Novels like Office Politics: A Pay Cut Comes Knocking
Books Chinese readers most often put in the same booklists as Office Politics: A Pay Cut Comes Knocking, best match first.
- 101 Little Wu in Shenzhen 小武在深圳 [Urban life + wage work + martial arts + betrayal + no holier-than-thou protagonist + no doormat + no brainless decisions + realism + humor + intelligence] Xiao Wu in Shenzhen is a long novel divided into five volumes by year. It tells the story of the male protagonist, Ying Xiaowu, born in 1985, and the five years he spent working and living in Shenzhen. In 2015, he left his hometown of Wuxue for Shenzhen for the first time. Confident that his talents in both the literary and martial arts coul 3Reads—Score—14d adds
- 102 My Tattooed Girlfriend Became a Top-Tier Star in Music 我的花臂女友成了乐坛顶流 This is the story of a talented young man who escapes his suffocating family and meets a girl singing for money on the streets of Gulangyu. She sings and plays; he writes lyrics. Through music, they save each other, and she eventually becomes a top-tier star. She took a drag. Her lips pursed slightly, then parted, and a cloud of smoke drifted from her mouth. As the smoke dispersed, she spoke. “Broke, but you still want to request a song. If I’d known you couldn’t pay, I’d have spent those few mi 62Reads—Score514d adds
- 103 Wine and Beauty Are Irresistible 酒色撩人 Urban Life + Romance + Flirtation + Ex-Girlfriend Regrets It + One Female Lead (Not a wish-fulfillment story. No formulaic tropes, plot-focused, and slow-paced. Read with caution if that’s not your thing!) Money gives a man courage, and only a man with courage dares to chase women. A poor young man has a one-night stand and unexpectedly becomes a father. He then falls in love with a rich heiress. And so begins a hilarious, heartwarming tale! 372Reads8.6Score—14d adds
- 104 Love When the Skies Clear After the Rain 爱在雨过天青时 [Male lead from a wealthy family, domineering CEO, underdog heroine's rise, love at first sight, secret crush, second male lead gets the girl, heroine doesn't look back, ultra-sweet and doting! Workplace comeback] [She is a gifted oil painter who rises to become a goddess of the jewelry design world!] [He is Deng Tianqing, the handsome young heir to the Deng Group, who has spent three years pining for the woman he met only once!] He said, “Liking someone means letting yourself go, but loving th 2Reads8.2Score—14d adds
- 105 Reborn in 2012: A Life Transformed by Xunqi 重生2012，讯启人生 After spending half his life struggling at the bottom of society, Xie Liang, an ordinary man as insignificant as dust, is unexpectedly reborn in 2012. The gears of fate begin to turn as he awakens the Future News System. Every message from the future is a key to rewriting his life. See how Xie Liang wields the keys to the future and strikes up a rousing song of comeback in 2012! 25Reads9.4Score—14d adds
- 106 After Reading His Mind, I Got the CEO Wrapped Around My Finger 读心后，霸总被我拿捏了 Qi Wan is a chatty slacker at Die Shan Design, lounging around and munching sunflower seeds on the surface, while secretly possessing incredible talent. Xie Chi is a reclusive, mysterious boss who fears socializing but controls everything. She can hear his innermost thoughts, like the sound of his heartbeat: “If she comes any closer, I'm done for.” When colleagues dump work on her, directors try to suppress her, and her ex threatens her, she hits back with face-slapping comebacks. From plagiaris 6Reads—Score114d adds
- 107 Guangzhou Almost Got Snow 广州差点飘雪 A hidden heiress is cheated on by a gold-digging man who plans to leave her with nothing, only for her to give him a brutal face-slapping in return... My new work is out! Come read it on Tomato Novel. I hope you enjoy it. Your support inspires me to write, and I’ll do my best to tell every story well! —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 108 My Angel Investor Is My Adorable Husband 天使投资人是我的小娇夫 Told from the heroine's perspective, this story follows her journey from an innocent, inexperienced newcomer to the working world to a successful professional woman. Fang Yuwei and the hero, Lin Peifeng, meet on campus. He falls for her at first sight and takes care of her and stays by her side, but Lin Peifeng's identity is not so simple. As the heroine makes her way through the workplace, she encounters all kinds of unwritten rules, both obvious and hidden. She changes jobs several times and m 1Reads—Score—14d adds
- 109 The Distance of Love Is Just Right 爱的距离刚刚好 Yu Kai saw the morning light streaming through the skylight fall across Qi Ji's face. Her eyes lowered slightly, and her long lashes veiled them like a mist. Her smooth forehead, straight, graceful nose, and faintly upturned lips formed a delicate, alluring profile in the sunlight. With her gaze lowered yet oblivious to everyone around her, she walked briskly past Yu Kai toward the South District office, her steps light but purposeful. A breeze followed in her wake, lifting her shoulder-length s 15Reads8.2Score—14d adds
- 110 After the Divorce, I Went to Dongguan 离婚了就去东莞 I’m waiting for you in Dongguan! After his divorce, he went to Dongguan and started out on an assembly line. Through hard work, he built a successful career and found true love! Dongguan has carried the dreams of so many people. Some cry here, while others laugh! 1.5kReads9.1Score15214d adds
- 111 A Small-Town Story at Full Speed 小城故事一路狂奔 Having grown up without a father's love, he once had a happy family and a steady career. Then, out of nowhere, he got divorced, lost his job, and was plagued by nightmares. His life hit rock bottom. At his lowest point, he chose to start a business and met her while she was working a part-time job. Fate had other plans: after a change in her mother's identity came to light, she became a wealthy heiress. He raced toward love, never wavering in his devotion despite repeated romantic setbacks. On —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 112 Official Fortune: Soaring to the Top 官运：扶摇职上 When Chen Fu makes a delivery to his wife Luo Yao's shop, he unexpectedly sees something he shouldn't have. After a huge fight with his wife, he decides, for the sake of their marriage, to rethink his career. As he makes his way through the workplace, he gradually discovers a side of his wife he never knew existed... 191Reads5.9Score—14d adds
- 113 A Flower in the Dust, Blooming Toward the Sun 尘埃里的花，向阳而生 This story follows Shi Xiaoying, beginning at eighteen when she elopes for love. It traces her marriage through sweetness, betrayal, and endurance, culminating in her awakening. Woven through the story are her children’s perspectives and the kindness of those who watch from the sidelines. It portrays a woman struggling between betrayal and perseverance before finally breaking free and embracing a new life. Exploring responsibility and self-worth in love and marriage, it reveals the resilience th 2Reads—Score—14d adds
- 114 The Bill for Time 时间的帐单 Set in a modern city, this story focuses on the clashes and eventual reconciliation between two generations of the Jiang family over their views on love and marriage, painting a realistic picture of contemporary society: elders rush their children into romance and marriage, while the younger generation prefers to take things slowly. The two generations struggle with love, marriage, and life choices, then look back on their lives, ultimately finding acceptance and insight in middle age. Everyone —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 115 Beneath the Lantern, I Met the Bright Moon 伏灯遇皎月 (Marriage first, love later + winning her back + happy ending, a refined, aloof neurologist × a levelheaded, independent bank teller) Before meeting Shen Jinwei, Guan Qiaoyi spent every day wondering when she could quit her job. After meeting him, she was dazzled by his good looks and impulsively married him on the spot. “Hi. Let's get married.” After the wedding, her husband was gentle and considerate, emotionally steady, and there were no complicated in-law problems. Their married life was har 53Reads6.0Score—14d adds
- 116 Back in My Hometown, I Became the Richest Man 回到县城做首富 Urban Tycoon, Multiple Heroines Good news! Yang Luo, who had been enduring the blessings of a 996 work schedule every day, suddenly got a Tycoon System. Bad news! The Tycoon System only worked in the small county town where he grew up. So Yang Luo had no choice but to grit his teeth, leave behind the city's bustle and prosperity, and return to this remote, underdeveloped county town. But little by little, Yang Luo discovered… As long as you have money, you can live a carefree life even in a smal 331Reads7.4Score—14d adds
- 117 The One and Only Star in the Vast Cosmos 浩瀚星空里唯一的一颗星 A sweet urban romance about an older woman and a younger man is here! In the bustling city, Lin Xiaofei is like a stubborn little rabbit, determined to make her own way in the world, while Jiang Cheng is like a sunny, affectionate puppy who bounds right into her heart. He falls in love at first sight, sure he has found the one; she has built walls around her heart, and only time can melt them. Setbacks at work and painful partings are followed by a reunion blessed by Cupid. They vow to be each o 8Reads—Score—14d adds
- 118 At 19, I Worked in Haicheng 19岁，我在海城打工 After failing the national college entrance exam at nineteen, Ye Feng follows his second uncle to Haicheng to find work. There, he experiences love, family bonds, friendship, life and death, failure, and success... 41Reads—Score—14d adds
- 119 King of the Reverse Scales 逆鳞之王 1Reads—Score—14d adds
- 120 They Stole My Credit, So I Slacked Off and Made the Whole Industry Panic 抢我功绩？我摆烂后卷哭全行业 When your boss takes credit for your work, when the results of your all-nighters become someone else's reward, what do you do? Lin Zhou's answer: he slacks off on the spot! He refuses 996 work schedules and empty promises, and vanishes the moment quitting time comes. Everyone thinks he's washed up, but little do they know that the instant he smashes the sign proclaiming him a "workaholic," he awakens the [Anti-Grind God-Tier System]! The harder he slacks off, the bigger the rewards! He uses a te —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 121 Office Schemes: Mr. CEO, Don’t Kiss Me 职心计：总裁别吻我 [Workplace inspiration + domineering CEO + sweet romance in a wealthy family + power-couple love story + friendship and growth] Song Yucheng should have been celebrating a promotion and raise on her thirtieth birthday. Instead, a misunderstanding while catching a homewrecker cost her the opportunity, and she now faces harsh punishment from the company. Her coworkers mock, discriminate against, and make things difficult for her at every turn. An unexpected helping hand from the company's domineer 9Reads—Score—14d adds
- 122 At Midlife, What Becomes of a Marriage Marred by Infidelity? 人到中年，出轨的婚姻何去何从 Li Feng and Lin Xiao had been married for years, and their life together was simple and happy. But Li Feng gradually noticed a change in Lin Xiao. She had become secretive and distant, and was often distracted. 437Reads—Score—14d adds
- 123 2015: Starting with an MCN 2015，从MCN开始 One day in late May 2015, Xu Chu had a dream. In it, he saw the next ten years of his life... The scenes from the dream remained crystal clear even after he woke up. Suddenly, he felt that perhaps he could change the way he lived and make a different life for himself. MCN + livestreaming, curated products + smart manufacturing, AI + humanoid robots This is not an influencer novel. The influencer elements in the early chapters are just the start of his career and a way to earn seed money. Afte 994Reads5.5Score10414d adds
- 124 My Wife's Secret 我妻子的秘密 I discovered my wife's secret during one of her business trips out of town. That night, she suddenly called me. I thought she missed me. That is, until I put her on speaker... 1.7kReads—Score—14d adds
- 125 A Lawyer and His Three Women 一个律师和他的三个女人 Romance + law + workplace Lin Fan entered Xingzhou's top law firm with dreams of upholding the law, unaware that beneath his mentor Zhou Mingli's refined facade lay nothing but dirty dealings. He became mired in a world of lust: Bai Lu, the infatuated receptionist, sacrificed herself to him and turned him into a slave to desire; Zhao Ya, the heiress to a wealthy family, lured him into a life of extravagant pleasures and dragged him into a criminal maelstrom. As he walked the line between money, 9Reads—Score—14d adds
- 126 Breaking the Bottom Line 打破底线 In the eyes of others, he has it all: an executive title at a branch company and a happy family. But he also has plenty of secrets he can’t let see the light of day… A routine audit at the head office becomes the turning point in his fate… 14.1kReads8.2Score68914d adds
- 127 After the Year-End Bonus Was Canceled, My Boss Knelt Outside My Door 年终奖取消后，老板在我家门口跪下了 After the Year-End Bonus Was Canceled, My Boss Knelt Outside My House 5Reads—Score—14d adds
- 128 My Perfect Attendance Bonus Became a Project Bonus, and I Was Slammed on the Headlines 全勤奖改项目奖金，我被骂上头条 They Replaced Perfect Attendance Bonuses with Project Bonuses, and I Got Blasted All Over the Headlines —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 129 After My Credit Was Stolen, I Slacked Off, and My Toxic Coworkers All Lost It 功劳被抢后我摆烂了，极品同事集体破防 After My Achievements Were Stolen, I Started Slacking Off and My Toxic Coworkers Totally Lost It 2Reads—Score—14d adds
- 130 Under the Influence of Dopamine 多巴胺作祟 [Mutual pining + reunion after years apart] Sweet, with a little angst, moving moments, warmth, and plenty to relate to. "Sweet, gentle, restless small-town exam ace" vs. "handsome, gentlemanly, brooding ABC" Everyone says Liu Yuqiu is the ideal man. Only Zhou Lingwei knows just how bad he can be. Everyone thinks Zhou Lingwei is harmless. Only Liu Yuqiu knows how ruthless she is. Where’s the love in the CBD? Where’s the romance? It’s all a contest between "bad guys" and "ruthless women." A thou 775Reads8.9Score10714d adds
- 131 Workplace Temptation: The Ambitions of a Middle-Aged Man 职场诱惑：中年大叔的野望 [Ultimate Temptation + Push and Pull to the Limit + Workplace Intrigue + A Rookie’s Guide to Growth] After three years of marriage, Zhang Jun is once again sent to work in another city, leaving him and his wife together only once a month. Then she appears, and everything changes. The temptation is irresistible, and he falls in an instant... (The blurb may not do it justice, but the story is absolutely gripping.) This novel is grounded in reality. There is no System or supernatural power. It is e 22Reads7.0Score—14d adds
- 132 Love Is Simple 爱很简单 Before I became a billionaire, I was always searching for love. What is love? I hope you can find the answer in this book. This book is about love, desire, life, philosophy, gender equality, and society's discrimination against women... 40Reads—Score314d adds
- 133 The Neighbors on Either Side of Xingyao 星遥的左右隔壁 Shen Song Xingyao is a girl whose name carries the story of her parents' unusual relationship. She grew up in a unique family arrangement, with her parents living in apartments next door to each other. Her father, Shen Yizhou, is a carefree, laid-back editor, while her mother, Song Qingru, is a meticulous, rational accountant. They never had a marriage in the traditional sense, yet through an unspoken understanding few outsiders could comprehend, they raised their daughter together. From her inn 2Reads—Score—14d adds
- 134 Shenzhen Stories: Sister Ji 深圳往事霁姐 You resent that I was born too soon; I resent that you were born too late. Though we could not live at the same time, we can still share a grave. Mo Chou happens to meet Wu Zhiji, a beautiful, kind-hearted young widow ten years her senior. Was it that love came too early, before she knew how to cherish it, or that by the time she learned to love, they had become strangers? Disclaimer: The locations, people, companies, and events in this book are unrelated to real life! 56Reads6.3Score—14d adds
- 135 Women, Houses, and Everything in Between 女人与房子那些事儿 An unremarkable woman stops at nothing, steadily climbing the ranks until she makes a stunning comeback and becomes the president of a real estate company. Her life is full of hardships and almost legendary twists. The novel also reveals many little-known secrets of the real estate industry. 18Reads—Score—14d adds
- 136 Foot Massage Is a Way, Technique Is a Method: Follow the Way of Nature 足道也是道手法也是法道法自然 A young man’s journey through love brings surprises and disappointments, laughter, and moments that leave him wanting to cry but unable to shed a tear. What is love, really… Perhaps it means being together forever, or perhaps it means having loved once. The answer lies in the hearts of all you fellow cultivators… —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 137 Ten Miles of Red Finery: Not a Single Sedan Chair Can Be Left Behind 十里红妆：一抬都不能少 "Three million. Sign it." She replied with four words: "The shop is not for sale." Her grandmother had passed away, leaving behind a bridal finery shop, twelve volumes of manuscripts, and a grand sedan chair for a wedding procession, its gold leaf only half applied. Everyone urged her to take the money and leave. Only the lawyer told her, "The will says the shop goes to you. If you don't claim it within sixty days, it goes to someone else." So she went to claim it. When buying the shop didn't wo 1Reads—Score—14d adds
- 138 From Food Delivery to a Rural Kid's Rise to Success 从送外卖开始，农村娃的逆袭人生 [Genius + face-slapping + youthful passion + urban king of soldiers + undercover agent + patriotism] I never expected that I was the fool all along. You think I’m a sucker? Just wait until you’re the one crying! You think I’m a pushover, but you’ve provoked a vicious dragon! Just wait, and I’ll make sure you won’t even recognize your own mother. After an impulsive act, an ordinary young man who had just graduated from a mediocre third-rate university unexpectedly unlocks his brainpower, and his 1Reads8.6Score—14d adds
- 139 Life as a Neighbor to a Flight Attendant 和空姐做邻居的日子 (A realistic story with sweetness and heartbreak, vivid descriptions, explicit writing, and multiple heroines.) Five years after Chen Linfeng broke up with his first love, they meet again. She is now a cold, aloof female CEO. After five years as a low-ranking clerk, he is finally on the verge of promotion, but someone sets him up using a fake flight attendant, nearly ruining his career. After getting out, he soon meets a real flight attendant, a beautiful, aloof, wealthy woman who has just moved 436Reads8.4Score—14d adds
- 140 Consultation After Dark 咨询夜不眠 After graduating from Harvard with an MBA, Song Qiaoyi returns to Main, one of the world's top strategic consulting firms. There, he endures workplace bullying, being framed with nude photos, and being deliberately sidelined. He turns the tide in a crisis, only to take someone else's piece of the pie, and leads his team into a head-on clash with a competitor. Through it all, he and his colleagues and mentors hold fast to their professional principles. He rises from strategic consultant to partne 365Reads9.4Score10314d adds
- 141 Xiaohuan in Beijing 小寰在北京 [Urban Life + Entrepreneurship + No Saintly Heroine + No Simping + No Idiocy + Realistic + Humor + Intelligence] Xiaohuan in Beijing is a full-length novel. The novel tells the story of Zhao Xiaohuan, a man born in 1991, as he works and lives in Beijing. After graduating from university, he worked for two years in his hometown of Shenyang, but he never forgot the boast he had made in college: that he would become the richest man in the world. However, reality left him increasingly dispirited, an 3Reads—Score—14d adds
- 142 There Was No Underworld in the Nineties 九十年代没有江湖 Years later, workers renovating Qinghe's old town unearthed a moldy ledger beneath an abandoned factory housing complex. The ledger listed laid-off workers, families of miners killed in accidents, women from dance halls, and several lines of numbers blurred by water. On the last page, there were only three words: Chen Qingshan. Some said he was the most loyal man in Qinghe. Some said he was the man who most deserved to die. Others said that if not for the times he lived in, Chen Qingshan mig 49Reads—Score—14d adds
- 143 Those Years Adrift in Guangdong 漂泊在广东的那些年 This is a realistic story, based on the author's and his friends' real experiences, with a little artistic embellishment! No golden finger, no System, and probably none of the wish-fulfillment moments you're hoping to see! Beyond the raw realities are deep reflections and memories that have gradually grown hazy! I dedicate this story to the days spent drifting through Guangdong! I dedicate it to those of my generation who went through similar experiences! 35Reads—Score—14d adds
- 144 Nan Xu Heads South 南絮向南 [Not Purely Devoted | Age Gap | Female Growth | Workplace Ensemble | Slow-Burn Daily Life] In the summer of 2006, Qin Nanxu gave up her chance to pursue graduate studies, ended a relationship that had lasted over seven years, and headed south to Linghai alone, carrying her tennis racket. A steady job, weekend tennis, more novels than she could ever finish, and music she could never get enough of; Away from her family of origin, no marriage, no children; As for love, she could enjoy it, but its 105Reads—Score11614d adds
- 145 It's Only Fifty 不过是五十而已 An inspirational, unyielding story of midlife crisis, workplace struggles, bank managers and tellers, married life, and everyday urban life. This book tells the story of Huang Wenxue, a bank manager facing a midlife crisis. She is at that awkward age when she is considered too old to find a new job, yet still too young to retire. How will she answer the unavoidable questions surrounding her career, marriage, family, children, and caring for her aging parents? Even in middle age, even when confro 432Reads8.9Score—14d adds
- 146 A Working Girl’s Life Through Wind and Rain 打工女孩的风雨人生路 In the 1990s, a wave of migrant workers swept across the country, and countless young people left their hometowns for the big cities. The dazzling neon lights of the metropolis conjured one fantasy after another, while burying the youth of so many. Longing for a fresh start, the naive young Zhou Jie joined the great wave heading south. From getting a factory job to running away, from falling on hard times to fighting her way forward, she had to tread carefully at every step. She thought that a 259Reads8.2Score—14d adds
- 147 After I Was Made Redundant, My Former Company Begged Me to Return and Put Out the Fire 被优化后，前司跪求我回去救火 After I Was Laid Off, My Former Company Begged Me to Return and Put Out the Fires 2Reads—Score—14d adds
- 148 The Mangroves and Lychee Fragrance Bay 红树林与荔香湾 [Troubled families + drifting careers + tangled romances + unpredictable personalities + tragedy] [A realist tragedy! Readers looking for feel-good wish fulfillment, stay away.] A group of young people who chose the wrong majors and ended up in the wrong fields! In reality, ideals beckon; in pursuit of ideals, reality pulls you back. How do you reconcile the two? Is a person’s misfortune caused by their circumstances, their personality, or fate? Two young women stood before Wu Yifan. Anxious and 10Reads—Score—14d adds
- 149 Lost in Marriage: The Stranger in My Bed 婚姻迷途，枕边的陌生人 It had started out as an ordinary day. After finishing his work at the office, he came home early. His wedding anniversary with his wife was just a few days away, and he planned to buy her some gifts and surprise her. Hehe... 158Reads5.8Score—14d adds
- 150 Livestream: This Boss Is the Real Deal, He Actually Fights Back Against Overwork 直播：这老板能处，反卷他真上 [Work three days, rest four. My employees are way too hardworking] To portray workplace culture as realistically as possible, a reality show called "The Workplace We Aspire To" has begun airing. The production team randomly selects bosses from three generations, those born in the 1970s, 1980s, and 2000s, to be livestreamed. The boss born in the 1970s succeeds through psychological manipulation. “Passion! This is a company with a sense of purpose! Understand!?” “You can’t be so heartless!” The bo 61Reads6.4Score—14d adds
