of patience and keeping others in check. After weathering countless trials, he transforms from a nobody into an elite wielding real power. Yet, torn between ambition and his original ideals, he must also face the ultimate struggle between conscience and political maneuvering.

With its irreverent, humorous style and practical advice on surviving the workplace, the novel reveals the wisdom of the thick-black philosophy through a story full of twists and turns, staging a riveting contest of growth, choices, and human nature.