Novels like The Women in the Shadow of Power
Books Chinese readers most often put in the same booklists as The Women in the Shadow of Power, best match first.
- 51 Township Officials 乡镇干部 A humorous, witty story about Zhu Zhenggang, a grassroots township official, and the strange incidents he encounters on the job. Through his experiences, it offers a glimpse into the lives and governance of officials at the township level. 288Reads9.0Score—14d adds
- 52 The Shadow of Jingzhe: The Male Secretary’s Deadly Identity 惊蛰谍影：男秘书的致命身份 On March 5, 2026, Jingzhe, Zhou Daimei died in an "accidental" car crash. Just before she died, she received a WeChat message: "Don't go. It's an ambush." When she opened her eyes again, time had turned back three days, to 5:24 a.m. on March 2. She had 72 hours left to live. This time, she had returned with her memories intact. 115Reads—Score—14d adds
- 53 The Ranks of Officialdom: Step by Step to the Top 官阶之步步高升 Someone took my place in the civil service exam. By a twist of fate, I ended up as a temporary worker at the township government in my hometown. Someone set me up, and I accidentally stumbled upon a secret of one of the leaders. No need to panic. I'm just a temp. What have I got to worry about… My name is Liu Su. According to my great-grandfather, our branch descends from Liu Fei, the eldest son of Emperor Gaozu, Liu Bang. We have an ancestral copy of The Founder’s Boxing Manual. I soaked in med 26Reads—Score—14d adds
- 54 The Traffic Bureau Chief 交通局长 Lin Zhongquan was an ordinary employee in a road maintenance section. Following his father’s wishes, he was determined to climb the ranks. On his father’s repeated advice, he married the former mayor’s daughter and managed to get in good with Huang Dingli, the head of the Pingchang Municipal Transportation Bureau. During a construction tender, Huang Dingli and Lin Zhongquan got to know contractor He Rubin and the stunningly beautiful public relations agent Miaomiao. They helped He Rubin win the 93Reads9.4Score—14d adds
- 55 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 132Reads—Score—14d adds
- 56 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. 1.3kReads7.6Score19014d adds
- 57 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, 2.4kReads7.1Score13714d adds
- 58 Reno’s Meteoric Rise 雷诺得平步青云 A story of an ordinary man's rise, five years beneath Five-Finger Mountain, rural romance, police-station investigations, development-zone officials, senior provincial officials, and provincial and ministerial leaders. This novel of officialdom portrays the complexity of human nature and the struggle for power. Following the growth of the protagonist, Lei Nuode, it shows how a young official, armed with intelligence, courage, and resolve, realizes his ideals and ambitions step by step in an offi 6Reads—Score—14d adds
- 59 The Road to Power Begins with a Disaster 权途，从一场灾难开始 A dam burst, and Yang Yi turned the tide against disaster. From that moment on, he began climbing step by step. Serving the people is the foundation of everything. See how he reaches the pinnacle in the name of the people. 12.1kReads8.0Score46314d adds
- 60 The Road to Power: Straight into the Azure Clouds 官途之直入青云 Lin Qingyun, once secretary to the county Party committee secretary, is ready to make his mark when the secretary unexpectedly dies of illness. Facing the prospect of being pushed aside, Lin must find a way out of his low point and rise to the top, one step at a time. 6.5kReads8.4Score60014d adds
- 61 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. 618Reads—Score11014d adds
- 62 The Pinnacle of Power: Breaking the Deadlock in Yuanshan Town 权力巅峰：从远山镇破局开始 What backing could a nobody possibly have? When he's driven into a corner, that's the strongest backing of all! His bright future is stolen from him, his former lover turns her back on him, and just as his political career begins in Yuanshan Town, he falls into one trap after another laid by petty schemers. Everyone thinks he'll sink without a trace, never realizing that desperation is his greatest trump card. Caught in the turmoil of local politics, Wang Hao keeps his strength hidden and plays 382Reads6.1Score14714d adds
- 63 The Road to Light: An Agricultural Graduate Selected for County Government 光明之路：县委大院的农学选调生 Lin Gengye, a master’s graduate in agricultural science, joins the troubled Guangming County as a government trainee, facing accusations that he is a “second-generation official” and only there to pad his resume. He uses technology to transform barren land and applies stock-market strategies to run sustainable agriculture, silencing his critics and increasing the income of poor households. He builds his path to promotion through hard work and answers every doubt with a bountiful harvest. See how 165Reads6.5Score914d adds
- 64 True Love in the Halls of Power 官场有真情 Smack! A loud slap. I covered my cheek and stared, stunned, at the impossibly handsome man in front of me. Sharp brows, bright eyes, abs faintly visible, broad shoulders and a narrow waist. At that moment, he was covering his lower half with a quilt and glaring at me furiously. Fuzzy images flashed through my mind: a bar, heartbreak, drinking to drown my sorrows. And then... Holy crap, what a score! “Miss, let me explain!” he said nervously. I tried to suppress the grin tugging at my lips and p 239Reads—Score—14d adds
- 65 Reborn to Win in Politics 重生之仕途赢家 (Reborn + officialdom + no System + technology + one female lead) In officialdom, rising through the ranks is like climbing a sheer mountain face, moving carefully at every step. Being an official is a technical job. If you won't serve the people, you might as well go home and sell sweet potatoes. Jiang Shiguo is reborn forty years in the past, just as he graduates from university and is assigned his first post, on the verge of entering officialdom. Every move he makes is meticulously planned, w 18Reads—Score—14d adds
- 66 The Righteous Path to Power 官途正道 This is a silent battle between good and evil, and a silent struggle between the polished public image of a county Party secretary and the darkness behind it. This is a journey through life that lays bare human nature, and a compelling story of a career in politics... This story is entirely fictional. Any resemblance to actual people or events is purely coincidental! 90Reads6.9Score10114d adds
- 67 The Bearing of a Soldier on the Official Path 官道之军人风采 The political arena is a battlefield, but Chen Feng insists on meeting it head-on with a soldier's iron will! No rebirth, no System, no golden finger. He relies on sheer intelligence to fight back! While others depend on connections to win political battles, Chen Feng uses the battlefield-honed skill of “anticipating your anticipation.” After all, if he can dodge bullets, why fear your backstabbing? From a hail of gunfire to mountains of paperwork, he holds fast to a soldier's spirit with one ha 9.4kReads8.2Score1.2k14d adds
- 68 The Rise and Fall of Officialdom: Starting with the Crackdown on Organized Crime 宦海浮沉：从扫除黑恶开始 Everyday urban life + Career in government + Poverty alleviation + Anti-gang operations + Anti-corruption Night falls in Bingcheng, and the city lights flicker to life. Three poverty-alleviation secretaries have died in the line of duty in quick succession, pushing the meeting's atmosphere to a breaking point. All the burden now rests on Yan Qing, a demobilized military officer. As the newly appointed secretary stationed in the village, can he uncover the truth? Or, more precisely, will he live 7.4kReads8.8Score71414d adds
- 69 Officialdom: I’m the Strategist Behind the Scenes 官场：我在背后当军师 Li Na was a deputy section chief in the municipal government office. Caught in the treacherous currents of city hall, she held fast to her own principles while others focused on ingratiating themselves with everyone, only to be suppressed by her leaders and colleagues. Her husband, Liu Dehua, could no longer stand by and watch. He began helping Li Na, clearing the way for her rapid rise. She connects the city’s grand plans above with the everyday lives of people at the grassroots below, navigati —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 70 A Grassroots Female Official 基层女干部 This story is entirely fictional. Any resemblance to actual people or events is purely coincidental. It took me three years to write this book. Over those three years, I interviewed more than a dozen women working in grassroots government positions. Some of their stories made me laugh, some made me cry, and some left me silent for a long time. I wanted to write about a real person. Most of all, she keeps moving forward. No matter what lies ahead. As a preface. Spring 2026 · Chongqing 1.2kReads6.2Score—14d adds
- 71 The Pinnacle Showdown on the Official Path 官道之巅峰对决 [Inspirational + Political Intrigue + Workplace + Feel-Good Story] Lu Tianming comes from a working-class family. In the 1990s, just as his parents lose their jobs, Lu Tianming graduates from college. Lu Tianming is assigned to work at the municipal government. He thinks his career is finally getting started, but unexpectedly, municipal leaders transfer him to the Logistics Section of the Municipal Bureau of Commerce... If the leaders say you're capable, then you are. If they say you're not, the 553Reads—Score12714d adds
- 72 Heaven-Sent Star on the Official Career Path: Racing Up from the Grassroots 官道天骄：从基层一路狂飙 Gu Yongqing was born in the countryside and earned a PhD in economics from Tsinghua University. After taking the civil service selection exam, he was assigned to a township. Starting as a township chief staff officer, he steadily rose through the ranks and began his meteoric ascent in the political arena. 15Reads—Score—14d adds
- 73 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 24.4kReads8.1Score2.3k14d adds
- 74 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 145Reads—Score—14d adds
- 75 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 62Reads—Score—14d adds
- 76 Reborn: The Summit of the Azure Clouds 重生：青云之巅 Shen Nan is reborn before being falsely accused of stealing the secretary's speech draft. A lifetime of hard work, all for nothing. Shen Nan spent half his life striving, only to be framed by his colleagues, separated from friends and family, and have his ideals crushed by reality. When he opened his eyes again, he had returned to the year he first entered public service as a young man. The rivals who once ruined him were still lying in wait, and he still had the opportunities he'd missed before 9.7kReads7.8Score84814d adds
- 77 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… 383Reads6.8Score10214d adds
- 78 The Pinnacle of the Official Road: Three Parts Jiangning, Step by Step on Thin Ice 官路巅峰之三分江宁：步步惊心 Jiangning is divided three ways: the Zhang family holds power, the Bao family controls the money, and the Chen family runs the show. Everyone has met someone who came from the bureaucracy. A pit every three steps, a trap every five. No one has ever made it out of this game of Jiangning alive. Lin Bai tells Liu Xin: If the whole world betrays you, I'll betray the whole world for you. This book is for everyone in the system who lies awake, restless and turning over in bed. For those forced to ben 130Reads—Score—14d adds
- 79 Book 8 by Xingyu Qimeng 星语祈梦的第8本书 I transmigrate into the world of In the Name of the People and become Gao Yuliang. From the start, I run straight into Ding Yizhen fleeing, and a storm suddenly erupts in Handong. Hou Liangping arrives in Handong on an investigative mission. The various factions are stirring beneath the surface, and the old course of events is about to reach its conclusion. Knowing the entire plot, he will never meet the same ending as in the original. Caught in a complicated game of strategy and surrounded by d 12.2kReads5.3Score34914d adds
- 80 No One Can Be Detained and Walk Away Innocent 无人能被留置后安然无罪 Whose path to promotion and riches isn't paved with blood and strife? You're welcome to read my work 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! —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 81 The Political Storm in Central Eastwind 官道之中东风云 The second installment of The Official’s Path, Middle East Turmoil, is officially underway. A fictional kingdom in the Middle East, set against a realistic geopolitical backdrop. Political intrigue, military conflict, and romance advance on three fronts. Chen Feng, a grassroots official from Huaxia, transforms into a Middle Eastern prince. With an iron fist, he stirs up turmoil among the nations; with political acumen, he reshapes the kingdom’s fate. A new era of chaos in the Middle East and a 2kReads7.2Score30614d adds
- 82 The Long Road to the Azure Clouds 青云漫漫路 My new work is out! You can 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! 10Reads—Score—14d adds
- 83 The Pinnacle of Power: The Crackdown on Organized Crime 权力巅峰之破局者：扫黑风暴 Wang Xiaolin is greeted with a carefully orchestrated welcome gift! She is forced to investigate the Old Town Redevelopment Project herself. As the investigation deepens, the clues point to her secret boyfriend, his mother, and the best friend she has had for twenty years. A game of intrigue that began with a conspiracy. 583Reads—Score—14d adds
- 84 The Road to Officialdom: From a Township Justice Office to the Provincial Compound 官道：从乡镇司法所到省委大院 Beginning in the early twenty-first century, this novel chronicles the rise of Wang Xiaofeng, a young man from a poor family. Along the way, he faces petty schemers and receives help from benefactors. His posts and responsibilities change, but his original ideals and aspirations never do. Wang Xiaofeng starts out as a clerk at a township judicial office, then rises steadily through the ranks… 6.6kReads7.8Score59614d adds
- 85 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 88Reads—Score—14d adds
- 86 Plans Amid the Plane Tree Fluff 梧桐絮里的规划图 [A principled struggle within the system, unexpected turns, power, sex, and an anti-corruption campaign, love that brings a powerful man to his knees, sacrifice for love, realism] Yu Wanqing stood before the mirror in the restroom of the Yuecheng Grand Hotel’s conference center and took a deep breath, straightening the collar of her dark blue blazer. The woman in the mirror was twenty-eight, her shoulder-length black hair neatly tucked behind her ears. As a rising talent at the Municipal Plannin 408Reads—Score—14d adds
- 87 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
- 88 Old Cases of the Republic Era: After Ten Years on the Run, He Still Gets Promoted 民国旧案：在逃十年，他依然升官 A Republic-Era Cold Case: On the Run for Ten Years, He Still Climbs the Ranks 3Reads—Score—14d adds
- 89 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 15Reads—Score—14d adds
- 90 Officialdom: Swimming Against the Tide 官场：逆流而上 Lu Chuan came first in both the written and interview exams for a civil service position, but shady dealings landed him in a remote mountain village, and his girlfriend married someone else. See how Lu Chuan holds fast to his conscience amid power struggles and conspiracies, follows the fire in his heart that drives him to stand up for the people, carves a path through the mud of grassroots life, and climbs step by step to the pinnacle of power. 30.5kReads8.8Score1.8k14d adds
- 91 Top Broker 顶尖掮客 This book starts with the protagonist, Feng Tianchen, a simple private-car driver, and follows his brutal struggle through the world of politics. It is a battlefield without gunfire, a terrifying vortex that ordinary people cannot escape once they enter. But to a seasoned political operator, it is the perfect stage for a masterful performance. See how Feng Tianchen rises from a humble driver to the pinnacle of life through his own efforts. 4.5kReads8.9Score45314d adds
- 92 Part One 局部一 The protagonist, Hu Weimin, navigates the ups and downs of officialdom while staying clearheaded, resisting all kinds of temptation, and holding fast to his principles. The everyday settings make the characters feel as if they’re right there beside you, perhaps even people just like yourself. 1.1kReads6.8Score10814d adds
- 93 Toward Glory 走向辉煌 Born into a poor family, Ma Zhiyuan enters government after graduating from college and faces danger at every turn. With an indomitable will and a deep understanding of life, he carves a path through the political arena, presses forward at work, finds love in his personal life, and ultimately turns his life around, achieving a brilliant career. 77Reads—Score—14d adds
- 94 From the Start, I Got Dumped on a Blind Date, and Rose to the Top from Then On 开局相亲被分手我从此青云之上 [No Golden Finger] [No Transmigration] [Single Heroine] [A Rise from the Grassroots] Wang Li fails his college entrance exams, and his father arranges for him to attend a police vocational program. Three years after graduating, he still hasn’t been promoted. Then he gets an opportunity. From then on, he rises rapidly through the ranks. His blind date gets dumped, and Wang Li turns around to become her boss. This is a fictional work set in an imagined world. All people, place names, and events in 46kReads8.3Score3.2k14d adds
- 95 In the Name of the People: Zhao Ruilong Builds a Trillion-Dollar Empire from the Start 名义：开局赵瑞龙，建万亿帝国 Welcome, everyone, to this In the Name of the People fan fiction. See how Zhao Ruilong, the original major villain in In the Name of the People, defies fate, breaks through one barrier after another, and builds a business empire of his own. 14.6kReads—Score56114d adds
- 96 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 49Reads—Score—14d adds
- 97 Climbing the Official Ladder: From Assistant to the Finance Bureau Director 官梯：从财政局局长助理开始 A new novel from the author of Officially, an old hand. Everyone is welcome to come read it. Thank you for your support! Your support motivates me to write, and I’ll do my best to make every story a good one! 119Reads—Score11714d adds
- 98 Don’t Let Gains and Losses Divide Us in the Middle 莫以升沉中路分 Lu You traveled a thousand miles to Yongning City just to reunite with his girlfriend, only to be betrayed in the cruelest way. He turned his grief and anger into strength, vowing to prove himself. As he fought his way through Yongning’s officialdom, he repeatedly gained the support of influential benefactors and became a highly sought-after secretary to a city leader. On this new stage, he helped his leader seize four “golden keys” to development: developing the new city, upgrading industries, 8Reads—Score—14d adds
- 99 Temptation in the Political Arena 官场诱惑 From the grassroots to the top, from integrity to losing one's way: the ultimate struggle over desire, conscience, and career advancement. This is a realistic, documentary-style literary work. 35Reads6.7Score—14d adds
- 100 A Crime Within Reach: The Genius Profiler Is Both Alluring and Daring 咫尺之罪，天才侧写师又撩又飒 [Mystery + sweet romance | Genius profiler × tough-as-nails police captain] On the first day of her return to work, a torrential rain pours down. Now the old case has been reopened, and the real culprit is right before her eyes. The man who grabbed her around the waist in the rain is her former partner, Zhou Sheng, the man she’d been avoiding for a year. He gave her a teasing smile, his gaze burning. “Consultant Meng, are you still brave enough to sign this time?” She turned her face away. “What 58Reads—Score—14d adds
