Novels like Back in the Game: Cleaning Up Officialdom
Books Chinese readers most often put in the same booklists as Back in the Game: Cleaning Up Officialdom, best match first.
- 1 Turbulent Waves 迷涛 This is a chronicle of a grassroots official's rise and fall, a portrait of county-level officialdom in the 1990s, and, above all, a bittersweet song of an era defined by the struggle between human weakness and steadfastness. When the turbulent waters recede, the embankment still bears the upright figures of those who never bent. 14Reads—Score—14d adds
- 2 You Asked Me to Sign Off on the Final Accounts, So Why Did I Arrest the Richest Man? 决算让你签字，你把首富抓了？ “Xiuran, the province is pushing hard on the Linjiang Bridge project. Take a look at the final accounts report, and sign it if everything checks out.” Wang Changlin, director of the investment office, handed him a Parker pen. The meeting room was toasty from the heating, the curtains were drawn tight, and the fluorescent lights buzzed overhead. Sitting beside him was Zhao Jinbiao, chairman of the Hongtai Road and Bridge Group. A jade bracelet peeked from his suit sleeve, and with a casual move —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 3 Officialdom: The People Trust Me, So Even in Death, I Have No Regrets! 官场：百姓信我，我死亦道哉！ There is no golden finger, no hilarious power fantasy, and no one who has transmigrated. This book will slowly push its male lead into the anguish of officialdom, all the way to his death. Yuan Tong repeatedly finds himself trapped in deadly predicaments. Death seems like an everyday nuisance at his side, but he cannot forget the people's high hopes for him. Integrity is a crime. Serving the people is a sin. Yuan Tong, born to a poor family, is caught in the middle of it all. He watches those wh —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 4 A Wrong Turn on the Road to Office 官路歧途 Through scheming, currying favor, maneuvering, opportunity, and luck, Tong Xilin rises step by step from a low-level office clerk to a leading official. As his position and power grow, his desires gradually corrupt him, sending him down the criminal path of graft and corruption, until the full force of the law finally catches up with him. Read A Crooked Road to Office and follow the downfall of a corrupt official. 19Reads—Score—14d adds
- 5 A New Take on Political Fiction: A College Graduate's Road into Government 新版官场文：大学毕业生从政路 By a twist of fate, Liu Bai becomes a township civil servant after graduating from college. For a poor nobody like him, landing a civil-service job is already something to celebrate. He had hoped to keep his head down and do an ordinary job without competing with anyone, but he encounters one unfair situation after another. And the more he faces, the further he climbs, until he reaches the very pinnacle of power! 223Reads—Score—14d adds
- 6 A Play’s Performance: A Hilarious Tale of Officialdom 一个剧本的演出，啼笑皆非的官场 A play being performed, and an absurd, laughable officialdom —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 7 Officialdom and Human Nature 官场与人性 The Woman Who Studied the Art of War: Born in the countryside to an ordinary family, the heroine starts out as a hotel lobby manager. By studying the art of war in depth and making full use of her intelligence and abilities, she fights bravely and ultimately transforms her life in spectacular fashion. Along the way, she displays extraordinary courage and perseverance, taking readers on an inspiring, legendary journey from obscurity to success. 115Reads—Score—14d adds
- 8 A Fresh Start in Officialdom: From Provincial Government Bigwig to Grassroots Clerk 官道重来：从省府高官到基层科员 After thirty years of ups and downs in officialdom, one sudden fall was enough to show him that the ground beneath his feet was nothing but a cliff. Chen Li returns with the perspective and memories of a senior provincial official to the starting point of his career: a poor, isolated township at the grassroots level. Here, he faces deeply entrenched local powers, long-standing hardships that seem impossible to resolve, and the fateful trap that dragged him into the mire in his previous life. Eve 55Reads—Score—14d adds
- 9 Officialdom: The Road to Triumph Against All Odds 官场：披荆斩棘之路 [Political intrigue + no System + no rebirth] A career in officialdom is a thorny road, and countless people strive to get ahead on it. As the saying goes, doing a good job matters less than being born into the right family. For an ordinary person with no connections to make their way through the thorns, the only option is to seize every opportunity. Chen Feng is one of those who knows how to seize an opportunity. He cuts his way through the obstacles and keeps moving forward… 376Reads6.8Score10214d adds
- 10 The Transferred Soldier King Marries in a Flash During College 转业兵王大学期间闪电结婚 Bai Yitu never expected that after returning to campus, he would be drawn by some mysterious force into one maelstrom after another. To pay for his father's medical treatment, he gave up his first chance at marriage. Then he unexpectedly uncovered the truth behind a college classmate's car accident. The shocking collusion between officials and businesspeople for illicit profits pushed him, against his will, to change everything. From passing the civil service exam for a provincial department to 51Reads—Score—14d adds
- 11 Tales of Officialdom in Jinlin 晋林官宦风云录 Amid the political turmoil of Jinlin County, a small fifth-tier city, County Party Secretary Peng Shusheng was once a pioneer of reform, but died on the eve of his promotion. His secretary, Lu Suiyuan, had been his right-hand man. He resolutely gave up the chance to transfer to the provincial capital and remained in this challenging city. As he carries forward Secretary Peng’s unfinished work, Lu Suiyuan must not only face the countless traps laid by local interest groups, but also resist the co 85Reads—Score—14d adds
- 12 The Political Chess Game 仕途棋局 [Realistic political drama] + [Anti-corruption and crime crackdown] + [Veteran comradeship] + [Rural prosperity] + [Family] After leaving the army, Qin Tianci returned to his hometown. On his very first day at work, his boss gave him a hard time and sent him to serve in a poor, remote village. After starting the job, he learned some shocking news: he actually had thirteen fathers? The mountain villager who had raised him with so much care wasn't his biological father! After uncovering the truth 8.6kReads8.2Score1.1k14d adds
- 13 That Mountain, That City 那山那城 [A powerful work of realism | The ups and downs of life in government | Love and passion | The turbulent 1990s] Huang Shunping of the Jiangzhou Construction Commission’s quality supervision station refuses to compromise on construction standards. In a single night, he finds himself caught in a “sex scandal” and is taken away. Through a twist of fate, his two sons, Nashi and Nacheng, become embroiled in Jiangzhou’s biggest shoddy-construction project: a passenger terminal. After graduating, Nash 962Reads8.8Score13814d adds
- 14 A Rich Second Generation at the Grassroots 富二代在基层 A rich second-generation heir joins the ranks of grassroots civil servants. Moving beyond the pursuit of material inheritance to focus on self-fulfillment and creating social value, he brings professionalism and innovative energy to grassroots work, challenges the one-dimensional narrative of entrenched class divisions, and shows that talented people from different backgrounds can move in both directions. 18Reads—Score—14d adds
- 15 The Bitter and Sweet of Bureaucracy 机关的苦辣酸甜 This story follows Lu Zhenyu, a brilliant graduate of a prestigious university. After joining the government, he finds that he cannot shake his scholarly nature. As he struggles with the clash between ideals and reality, see how he experiences the bitter and sweet sides of life in the bureaucracy. 25Reads6.5Score—14d adds
- 16 Reborn: You Dump Me for a Government Job? I'm No Saint 重生：考公就分手？我不是好人 Fourth place on the written exam, but failed to get a civil service job? Sorry, I’m done being a good guy. This year, I’m getting in! A breakup? Fine. If I can’t have your heart, I’ll have your body! Trying to put me down? Sorry, I have connections up above! When Lin Fan, reborn with the experience of two lifetimes, chose a different way to live, everything turned out differently. In the world of powerful officials, it has always been every man for himself, full of schemes and intrigue. With the 55.7kReads7.2Score5.6k14d adds
- 17 Officialdom: There's a Beauty Named Xiaofang in the Office 官场：办公室有位美女叫小芳 He works hard, strives to improve, and longs for pure love. Career and romance, what’s hidden and what’s out in the open... His colleague Liu Xiaohua, his classmate Huanhuan. How should he choose...? And then there’s Tang Wan’er, whom he secretly loves... —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 18 From the Countryside to the Seat of Power 从乡野到中枢 A college graduate serving as a village official steadily rises through the ranks... a true incorruptible official. He takes on corrupt officials in a battle of wits, moving from the countryside to the township, then from the township to the county seat. Each time, his outstanding record earns him another promotion. 124Reads—Score—14d adds
- 19 A Bloody Road to Power 血色宦途 No System, and no wish-fulfillment fantasy. A bloodstained scrap of paper, the “ticket of admission” his father Qiu Guozheng passed to him with his dying breath, plunges Qiu Xingbang into the treacherous political arena, a veritable hell on earth. Driven by a thirst for vengeance, he sets out on a glittering yet perilous ladder to power. To the world, he is a modest, diligent rising star in politics. In secret, he is a hunter of revenge, advancing one careful step at a time. He navigates the for 1Reads—Score—14d adds
- 20 A New Path in Politics for a Poor Boy 官场之寒门新途 Wang Xingyu was born on a state-owned farm in Northeast China. Though his family was ordinary, he excelled in school from a young age. At eighteen, he earned a place at a prestigious 985 university through his own hard work, where he studied public administration. Over the next four years, Wang Xingyu applied himself not only to his studies but also to student clubs, including the student union’s external relations department. Arranging sponsorships and taking on other practical tasks helped him —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 21 The Dragon Soars Across the Four Seas 龙腾四海 Love, reality, and morality intertwine across a variety of themes, with each story portraying a different facet of life. 21Reads9.0Score—14d adds
- 22 Officialdom: Special Inspector 官场：巡视特使 Is the standard male lead in an officialdom novel a wealthy family's lost heir who gets cheated on from the start? With an official transfer order, Xu Juyi, a decorated national hero returning from abroad, is recommended by his mentor Zhong Baoguo, known as Elder Zhong, whose daughter is Zhong Xia'ai and son-in-law is Hou Liangping. He officially takes personal authority over inspections and disciplinary investigations, stepping into the turbulent chess game of officialdom. Even a commoner can w 24.5kReads8.1Score2.3k14d adds
- 23 The Cowboy’s Foray into Officialdom 放牛娃子闯官场 Liu Wenjie, a rural teacher who grew up herding cattle, left the classroom and entered government service through a chance opportunity. In the classroom, he used knowledge to educate people. In government, he used his abilities to help them. He remembered just one thing: “If you become an official, be a good one. Be an official who gets real things done for ordinary people and does right by them! Be an official whose feet are always caked with the mud of the fields!” With this unwavering commitm 100Reads6.9Score—14d adds
- 24 The Power of Officialdom 官势 Lin Qingyan, a son of a farming family, tackles poverty alleviation and cracks down on organized crime, taking one steady step at a time. He builds momentum, harnesses it, and seizes every opportunity, racing ahead and rising through the ranks. In the face of temptation, he never forgets his original purpose; faced with threats, he never backs down. "I will never coexist with evil" is his motto, and serving the people is his way of governing... 547Reads6.2Score—14d adds
- 25 Power Plays and Political Intrigue 权谋权术 After the newspaper director passed away, his assistant at the Yun Province Daily was plunged into the darkest period of his life: dismissed by the paper, betrayed by his cheating girlfriend, and targeted by malicious colleagues... It all began when he risked his life to save someone. From there, he left journalism for government service, and his life took off. 1.3kReads7.6Score16314d adds
- 26 My Addictive Days at the Urban Development Investment Company 我在城投的那些沉迷日子 My Days Lost in the City Investment Company is a series of novels that offers a profound look at the real-world challenges facing local government investment companies and the moral choices people must make. Through the intertwined lives of four protagonists, it exposes the institutional loopholes and glimmers of humanity behind the entanglement of power and profit, issuing a heartfelt call for integrity and moral awakening. Part One (Chapters 1–53) follows Lin Feng, an idealistic university gr 143Reads—Score—14d adds
- 27 The Truth Behind the Gao Family Village Election 高家庄选举背后的真相 [True to Life]+ [Two Male Leads]+ [Face-slapping]+ [Customs]+ [Urban]+ [Legend] [The Han people’s greatest taboo]: body odor The Gao family, who migrated from the Great Pagoda Tree, has a large population and came from Shanxi. The local natives, with assorted surnames like Song, Du, and Xi, occupy the village’s best land, and most of their families are wealthy. Their population should be even larger, so why are there so few of them? These circumstances defy the natural order. Just like the rumor —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 28 The Pinnacle of Power: After Breaking Up with My Girlfriend, I Soared to Success 权势巅峰：和女朋友分手后扶摇直上 Betrayed by his girlfriend, with his patron's career hanging by a thread, Lu Xiaoyang, a secretary in the municipal government, suffered a double blow to his love life and political career. Disillusioned, he planned to leave politics for good. But the arrival of one woman completely changed his fate, helping him soar up the political ladder and reach the top of the provincial government compound. 642Reads—Score11014d adds
- 29 Guo Jingyuan's Notes on Officialdom 郭敬远官场笔记 Set firmly against the backdrop of its era, this novel brings political realism and commercial idealism together seamlessly. The protagonist, Guo Jingyuan, has an exceptionally accurate grasp of economic trends and a remarkably keen business instinct. While still at university, he earns his first fortune at colleges across the capital. But determined to fulfill his ambitions, he resolutely enters politics, starting at the grassroots level while building his business career in parallel. In busine 135Reads—Score—14d adds
- 30 After Being Struck by Lightning, I Can Hear What They're Thinking 被雷击后我能听到TA在想什么 [One Female Lead + Authentic Political Drama + Urban Fantasy + Mind Reading + Smart Protagonist + Climbing to the Top of the Political Ladder + Serving the People] Zhang Xiaoxian is a post-90s “middle-aged man” with no parents and no powerful connections. A temp at the Guangming District Civil Affairs Bureau, he works diligently but is constantly bullied by his superiors and ostracized by his coworkers. Then a freak lightning strike gives him the power to read minds, changing his fate. He outsma 8Reads—Score—14d adds
- 31 The Young People at the Judicial Office 司法所里的年轻人 Fresh graduate Xu Daqi starts working at a judicial office. He goes from inexperienced and clueless to mature and steady, navigating the minutiae of grassroots work and the bizarre realities of life on the ground. After learning that good deeds are not always rewarded, he comes to understand that kindness must be accompanied by diligence. From suspicious-death investigations and land-flooding disputes to group petitions over contract breaches, he holds fast to the belief that public service is a 10Reads—Score—14d adds
- 32 In the Political Arena, Fighting Corruption Is for the People 官场之反腐是为了人民 From the officials’ roster corruption case in Xiling Province to the corn and vegetable project in Qiangui Province, a series of corruption cases harmed the interests of the people. As a discipline inspection official, Zhong Xiaohua handles each case meticulously and calmly, steadily increasing his authority while always protecting the people’s interests from harm. He makes serving the people his foremost duty. 7Reads—Score—14d adds
- 33 The Pinnacle of Power: A Rising Career in Government 权利巅峰：官场之青云仕途 One day, he was implicated in a scandal and demoted from the county committee to a remote border town. Former colleagues turned a cold shoulder, his girlfriend abandoned him, and his future was in ruins. No one knew that, at the lowest point of his life, he would meet a blue-robed old Taoist in the streets and receive guidance from a master. From then on, he would break deadlocks with strategy and navigate the political arena with intelligence, using his deep cunning and far-reaching vision to 13.3kReads7.6Score1.1k14d adds
- 34 Lost in the Political Arena: Love Versus Career 官场迷途：爱情与前程的较量 When Ling Mohan, a government official, opened the diary left behind by his colleague Su Qing, these words were written in bold on the title page: “You think you’re holding a gorgeous rose, but it’s really a thorn drenched in poison.” 7Reads—Score—14d adds
- 35 The Exceptional Principal 极品校长 Lin Tiannan enters the political arena as a school principal, ready to ride the waves and stride forward with confidence. His life takes off from there. Watch Principal Lin smile as he observes the winds of change... 34Reads—Score—14d adds
- 36 Justice of Heaven’s Way 天道正义 The Way of Heaven and Justice trilogy is a political-philosophical epic that probes the nature of power. Through the trials of grassroots official Chu Feng, it embarks on a profound search for the “Way of Heaven” and reflects the sweeping changes in China's officialdom. Is there a higher justice beyond the rules? In A Gentle Breeze, characters find a way through the mire of a society governed by personal connections, exploring the balance of the Way of Heaven between “law” and “human feeling.” I 49Reads8.7Score—14d adds
- 37 The Move That Breaks the Deadlock 破局之举 Chen Zimo's rise from the grassroots to the inner circle takes an unusual path. While others chase undercurrents, he devotes himself to studying the most transparent and solid system of rules, and finds in it a “cloud staircase” of his own. It is both his methodology and his shield. See how a wise man uses rules as steps and wisdom as his guide, climbing ever higher through a world of shifting tides and hidden currents. 11Reads—Score—14d adds
- 38 The Ridgeline 山脊线 [How cruel is society? Look at how battered I am! How strong am I? Watch me rise smoothly through the ranks!] The grassroots front line is a crucible that refines the strong, a gilded stage for the average, and a sinkhole that eats away at the weak. 1Reads—Score—14d adds
- 39 The Brash Official 官道莽夫 By a twist of fate, Li Nanxing was swept into the heart of a fierce struggle and made a pawn in someone else’s game. He thought he was doomed to be crushed, but somehow he carved out a bright future for himself! From then on, he rose rapidly, with a lovely wife by his side and both fame and fortune in hand! 172Reads6.1Score—14d adds
- 40 Rising and Falling in the Sea of Officialdom 宦海纵横 A poor country boy in his previous life, he makes a stunning comeback in this one and becomes a rising star in officialdom! A meek junior official in his previous life, he climbs the ranks step by step in this one, reaching heights most people can only dream of! A hopelessly nice guy who was dumped by his girlfriend in his previous life, he now finds himself surrounded by beautiful women, dazzling everyone! See how Zhou Yiming takes the worlds of politics, business, and romance by storm. With th 16Reads—Score—14d adds
- 41 A Junior Civil Servant in the County Government 县直单位的小公务员 My new work is out! You're welcome to read it on Tomato Novel. I hope you'll enjoy it. Your support motivates me to write, and I'll do my best to tell every story well! 77Reads—Score—14d adds
- 42 Reborn: A New Path to Power 重生之官路新途 After a night of drinking, the head of the city’s Development and Reform Bureau suffers a sudden heart attack, is reborn, and transmigrates to 1999. His new identity, Lei Yu, is an ordinary secretary in a county government. When his superior is placed under investigation, Lei Yu is implicated and banished to a dead-end job in the archives bureau. He is also framed through a conspiracy, leading the police and disciplinary commission to open a case against him. His opportunistic girlfriend leaves, 2.3kReads7.1Score13314d adds
- 43 No Authority to Audit? One Official Letter and I Make the Whole Province Weep! 审计没权？我一纸公函查哭全省！ Zhou Tiejun pushed himself up from the sofa, his right hand instinctively reaching for his chest. There was no wound, no pain. His palm touched a dark blue jacket, its fabric coarse and its zipper cold. He lowered his head and looked at his hand. It wasn't his. His hands should have been young, with prominent knuckles and carbon-ink stains perpetually caught under the fingernails. But the hands before him had loose, slightly swollen skin, age spots creeping across the backs, and a faint pale gro 125Reads7.0Score14914d adds
- 44 The True Face of Officialdom 官场本色 A new political drama is here! Welcome, everyone. I hope you enjoy my work. Your support is what keeps me writing, and I’ll do my best to tell every story well! 350Reads—Score—14d adds
- 45 The Road to Office for the Poor, Book 2: The Art of Power 寒门官路2:权变 This is the second installment of the novel A Humble Beginning, Rising to the Top. Its audio edition is titled The Humble Official's Road. Secretly prepared by the military district and local government, an unprecedented program to transform elite soldiers into political officials is quietly underway. Tang Lin, a special forces king from a poor family, is No. 001 among the first batch of soldiers transferred to government posts. In just three years, he rises to a high-ranking position. Confro 725Reads6.9Score10414d adds
- 46 A Career Blessed by Fortune: A County Magistrate's Rise to Power 官运滔天：知县逆袭，权倾朝野 [Not a power fantasy! A complex tale of court intrigue and political struggle, grounded in historical research!] Li Shu, a modern-day civil service exam candidate who failed to pass, unexpectedly transmigrates to the first year of the Qianlong reign and becomes a newly appointed jinshi. Starting out as a poor county magistrate in Hengyang, he investigates the shortfall in the ever-normal granaries, exposes the dark secrets of the grain transport trade, and takes on salt smugglers in league with 34Reads—Score—14d adds
- 47 Yao Ganxian Ganxian 姚赶先赶先 Yao Ganxian is the director of the Investment Promotion Bureau in Qinghe City’s Economic Development Zone. He is full of ideas and knows how to get things done, and he has earned a stellar reputation for attracting and supporting businesses. But when the zone’s administrative committee needs to appoint a deputy director in charge of investment promotion, the self-serving incumbent director, Sun Dongfeng, refuses to recommend Yao for all sorts of reasons, often setting traps to undermine his work 53Reads—Score—14d adds
- 48 After Divorcing, I Ride on My Ex-Wife's Family's Coattails to the Top 离婚后，踩着前妻全家青云直上 Song Qiushi runs a gym. For ten years, he has worked hard to support his family, loved his wife, and spoiled his daughter. It hasn’t been easy, but he has never resented it. He believes that as long as he keeps his head down, takes good care of his wife, raises his child well, and looks after the family, he will have a perfect marriage. But every one of his dreams shatters when his wife brings a strange man home. He can put up with anything else, but not this. Divorce... His father-in-law uses h 138Reads—Score—14d adds
- 49 Doing Odd Jobs at the Town Government, I Rise Through Hard Work 镇政府打杂，我靠实干直升 Yang Chenguang spent three years doing odd jobs at the Chunshan Town Government. With no connections and no one to back him, he was just a temp anyone could boss around. The messes everyone else dodged were dumped on him; the tough problems no one else dared touch were tossed his way. He endured it for three years, waiting for his chance. He'd never been interested in a political career. He'd only wanted a job close to home. But reality left him no choice but to climb higher. From handling villa 1.1kReads6.9Score14614d adds
- 50 A Long Prosperous Reign 长盛高歌 2kReads7.4Score20514d adds
