Novels like A Sinful Romance in the Halls of Power
Books Chinese readers most often put in the same booklists as A Sinful Romance in the Halls of Power, best match first.
- 1 The Road to Power in Officialdom 官路权梦 The winds and sands of the northwestern Gobi cannot wear down a young man’s spirit. Clinging to the conviction, “How could I bow and scrape before the powerful, and let that rob me of my joy?”, Sun Zhengping leaves the countryside and enters officialdom. With no connections to rely on and no shortcuts to take, he fights his way through mountains of paperwork and endless meetings, treading carefully through the maelstrom of power. The tides of the times surge. Some people lose their way as their 2Reads—Score—14d adds
- 2 A Book by Feng Chui Lingdong 风吹灵动的一本书 A new work is here! You can 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! 103Reads6.9Score11314d adds
- 3 Battle of the Heart 心争 Just before graduating, university student Cui Dongshan gets dumped by his girlfriend. His parents have already arranged a better career path for him, but he no longer has any desire to compete for one. Going against his family’s wishes, he becomes a village official in Yaxi Village. As he learns from life in the countryside, he also meets Li Xi. He wants to do practical work with both feet on the ground and climb the ranks one step at a time. —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 4 The Road to Power Begins with Taking the Fall 权利巅峰从背锅侠开始 In 2025, Lu Chenzhou closed his eyes in despair. His career was in ruins, and his family had been destroyed. When he opened them again, time had turned back. He was in the conference room in 2003, at the meeting that would decide his fate. “Lu Chenzhou, you have to take full responsibility for this mess!” Zhao Tiankuo's sharp accusation was exactly the same as in his previous life. In his past life, he had bowed his head and admitted his guilt, and from then on had plunged into the abyss. This t 4Reads—Score—14d adds
- 5 The Worst Regret Cure 最差的后悔药 I’m going to write a period drama after all. The protagonist was born in the 1970s. He has a golden finger, but he won’t use it often, and it will become less prominent whenever it does appear. The story is mainly about changing regrets while still being powerless to change many things. I’ll try to keep it close to reality and in step with social developments. It may move slowly, and it might not end up being a long novel. The protagonist will continue to have an ordinary person’s name. 67Reads6.5Score—14d adds
- 6 The Official’s Road: From Grassroots to the Summit 官路风云从基层到巅峰 Lin Yuan picked up the old suitcase that had been with him for four years. Its wheels clattered over the gravel road, the sound especially grating in the quiet mountain dusk. “Hey, young man, where are you headed?” The man squatting at the end stood up, showing a mouthful of yellow teeth. He was in his forties, with a scar running from the corner of his left eye down to his chin. “To report to the town government.” Lin Yuan tried to keep his voice steady. The men exchanged glances, then burst 424Reads—Score—14d adds
- 7 The Soul of the Celestial Empire 天朝魂 China's history is made up of countless little stories. Their endless tales and deep scars of time have shaped who we are today... A new work is here, and I hope all my readers will enjoy it! Please visit Tomato Novel to read my work. I hope you'll like it. Your support is what keeps me writing, and I'll do my best to tell every story well! 2Reads—Score—14d adds
- 8 Survival Rules in the Magic City 魔都生存法则 In the shadows of the concrete jungle of Shanghai, 28-year-old Wang Shuo curls up on the moldy sofa in his rented room, the blue glow of the screen reflecting in his vacant eyes. He dropped out of middle school, yet somehow struggled his way to a master's degree in Chinese literature. Now he has a gold-embossed diploma in hand, but he still can't get a foot in the door of the working world. The keys to his fifth-hand car dig painfully into his pocket, his only tangible connection to this city. W 1Reads—Score—14d adds
- 9 Officialdom: Just Fired, Already Pursued by a Beauty 官场：刚被免职就被佳人缠上 The tides of officialdom bring endless temptations: money, beautiful women, and power. When all of these were placed before Zhao Chen, a man who had always taken life in stride, he somehow stumbled into a world of sensual pleasures. Watch as he turns the tables at will, deftly escapes the traps of passion, and rises steadily through the ranks. —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 10 Little City Wonders 小城惊奇 A small city, a melting pot. A young man, big ambitions. The world is always changing, yet everyday life goes on. A scroll depicting every walk of life, a portrait of the common people. An ordinary man’s quiet story in a small county town; A small city’s astonishing tale in an extraordinary era. My new work is out! You’re welcome to 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! 1Reads—Score—14d adds
- 11 Reborn in Officialdom: Starting at a County Police Station 重生官场：从县派出所开始 (Complete. Short but excellent, with no rushed ending.) (Reborn in the political arena + meticulous logic + solving cases and rising through the ranks + one heroine + no golden finger) “What makes an honest official?” Chen Luzhou: “Fighting for the people!” In his previous life, Chen Luzhou worked diligently, kept his head down, and played by the rules. More than twenty years passed, yet he achieved nothing. In this life, Chen Luzhou has returned to the most pivotal moment: his superior is under 542Reads—Score—14d adds
- 12 Officialdom and Business 官，商 This is the story of Zheng Guodong, who falls from grace in politics, reflects deeply on his mistakes, turns to business, and, at the invitation of his old rival Zhou Hai, returns to Xingye County to help build his hometown and start his life over. It offers a penetrating look at the culture of cliques: either you fit in, or you get pushed out. 2Reads—Score—14d adds
- 13 The Miracle Doctor's Rise to Power 仕途神医 Chen Xuan, an intern, was framed by a colleague and was about to be sent to prison. No one could have imagined that a few silver needles he used by the elevator would pull a powerful second-generation heiress back from the brink of death. He has inherited a lifetime of medical knowledge and possesses eyes that can see a person's political fortunes and hidden illnesses. Starting at the very bottom, he steps into the arena of power, advancing cautiously at every turn. Some try to crush him with th 243Reads—Score—14d adds
- 14 I Turned Officialdom Upside Down, Starting with a Disciplinary Inspection Inquiry 从被纪委问询开始掀翻官场 Suspended, betrayed, and abandoned by his entire circle. Then, in the cold interrogation room of the Discipline Inspection Commission, he says, “If you want to live, prove it to me.” From then on, he holds the secrets and plays every move carefully, turning her from the woman interrogating him into someone who cannot live without him. 3.5kReads7.6Score22114d adds
- 15 The Self-Cultivation of a Minor Bureaucrat 小官僚的自我修养 What exactly is the system in China? It seeps into every aspect of society and people's hearts, reaching every corner. It is ever-present, like a shadow. This book is a guide to surviving within the system, and can also serve as a case study to learn from. With penetrating thought, firsthand insight, and delicate prose, the author recreates the true story of an ordinary man growing into a minor bureaucrat. The petty rivalries, wine, women, wealth, and power of local officialdom; the humiliation 451Reads8.7Score11814d adds
- 16 From Grassroots to the Summit: A Path to Success in Government 官途青云从基层到嵿峰 I, Wen Zhendong, was humiliated into becoming someone else's fall guy. From then on, my career soared, and with the support of the women in my life, I finally became the director of the Eighth Inspection and Supervision Office of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection. Only then did I discover that being made the fall guy all those years ago had been a move in the game laid out for my life... 13Reads—Score—14d adds
- 17 United Village 团结村 The first volume of United Village is a sweeping historical panorama of township enterprises going public, state-owned enterprise reform, and the rise and fall of private businesses. Centered on Li Xiaoshan and Cao Ruhai, the first generation of United Village, it tells the story of a group of dreamers setting out on their own journeys in a turbulent era. They rush forward, believing their dreams will one day come true, only to realize, when their hair has turned white, that they never bought a 7Reads—Score114d adds
- 18 A Selected Graduate's Career in the Sea of Bureaucracy 选调生的宦海生涯 At the turn of the century, Lin Tao, a young man from a farming family, graduates from university at the top of the civil service selection exam and heads to remote Heqing County in Guinan Province. Full of idealism, he soon encounters the many challenges of working in the real world. With keen powers of observation and a remarkable ability to learn, Lin Tao finds his way through the mud and grows stronger through every struggle. A true-to-life political novel that recreates the work and struggl 150Reads6.9Score—14d adds
- 19 The Unorthodox Sword on the Road to Officialdom 仕途之剑走偏锋 While others are scrambling to transfer into city government offices, he chooses to head down to the grassroots level, moving from the top to the bottom. In truth, he is taking this unconventional path to make himself stronger. This is a comeback story set in the world of politics. A man from humble beginnings relies on his own intelligence and courage to overcome obstacle after obstacle on his career path, ultimately becoming a talented young leader in charge of an entire region... 3Reads—Score—14d adds
- 20 From Odd Jobs to the Top of a Small Town 从打工开始走向小城巅峰 As long as you are kind and hardworking, Heaven will surely look favorably upon you. This book tells the inspiring story of Lin Feng, a laborer who endures a life full of twists and hardships, from being laid off by a state-owned enterprise and going out to find work to making a stunning comeback as a county Party secretary. It vividly portrays the many facets of life. 10Reads—Score—14d adds
- 21 A New War and Peace 新战争与和平 The second volume of United Village, New War and Peace, is set in an imagined present-day world in the post-globalization era. Its central figures are Meilong Town in United Village, Qin Dachuan, and Cao Ruhai and Cao Jicheng of the Shanhai Group. A group of veteran soldiers bring the blood-and-steel logic of the battlefield into the business jungle. As they pursue overseas farming and settlement, they are swept into a chain of crises: espionage in Russia’s Far East, a shootout on Sakhalin Islan 29Reads—Score—14d adds
- 22 Forged in Adversity: Starting from Zero 逆境铸金：从零开始 Poxiao Village was where Zhang Xiaoqiang's dreams took flight. This novel tells the story of how an ordinary college-graduate village official gradually grew into a pioneer of reform, using his wisdom and courage to write an extraordinary chapter in his life. Zhang Xiaoqiang is an idealistic young man, brimming with passion and deeply devoted to his hometown. From his start as a college-graduate village official, he becomes a township head, rises to deputy head of the county Party committee's O —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 23 From the Boiler Room to the Forbidden City 从锅炉房到紫禁城 My new work is out! Feel free to read it on Tomato Novel. I hope you enjoy it. Your support motivates me to write, and I'll do my best to tell every story well! —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 24 A Book by Zhanfu 栈斧的一本书 Chen Yuanmin hit rock bottom, but he never gave up. Confident that life would span two hundred years, he vowed to ride the waves for three thousand miles. In the end, he reached the pinnacle of power. 49Reads6.4Score1214d adds
- 25 The Bustle of a Small County: A Portrait of Ordinary People in the Bureaucratic World 小县喧嚣：普通人的体制浮世绘 This book tells the story of a young man from a rural village who earns a job in the county government through his own efforts. But with no connections, he is sent to a remote township to work in a village, and his girlfriend leaves him without hesitation. Even after putting down roots at the grassroots level and delivering results, he is repeatedly passed over for promotion. Then an anti-corruption storm sweeps through officialdom, tearing a crack in the murky order. With no family or political 3Reads—Score—14d adds
- 26 Reborn into the Political World 官途重生 In the intensive care unit, the indicator lights on the various machines blinked in the darkness. Lu Beichen lay in bed, barely breathing. His stomach cancer was terminal and had spread throughout his body. There was no hope of a cure. “She waited for you for ten years,” the old man said at last. “From that rainy night in Qingping to this hospital room. Ten years.” The monitor let out a continuous beep. Lu Beichen’s consciousness slowly faded, and one final thought crossed his mind: If he coul 315Reads6.5Score11414d adds
- 27 The Cold and Warmth of the Halls of Power 官场冷暖 Zhang Ming is an ordinary grassroots civil servant. Navigating the gap between personal relationships and the rules, he climbs step by step to the pinnacle of power. This is a story of political maneuvering, difficult choices, and personal redemption. The protagonist, Zhang Ming, starts out as a low-ranking township clerk. After demonstrating extraordinary courage and ability during an unexpected incident, he catches the attention of his superiors. In the treacherous world of officialdom, he 23Reads6.8Score10014d adds
- 28 The Pinnacle of Power 仕途巅峰 The world is cruel, and people are heartless. Rain falls at dusk, when flowers are quick to fade. The morning breeze dries, but tear stains remain. I long to write down what’s in my heart, yet can only speak to myself by the railing. It is so hard, so hard, so hard. We are parted now, and nothing is as it was. My ailing soul swings like a rope in autumn wind. The horn sounds cold, and night grows late. Afraid someone will ask, I swallow my tears and pretend to be happy. I hide it, hide it, hide 6Reads—Score—14d adds
- 29 Rising Through the Ranks of Officialdom 官场之青云直上 He was promoted and appointed, only to be sent to a remote mountain township in the middle of nowhere. Was it a demotion, or was there another assignment? Ouyang Ming upheld his sense of justice and fought for the people. He cleared away the fog, broke through the deadlock, stood out, navigated political intrigue, and punished lawbreakers. Righteous and fearless, Ouyang Ming climbed step by step toward the peak of his life. 193Reads—Score—14d adds
- 30 I'm Just an Ordinary Guy. Do I Really Have to Get Promoted This Fast? 我就一俗人，不要升职那么快吗 (Contemporary, urban, political drama, no rebirth, multiple heroines.) This novel is simply a dramatized take on the everyday affairs of political life. If you see yourself in it, please don’t take it personally. Let me make this clear first: the political story is entirely fictional. This is urban life, so don’t read too much into it. Please be kind. Thank you. 108Reads6.3Score10514d adds
- 31 Officialdom: Power in Interwoven Hands 官场：权利交织 Shang Quancai never expected that simply bragging would let two women turn the tables on him. He didn't want to lose face in front of them, so if he bragged to the point where nobody could prove him wrong, then it wouldn't count as bragging, right? Wasn't there a saying in official circles that nothing is impossible, only people who can't get things done? Besides, once you've taken a dump, can you really sit back down in it? 188Reads6.1Score10814d adds
- 32 The Road to Office and Commerce: My Wife and Child Are in a Parallel World 官路商途：妻儿却在平行时空 A lone wolf in the political arena, unstoppable on the official path: Zhang Ping, a minor county government clerk reborn, rises steadily through the ranks with his fragmentary memories of the future. He maneuvers across the political landscape and amasses tremendous power, yet remains utterly alone. When the timelines converge, he would rather give up his empire than seize back the life that belongs to him! 1Reads—Score—14d adds
- 33 Reborn: Battling for the Road to Power 重生之官路争锋 A career in public service is a long and arduous road! Reborn in the year 2000, Qi Fei enters government service to fulfill his father’s dying wish, only to be assigned by the personnel bureau chief, who is currying favor with the county Party secretary, to the poorest township. Drawing on the advantages of being reborn, he leads the people toward prosperity, outwits his political rivals, and fights his way up from the grassroots through a world of deceit and intrigue. He braves every obstacle a 45Reads—Score—14d adds
- 34 A Young Police Officer's Reversal of Fortune 小民警的逆袭人生 The woman before him left Li Jia with a jumble of conflicting feelings. He could look down on anyone else. Back in the village, he was his family's pride, and his classmates practically put him on a pedestal. But to her, he was nothing. It's true that a change of environment can change a person. As soon as her career started taking off, she seemed to become a completely different person. He couldn't make sense of it. He looked at his girlfriend, dressed to the nines in a work uniform, and felt 53Reads—Score—14d adds
- 35 The Uncrowned King 无冕之王 Jing Tao is reported during the public notice of his appointment as director. After his promotion falls through, his former leader makes a decision on his own and sends him to gain experience at the grassroots level. Under Jing Tao’s leadership, the community is reborn. Using his strengths, he actively takes part in the process of democratization and helps address a wide range of social issues, including housing, education, healthcare, elder care, and people’s livelihoods. He truly fulfills the 23Reads6.7Score—14d adds
- 36 The Winds of Power: Rising from Obscurity 权路风云之微末起青云 Tian Feng starts out as a young man from humble beginnings, working his way up from the grassroots. He puts down roots in his job, tackles the public’s problems with care, works diligently, and treats people with sincerity. Through his ability and sense of responsibility, he grows step by step, achieving remarkable results in an ordinary position. He builds his life through hard work and rises from humble beginnings. Follow this ordinary young man as he stays grounded, honors his original purpos 6Reads—Score—14d adds
- 37 Reborn: I Quit the Civil Service and Found Freedom as a Boss's Driver 重生不当公务员，领导司机很逍遥 A new story is out! You can read my work 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! 14Reads7.3Score—14d adds
- 38 Thirty Years of Political Ups and Downs 宦海沉浮三十年 A rural boy claws his way out of the countryside and into the world of politics, enduring relentless suppression in a grueling struggle to defy fate and change his life. After being tested in multiple workplaces and weathering the ups and downs of several relationships, he is repeatedly beaten down, only to turn the tables again and again. With no connections or backing, how far can he get in thirty years in politics? Is the problem the individual, or the system? A thought-provoking story. It al 5Reads—Score—14d adds
- 39 Taking the Reins: A Perilous Career in Government 执掌风云：步步惊心的仕途生涯 Seven years later, Lin Feng will wield immense power. But for now, this proud Peking University prodigy is seen as a useless failure by his ambitious girlfriend because of his quiet, low-key nature. Betrayed and made a laughingstock, he flies into a rage and decides to become a government-selected graduate trainee, embarking on a career in public service. Just two months into his new career, Lin Feng already has his ambitious girlfriend, Liang Yan, regretting everything. Over the next seven year 10.8kReads8.2Score1.4k14d adds
- 40 The Number One Figure 一号人物 The road to promotion winds through eighteen twists and bends, and every turn conceals a mystery. The Number One Figure is the first novel in Tang Datian’s “Leaders” trilogy. It marks a different approach to fiction for the author, as well as a new experiment. Who is the number one figure? How do they control the big picture? How do they master the situation? A career-defining work by renowned political fiction author Tang Datian, it combines political intrigue, suspense, and detective fiction, 1.8kReads9.4Score31314d adds
- 41 A Desperate Counterattack 绝地反击 Li Tianyi offends his immediate superior on his very first day at work and is promptly given the cold shoulder. Watch as he survives against the odds, strikes back from the brink, and trounces every last schemer and demon along the way! 4.6kReads8.9Score61614d adds
- 42 The Price of Making It in the Special Economic Zone 闯荡特区的代价 Liu Fu’an ventures into the Shenzhen Special Economic Zone. From a naive young man from the countryside, he rises against the odds and pushes forward through hardship, eventually becoming a legendary figure who changes his own fate, improves his family’s circumstances, and transforms the face of his hometown. My new work is out! You’re welcome to 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! 5Reads—Score—14d adds
- 43 A Most Unusual Path to Power 非常权途 As the driver for a beautiful female executive, Zhou Tianyu was under enormous pressure. After helping his boss with a small favor, he earned her appreciation and quickly went from being a mere chauffeur to holding a leadership position. But this was only the beginning… 2.2kReads8.8Score23114d adds
- 44 Reborn on the Road to Power 重生之官道 [Not Wish Fulfillment + No Mindless Protagonist + Everyday Life + Wits and Strategy] Enter at your own risk To most people, officialdom looks calm on the surface, yet beneath it currents run deep, full of deception and intrigue. Is it a web of power and influence, or a battle between black and white? The truth is, choosing the right path matters more than working hard! In his previous life, Wang Ze was conscientious and responsible, but lacked the heart of a strong man. Timid and afraid to make 810Reads6.8Score10414d adds
- 45 A Mayfly in the Mortal World 尘世一蜉蝣 "Humanity follows the earth, the earth follows heaven, heaven follows the Way, and the Way follows nature." All beneath heaven bustle for profit; all beneath heaven hurry for profit. Heaven and earth give birth to all things, and all things have their own way. Defy the Way and you will surely be punished. Who has ever escaped the judgment of heaven? Qiao Yinuo, the son of a farming family, sets out on the path of politics in a daze after graduating from college, hoping to escape his shameful fam 1Reads—Score—14d adds
- 46 The Road to Officialdom: Starting from Scratch 官途之从零起步 Lu Feng, an avid reader of political novels, dies unexpectedly and is reborn. Starting out at a township industrial and commercial office, he faces workplace struggles, political suppression, and a forced breakup with his girlfriend, but uses his wits to overcome every setback and rise rapidly through the ranks. Yet a hidden secret about his background, tied to his rebirth, leaves him cornered with no way out. 1Reads—Score—14d adds
- 47 Turning Gold into Dust 点金成土 Lin Weimin, a Peking University graduate, arrives in Qingshi County, the poorest county in the province, as a selected government trainee. On his first day, nobody thinks much of this idealistic young scholar. He is assigned to manage archives and energy conservation. In a county tangled up in webs of personal connections, anyone who doesn't know the rules won't last three episodes. In a year, he goes from a marginal department to the core decision-making circle. Using rules set down in black an 46Reads7.2Score—14d adds
- 48 Setting Sail for Yunzhou 启航云州 Driven by the ideal of “making Yunzhou a better place,” dedicated official Chen Wangshu leads his team into a new chapter. They conduct in-depth research and develop plans to upgrade local industries, connect businesses with resources to help them overcome difficulties, and organize activities to enrich residents’ cultural and spiritual lives. With each new effort, they move steadily toward their goal and help Yunzhou set sail for a brighter future. 11Reads—Score—14d adds
- 49 The Wind Rises: The Deer Call 大风起兮：呦呦鹿鸣 The Scales Tip Left, the People Turn Right Also known as "The Political Arena: Don't Mess with the Village Secretary" Ordered to take up a village post at his engagement banquet, he plans to build roads and help the villagers escape poverty, only to get caught up in the undercurrents of the political arena. He dares to talk back to leaders, take on the well-connected, and tackle the toughest challenges. Decisive and ruthless, he rises from a lowly village secretary to the very heart of power. 4Reads—Score—14d adds
- 50 The Road to Power 权力官途 242Reads7.3Score—14d adds
