Novels like A Secretary's Notes: Shadows of Power Behind the Red Walls
Books Chinese readers most often put in the same booklists as A Secretary's Notes: Shadows of Power Behind the Red Walls, best match first.
- 51 A Book by Xiaolou Zuoye Qingfeng 小楼昨夜轻风的一本书 My new work is out! You can 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! 34Reads5.8Score—14d adds
- 52 Huang Zhichen's Tenth Book 黄智宸第10本书 My new work is here! You can read it on Tomato Novel. I hope you’ll enjoy it. Your support inspires me to write, and I’ll do my best to tell every story well! 4Reads—Score—14d adds
- 53 The Ups and Downs of the System 体制风云 Wang Yibo had passed the provincial civil service selection exam and expected to serve in a prosperous township. By a twist of fate, however, he was sent to impoverished Shanling Township as a full-time deputy Party secretary. When his career ambitions clash with his belief in serving the people, what will he choose? 7Reads—Score—14d adds
- 54 In the World of Officialdom, One Wrong Move Can Get You Promoted 官场，不小心就升官了 Qin Mo, a 50-year-old, low-ranking employee at the Archives Bureau, wakes up one morning having traveled from 2025 back to the night before the 1995 civil service exam. After a miserable, bullied life in his previous life, all he wants this time is to make money and chase women, staying well clear of the troubles of government service. 36Reads—Score—14d adds
- 55 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 8Reads—Score—14d adds
- 56 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. 199Reads—Score—14d adds
- 57 A Weathered Political Career 沧桑官途 Without attaching himself to power, and without using it to bully others, Gong Zheng unexpectedly embarked on a career in public service. Starting by taking the fall for the county Party secretary, he skillfully leveraged every opportunity and rose steadily through the ranks, while also experiencing the ups and downs of officialdom... 147Reads—Score—14d adds
- 58 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
- 59 Climbing the Ladder: I Really Want to Get Ahead 步步高升：我真是太想进步了 Gao Sheng majored in Chinese Language and Literature. In college, he was a class officer, presented a polished image, earned excellent grades, and joined the Communist Party. During the 2010 graduation season, he landed a job at Bingzhou Industrial Investment Group, a state-owned enterprise under the provincial capital in his hometown. Coming from a rural background, he thought that joining a state-owned enterprise would let him put his outstanding abilities to use and build a brilliant future. 131Reads—Score—14d adds
- 60 Rising and Falling in Officialdom: Why Shouldn't I Make It? 宦海浮沉，我凭什么不行？ Political intrigue + human nature + power struggles + no System + no rebirth There are no lofty speeches or empty formalities here, only schemes that run bone-deep and deceptions where it’s impossible to tell truth from lies. Join me in entering the Heavenly Game and savor the most dazzling political struggle this world has to offer. 2.3kReads8.0Score10814d adds
- 61 The Pinnacle of Power, Starting from the Grassroots 权力巅峰，从基层开始 Li Zhenhua has been reborn! Though he treads carefully, as if walking on thin ice, he still fails to escape the schemes of his old nemesis. Demoted from the county Party committee to the poorest, most remote township, he faces a hellish start. Just as he's at a loss, an unexpected car accident completely changes the course of his life. Watch as I rise from the grassroots level of the civil service, climbing step by step and enjoying life! 784Reads7.2Score—14d adds
- 62 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 61Reads—Score—14d adds
- 63 Climbing the Ladder to Success 拾级而上青云 Blow after blow in his previous life left Ye Zifeng trapped in years of self-doubt. He drifted through decades of mediocrity in a grassroots post. Just as he was about to retire, he fell gravely ill and had little time left to live. On the brink of death, Ye Zifeng was unexpectedly reborn, returning to the eve of his college graduation. In this life, watch him break free from his predicament, seize his chance, enter government with confidence, and climb step by step toward the top. 517Reads8.1Score—14d adds
- 64 From the Start, I Took the Blame, Then Climbed to the Top 开局背黑锅，我步步登青云 Crisis is opportunity. Seize it, and you can rise to the top. Facing the desperate predicament of being made a scapegoat, Zhao Guodong throws himself into the game, takes aim at entrenched corruption, and pushes his way toward the center of power, plunging into the eye of the storm of political infighting. 65Reads6.6Score—14d adds
- 65 Staying True to Your Mission: The Way of an Official 不忘初心之为官之道 Reporter Zhuang Ziyou and prosecutor Lin Ruoxi fell in love at first sight while catching a Peeping Tom, and soon began a sweet and thrilling life together. Other couples go shopping to flirt. These two go shopping to catch thieves! Corrupt officials? They expose every one they find! The underworld? You’re not getting away either! As they take on corruption and organized crime, Zhuang Ziyou rises step by step from a humble reporter to a career in government. But the road through officialdom is f 124Reads—Score—14d adds
- 66 Reborn in 1998: Back on the Road to Power 重生1998，再踏官途 A celebratory banquet for a promotion became the last straw for Zhang Haiqing! He has been working for twenty-three years, yet has spent more than a decade stuck at the section-level, without moving up an inch! Who could have guessed that fate would play such a cruel joke on him, sending him back to October 3, 1998! With two months left before he is assigned a job, how will he face the road opening up before him once more?! Reborn and embarking on his official career again, he is ready to give i 202Reads6.0Score12014d adds
- 67 Zenxing Duanyue's 63rd Book 禅星断月第63本书 Political intrigue + female lead + power struggles + cracking down on corruption “Integrity isn’t a medal for good morals. It’s a basic qualification for public service.” “Some comrades treat the public like exam questions and themselves like examiners. They’ve got their roles backward! No matter how high we score on our own papers, if the public gives us a failing grade, then we’ve got zero!” 22Reads—Score—14d adds
- 68 The Pinnacle of Power: A Life in Officialdom, Starting at the Criminal Investigation Bureau 权势巅峰：从刑大开始的官场人生 (Reborn + crime-solving + fast-paced + officialdom) “You got a government job and dumped me? Fine. You may have made it into the system, but I can make sure you fall right back out!” Chen Ye takes his last breath beneath the wheels of a dump truck. When he opens his eyes, he’s back twenty years in the past, at the moment his ex-girlfriend Su Hong publicly humiliates him and breaks up with him after passing the civil service exam. “You’re just a lowly auxiliary police officer. How could you eve 2kReads6.9Score16714d adds
- 69 Adrift in the Political Arena 官海沉浮 After thirty years of ups and downs in the political arena, Xia Tian has faced one formidable opponent after another. He has no idea whether tomorrow will bring failure or success. A different kind of political world, a different life, different emotional stories, and a different kind of protagonist. (This book is entirely fictional. Do not imitate it or assume it refers to you.) 92Reads—Score—14d adds
- 70 Cultivating Immortality in Officialdom: Being a Good Official Is No Easy Task 官场修仙，好官不好当 [Politics + rebirth + ensemble cast + pseudo-cultivation] A tightly plotted story, so if you only skim, please move along. This novel offers a vivid recreation of the political world of the 1990s. Corruption and integrity, betrayal and loyalty, conservatism and radicalism: all are swept up in the brutal struggle where each side contains traces of the other, then carried by the tide of the times into the river of the new century. Politics is never calm! 3kReads8.4Score35414d adds
- 71 The Pinnacle of Power in Officialdom 官场之权力巅峰 Ye Xingsheng is widely regarded by his colleagues as a model worker. He's diligent and hardworking, with an outstanding record, yet the leaders don't appreciate him. 22Reads5.5Score—14d adds
- 72 Enlightenment in Officialdom 官场悟道 After Lin Jian fails to secure the position of director of the bureau's general office, he soon discovers his wife's secret, and his life plunges to rock bottom. Little does he know that fate is about to turn his life upside down once again... 83.4kReads8.6Score7.5k14d adds
- 73 Racing Up the Career Ladder: Starting by Taking Control of the Whole Scene 仕途狂飙：从镇压全场开始 My new work is out! You can read it on Tomato Novels. I hope you'll enjoy it. Your support is what keeps me writing, and I'll do my best to tell every story well! 357Reads7.5Score—14d adds
- 74 Tides of Officialdom 宦海沉浮 The most powerful relative in his family is his second aunt’s husband, a village deputy director, and their most valuable possession is a radio salvaged from a junkyard. Yet he not only made it to the city, but also became an official. Let the wind howl and waves crash, and I’ll stroll through the courtyard at my own pace. No matter how fierce the winds or rough the seas, I’ll cut through the waves! Spring breeze at my back, I’ll ride my horse at a gallop and see all of Chang’an’s flowers in a s 210Reads6.3Score—14d adds
- 75 Reborn: From Live-in Son-in-Law to Ruler of the World 重生从赘婿到权倾天下 Cheng Li, a poor-born young man, is reborn on the day his life takes a decisive turn. Faced with an offer of a contractual marriage from the cool and beautiful senior student Liu Xu, he signs without hesitation. In this life, he casts aside pointless pride, relying on the Liu family’s influence while staying true to himself. He starts out in one of the poorest townships in western Hunan. Building roads, developing cities, alleviating poverty, and breaking through deadlocks, he stands firm agains 31kReads7.6Score3.1k14d adds
- 76 The Grassroots Promotion Path: From Contract Social Worker to Politics 基层晋升路：从编外社工到政坛 Volumes 1-7 follow Chen Shiyi's growth in a rural community. Volume 8 onward shifts to stories set in urban communities, touching on some issues that are closer to current realities. Feel free to skip ahead if you're interested. Volumes 1-7 mainly follow Chen Shiyi, a contract social worker who becomes a community secretary thanks to his strong work performance. After receiving excellent evaluations in two consecutive terms under municipal policy, he is promoted to a member of the township and s —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 77 No Regrets in Serving the People 为民无悔 Love brought upheaval; I left the faith behind for a new path. A strange past emerged, and my journey through love was tangled with complications. The waves are fierce. How can I ride them and break through the currents? Love is tangled. Where can I find my way home? My strange past only brings more uncertainty. After years of hardship, I finally found the dignity I once sought, but by then, the satisfaction I had hoped for was gone. What remained in my heart was countless ordinary people, yet I 53Reads8.5Score—14d adds
- 78 A Hound on the Official Road 官路犬踪 A dog follows its master through many hardships and twists of fate. It also witnesses the master's despicable abuse of power and schemes. But justice prevails in the end, and there is nowhere beyond the reach of the law. Ultimately, the master receives the punishment he deserves. 3Reads—Score—14d adds
- 79 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 25Reads6.8Score10014d adds
- 80 The Pinnacle of Power: My Formidable Backing Is Revealed 权力巅峰：我的强大背景曝光了 [Traditional political drama + no System] Breaking news! After a leader dies under mysterious circumstances, secretary Qin Yang is dragged into the scandal because every clue points to his girlfriend! He goes from a rising star at work to a public enemy. His political career hangs by a thread, and his life sinks into darkness. At the crucial moment, an order transfers him to a village post. He thinks he's been exiled, but it turns out to be the starting point of his comeback. During his time in 12.3kReads8.4Score1.4k14d adds
- 81 Reborn: I've Long Since Mastered the Ways of Officialdom 重生：在官场，我早已人情练达 Chen Qingdong had been crushed in the political arena for his youthful idealism, and had grown so despairing that he had given up on life. Then, by chance, he returned to the past and got the chance to rewrite his life! This time, Chen Qingdong knew how to navigate the ways of the world, and swore to reclaim the dignity he had lost in his previous life. From then on, he advanced one step at a time, seizing every opportunity and forging a legendary rise through the treacherous ups and downs of th 1.7kReads6.3Score13014d adds
- 82 From the Yellow and Huai Rivers to the Clouds 黄淮布衣入青云 A major work of realistic political fiction about personal growth. In the early 1980s, in the impoverished floodplain where Anhui, Shandong, and Henan meet, Lin Yanqiu is born into a poor farming family whose generations have worked the land. He breaks free from the fate of the countryside through diligent study. In high school, an inspiring teacher awakens his ideals; at university, a mentor broadens his horizons. After graduation, he puts down roots at the grassroots level and enters public se —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 83 Rising Through the Ranks: Starting as a Township Chief 平步青云：从乡长开始 Wu Zheng, a cadre reassigned to a new post, faced a hostile welcome on his very first day as township chief. Using his iron-fisted methods, he launched a determined counterattack, climbed one step at a time, and rose to the pinnacle of power. As he advanced, the daughter of a high-ranking official became his confidante, while a group CEO became his close friend. Together, they worked to give ordinary people a better life. 147Reads8.3Score—14d adds
- 84 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
- 85 The Story of Pi Tonglin 皮童林的故事 Pi Tonglin was born into an ordinary family and entered public service. Through many ups and downs, he gradually grew from an inexperienced novice into a principled, capable leader who could stand on his own. 92Reads—Score—14d adds
- 86 A Rising Star in Politics 权途新贵 In his previous life, he chose to marry into a wealthy family for the sake of power, only to be cast aside in the end and sentenced to more than a decade in prison. Reborn at the crossroads of his life, he decides to rewrite his fate, forge his own path, and write his own chapter amid the tide of the times! 71Reads—Score—14d adds
- 87 The Mind of an Official 官念 There are ten ranks in the official hierarchy. The higher the position, the greater the power. Wu Youliang starts his political career as a lowly village official without an official post, transforming from a passionate young college student into a shrewd veteran who has weathered the ups and downs of political life. After rising to a high position, he retires with honor. At last, he comes to understand the true nature of power. 1Reads—Score—14d adds
- 88 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
- 89 In the Name of the People: Reborn as the Third Generation, Starting as a Secretary 名义：重生三代，从秘书起步 In his previous life, he was a discarded pawn. He had planned to live out his days in mediocrity, but fate had other ideas. He never expected Heaven to give him the chance to be reborn. With a second chance at life, Xu Kai resolved to reclaim everything he had lost in his previous one. Back in Handong Province, he started out as a secretary. 376Reads6.0Score11414d adds
- 90 A Book by Wanhua Xiaoxiaosheng 万花笑笑生的一本书 My new story is out! You can 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! 12Reads—Score—14d adds
- 91 The Untold Story of a Shenzhen Tycoon: He Once Spent 300 Million to Marry a Star 深圳大佬往事：曾掷三亿娶女明星 This isn't an online novel. It's a chapter from a life. Shenzhen has never lacked for legends, or for people who have fallen on hard times. I was once a rags-to-riches success story. I started out as a migrant worker, seized the right opportunity to amass a fortune worth billions, and married a star admired by millions. But fate took a sudden turn. A real estate project was left unfinished, and crushing debts dragged me into the abyss. Stripped of my finery, I had to put down roots in the indust 2.1kReads—Score13514d adds
- 92 Officialdom: Using My Power to Serve the People with All My Heart 官场：拥有权力为人民掏心掏肺 Power Struggles In government, you need seniority, ability, and gradual progress. You don’t rise to the top overnight. The pace is slow, so please don’t read if that bothers you. Thank you. What man doesn’t like power? “You’re taking bribes? Take him away!” “He’s the county party secretary? Take him away all the same!” Lin Zheng gets on the wrong side of a county party secretary as soon as he enters government service, but he has powerful connections. He enters the political fray and keeps climb 8Reads—Score—14d adds
- 93 Book Three by the Sunless King 日不落大王的第3本书 —Reads—Score614d adds
- 94 Changing Shi Dakai’s Fate, Starting at the Dadu River 改变石达开命运，从大渡河开始 There is a System, with a focus on realistic history and an ordinary golden finger. This isn't a mindless power fantasy where the System raises an army for the protagonist. If that bothers you, don't read this. Shi Dingqing, a third-year university student, transmigrates into the body of a low-ranking soldier under Shi Dakai, the Wing King of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom. It's May 1863, and Shi Dakai will be defeated and die in June. Shi Dingqing is currently marching alongside him. How is this 5Reads8.0Score414d adds
- 95 Reborn: An Ordinary Career in Government 重生之平凡官路 Xu Wen was once a minor deputy section-level official, an ordinary grassroots worker with no connections. He was fixated on getting promoted, but never managed to achieve it. Then he suddenly returned to the day he first joined the workforce. Determined to live well and make up for his past regrets, he never expected that, little by little, he would rise to the heights he had once admired from afar. —Reads8.2Score—14d adds
- 96 The Grand Chess Game of Politics: I Am the Player 官场大棋局：我是执棋人 In his previous life, he had planned every move with care. Yet just one step from the pinnacle of power, an unseen hand shoved him into the abyss. His career came to a bitter end, and he died with regrets. Now, returned in a dream, he found himself back at the crossroads where he had graduated from college and faced a life-changing choice! Zhao Weimin, carrying decades of precise memories from the future and a lifetime's worth of political wisdom, calmly placed the first piece that would rewrite —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 97 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
- 98 Officialdom: A Reborn Playboy’s Ascent to the Top 官场：纨绔重生跨越巅峰 [Reborn + officialdom + political struggles + economic development + patriotism] A spoiled young heir weathered a lifetime of setbacks. Reborn, he used his foresight to lead his family out of hardship. In finance, he guided his brothers to sweep all before them. In politics, he dodged one open and covert attack after another. In the economy, he selflessly served his country and its people. Follow Li Linxuan through the heart-pounding world of officialdom as he devotes his passion to millions of 694Reads7.3Score—14d adds
- 99 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
- 100 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
