Novels like From Down-and-Out Secretary to Powerhouse at the Peak
Books Chinese readers most often put in the same booklists as From Down-and-Out Secretary to Powerhouse at the Peak, best match first.
- 1 The Road to Officialdom: Rising to the Top 官途之平步青云 A graduate of a prestigious university from an ordinary family believes in the principle of “serving as an official and benefiting the people.” He breaks through all kinds of unwritten rules and advances one step at a time, rising from the grassroots to become a powerful figure at the heart of government. 1Reads—Score—14d adds
- 2 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
- 3 The Penman: My Articles Go Straight to the Seat of Power 执笔人：我的文章直达中枢 Reborn, I awakened the [Penman System]! In my previous life, I was used as a pawn and spent twenty years wrongly accused. This time, I’ll wield the pen for myself, and for the people, and bring the world to heel! The SW Central Committee made an unannounced inspection, leaving the entire county at a loss. In just one hour, I used “decoding the leadership” to handwrite a speech. My ally Zhao Donglai was skeptical. “Xiao Lin, isn’t this... a little too forward-thinking?” I said, “The central lead 26Reads—Score—14d adds
- 4 Deep Within the Compound 大院深处 Step into the Funiu County Committee compound, and you enter a miniature ecosystem of power. There is no gunfire here, yet every corner is a contest; order prevails on the surface, while hidden currents churn beneath. The young Lin Xiao arrives with ideals in his heart. From awkward innocence to ease in navigating the system, his growth lays bare the true texture of life within the bureaucracy. Through his eyes, we witness the maze of paperwork, sense the subtle intrigues around the canteen tab 2Reads—Score114d adds
- 5 Made the Scapegoat and Dumped, I Shake the Capital with a Confidential Report! 背黑锅被退婚，一篇内参动京华！ His powerful patron dies in a fall from a building, and his fiancée promptly breaks off their engagement, leaving him caught in a massive political storm. At the darkest point in his life, An Zhiheng writes an internal report that shakes the capital and turns his fortunes around. From then on, he rises through the ranks at astonishing speed, becoming a department head in three years and entering the provincial leadership in five. His career in government goes into overdrive, as he writes his own 77.4kReads8.2Score7.5k14d adds
- 6 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
- 7 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
- 8 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
- 9 Above the Azure Steps 青阶之上 “A prime minister must rise from the provinces, and a fierce general must emerge from the ranks.”, Han Feizi, “Prominent Learning” From the start, he was a temporary hire in a small town. A year later, he ranked first in the county's exam and became a civil servant in a different town. Starting at the grassroots, he takes one steady step at a time. See how an ordinary man with no connections uses his abilities and a little luck to navigate the rules of reality and carve out a path of promotion 22Reads—Score—14d adds
- 10 The Road to Becoming a Director 局长之路 Liu Xudong is a nobody, about as insignificant as they come. After graduating from university, he used his connections to land a job that looked respectable enough to others, but his life was full of frustration and boredom. Then, by a stroke of luck, he became a favorite of the leadership. Her arrival made things go even more smoothly for him. But none of it came easily: the schemes, threats, and betrayals that followed sent Liu Xudong, who had only just begun looking down on the world, tumblin 5.5kReads9.3Score26914d adds
- 11 The Senior Leader's Female Driver 大领导的女司机 The Senior Leader’s Female Driver —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 12 Reborn in 1988: A Small-Town Cadre's Defiance of Fate 重生1988小镇干部的逆天改命 In his previous life, Lin Chen’s life plunged into darkness after he was framed. Reborn, he faces the impoverished countryside and undercurrents of officialdom once more. Watch him use his past-life experience to navigate policy and people’s hearts; See how he rises from a suppressed newcomer at the grassroots level to a ruthless force stirring the tide of reform, forging a path to wealth and success in officialdom in the 1980s! —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 13 The Abyss of Power: Reborn to Clear My Upright Father's Name! 权力深渊：重生为清廉老爸平反！ [Cunning Political Maneuvering + Serving the People at His Own Expense + Honest Governance + Breakneck Pacing + No Tragic Suffering for the Protagonist] In his previous life, his father was falsely accused. To prove his innocence, he chose to jump to his death. But no one expected that this would set off a butterfly effect, changing the fates of many people. Reborn in this life, he stops his father from jumping and retraces the path he took before. Those who belong in heaven will go to heaven, a 417Reads7.4Score10114d adds
- 14 Zheng Qi's Chaotic Life 郑琦的混沌人生 A novel set in a turbulent era: Many people are lost and uncertain. Their values, ideas about love, and moral standards are crushed beneath the wheels of the times, then redefined and rebuilt... 9.2kReads8.8Score91214d adds
- 15 The Road to Office: Rising to the Top 官途：扶摇直上 Zhao Hengyu, a political prodigy who graduated from Jingda University, enters the whirlpool of officialdom after lying low for years. He maneuvers among superiors who smile while concealing daggers and subordinates harboring hidden ambitions, walking the line between loyalty and political intrigue. Every celebratory toast conceals a scheme, and every heart-to-heart conversation is riddled with traps. In this perilous maze of officialdom, he abandons conventional methods and breaks through with a 1.3kReads6.9Score10114d adds
- 16 Officialdom: Refusing to Lie Flat 官场：拒绝躺平 Feeling ill at ease is simply part of life. The choices we make and the effort we put in are challenges we all have to face. A thirty-eight-year-old section chief in a government office is on the verge of taking the next step in his career when all sorts of unexpected troubles strike, changing everything around him… Will he give up and let everything fall apart, or refuse to lie flat? Join us as we follow He Zhe and see how he transforms himself, turns the tide, and becomes a cadre in the mold o 11.6kReads8.4Score97214d adds
- 17 Reborn on the Road to Officialdom: Rising Through the Ranks After Divorce 官道重生：离婚后平步青云 [Political Career] + [Clean Break After Divorce] + [Smart Protagonist] + [Tourism Development] Qin Miaomiao: “Setting the facts aside, don’t you think you’re at fault too?” Gu Ning: “The kid isn’t mine, so whoever wants to raise him can do it! Get out of here and stop getting in the way of my work for the people!” Gu Ning returns to six years earlier, to the day he stood at a crossroads in life. Two paths lie before him. Should he stick to his original path, raising a 258Reads5.8Score—14d adds
- 18 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
- 19 Fast-Track Promotion 2: The Suspended Fish 火线提拔2悬鱼 (A pure political drama, with no System and no transmigration.) Ten years of ice water cannot extinguish a heart burning with passion! Born into poverty, Xia Xiang cares deeply for the people. Not long after taking office in Shazhou, he is confronted with a demolition crisis in Xihua District. As he investigates, Xia Xiang discovers that a vast abyss lies hidden behind the incident... Years later, people would say, "The skies stretch blue, the wilds stretch wide; Shazhou has its own red sun!" 7.5kReads8.9Score31214d adds
- 20 At the Pinnacle of Power: The Lost Soldier King’s Political Career 权力巅峰：失落兵王的仕途生活 The story follows the “Thunderclap Decapitation” operation led by special forces king Qin Ci. Of the ten men who went in, six died. The four who remained, including Qin Ci himself, barely made it back from the gates of death. His heart went cold for good that day, and he chose to leave the military. After his girlfriend broke up with him and his county-level post was reassigned to a small township, he relied on his integrity to rise step by step from the grassroots, forging a career in governmen 8Reads—Score—14d adds
- 21 A Heavy Responsibility 重任 Lin Weimin enters the political arena as a government trainee, carrying his original ideals with him. Beneath his feet lie treacherous reefs of tangled interests; all around him, temptation and threats churn together like towering waves. Watch as he navigates the undercurrents of officialdom and climbs step by step to the pinnacle of power. 54Reads7.2Score1914d adds
- 22 The River’s Keystone 长河之砥 [Power struggles in officialdom + three generations + one female lead + rising from the grassroots!] The sea stretches to the horizon, where the sky becomes its shore; I climb to the mountain's peak and become its summit. Thirty-eight years of hardship and struggle bear witness to the transformation of an elite university graduate in the arena of power: he sheds his scholarly air and conceals his edge. This is not only the story of a young official's growth, but also a realist tale woven from fa 13Reads—Score314d adds
- 23 1990: From Laid-Off Worker to Untouchable Tycoon 1990：从下岗工人到一手遮天 Reborn in 1990, he doesn’t want to get rich overnight or compete with anyone. He carries the regrets of half a lifetime, the wisdom of experience, and an old snuff bottle that can discern people’s hearts. The people and events that once ruined his life are about to happen again. This time, he’ll tread carefully, protect those around him, and finally turn his hard life around! 2Reads—Score—14d adds
- 24 From the Fields to the Clouds, Rising from the Bottom 阡陌青云，自基层而上 [Pure Realism + No Golden Finger + Human Nature in Conflict + Deep Character Growth] Once a young reporter with a sincere heart and firm principles, he falls victim to workplace politics and is relegated to the grassroots town of Dahe. Despite adversity, he stays true to his original ideals, works diligently, and takes root in the countryside to get things done. Through sheer grit, he takes a crucial step forward in his career. Transferred to Funan County, he gets caught up in the complex mane 1Reads—Score—14d adds
- 25 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
- 26 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
- 27 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 54.8kReads7.2Score5.5k14d adds
- 28 My Survival Game in the Civil Service 我的体制内生存游戏 Zhou Zhengyi is a struggling student from a third-rate college, with a girlfriend who looks down on him and no prospects for the future. Hoping to pass the civil service exam and land a secure government job, he signs a loan-shark-like contract and enters the legendary “Guaranteed Pass” boot camp. Here, everything has its price, and the rules are dark. From the moment he is forced to swallow his first answer against his conscience, power begins to quietly reshape him. Money, women, opportunities 3Reads—Score—14d adds
- 29 The Official's All-Seeing Eye: Rising From the Bottom 透视官眼：从最基层开始崛起 Banished to a judicial office at the very lowest level, Wu Haoran watched the aging director, who had spent his entire career in this post and was nearing retirement, face a situation even worse than Qi Tongwei's. Now that his official's eye had been activated, Wu Haoran secretly vowed to rise from here and surpass Qi Tongwei. From that day on, he reveled in the company of beautiful women and wielded power over the realm, making his way through the officialdom. 19Reads6.5Score—14d adds
- 30 Officialdom: My Father's Banner 官场：父亲的旗帜 Under the bright, boundless sky, the people come first. This is a trap. Somewhere in the shifting tides of power, someone has spread a vast, all-encompassing web... After his father is brought down, the protagonist takes up his father's banner. Through hardship, he advances cautiously, one step at a time. Only when he reaches the pinnacle of power does he realize that, though he has always been lonely and alone, a pair of invisible wings has been by his side all along. Passionate political power 316Reads7.7Score10414d adds
- 31 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
- 32 A Financial Pro Starts with 20,000 Yuan: Reborn to Climb the Official Ranks 两万元开局金融奇才重生走官路 Cheng Bo returns to the day he graduated from university. How can he fight his way through the stock market? How can he climb to the top in officialdom? Self-interest! Curiosity! Empathy! Emotional entanglements! Or fate! This novel is adapted from real life. In this story, will you find yourself? 29Reads—Score—14d adds
- 33 One Thought to Turn My Life Around 一念翻身 Liu Lizhi was sidelined at work, but he never expected a training course to introduce him to the woman who would change his life. From then on, the two became embroiled in a fierce struggle. Just as Yifei was about to fire him, an accident brought him into contact with a higher-ranking leader, and his fortunes changed dramatically... Liu Lizhi faced one setback after another on his way up the ladder. Just as he was about to take charge of the fate of all Haoming City, disaster struck again. The 8.4kReads9.2Score85514d adds
- 34 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
- 35 A Big-Mouthed Official 碎嘴子当官 No ridiculous drama, no infighting, no schemes, no framing others. Relaxing and stress-free from start to finish, with down-to-earth dialogue and laughs in every chapter. The only highly irreverent yet exceptionally realistic and hilarious light political comedy on the whole internet. Written by Lao Mudao. 5.7kReads7.1Score63214d adds
- 36 The Way to Break the Deadlock 破局之道 4.5kReads8.6Score42214d adds
- 37 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... 121Reads—Score—14d adds
- 38 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
- 39 Book 3 by Yu Bi Shutong 于彼疏桐的第3本书 My new work is out! You can read it on Tomato Novel. I hope you enjoy it. Your support is what keeps me writing, and I'll do my best to tell every story well! 3Reads—Score—14d adds
- 40 I Rule the Mortal World 我主浮尘 After graduating from university, Zhou Shengli missed his chance because of a mistake made by the personnel chief at the organization that was supposed to hire him. He was assigned to an agricultural technology station in a remote township. Determined to help local farmers grow prosperous as an agricultural technician, he was swept into politics by a series of twists and turns. Transferred from post to post, promoted in name but demoted in practice, he weathered one rise and fall after another, 219Reads7.7Score4814d adds
- 41 After the Breakup, I Became the Ideal Man of Every Glamorous Woman in Town 分手后，我成为全城艳女的男神 At thirty, his career has hit a dead end, and his marriage is on the verge of collapse! Who would have thought that one dangerous encounter would bring him into the company of a powerful man's woman, setting off a series of thrilling struggles for power... Watch as Lin Bo turns his luck around, rises from the depths of despair, climbs steadily to success, avenges himself, and sweeps through the city. He'll become the number one rising star whom everyone curries favor with, marry a beautiful, wea 339Reads—Score—14d adds
- 42 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 192Reads6.0Score12014d adds
- 43 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
- 44 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
- 45 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! 3kReads8.4Score35314d adds
- 46 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
- 47 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
- 48 The Pinnacle of Power: Reborn and Rising After Returning to Junior College 权力巅峰：从重生回大专开始崛起 [No System + Reborn + Pinnacle of Power + One Female Lead] In his previous life, Wang Yuanzheng was held back by his associate degree and spent his entire career as a low-ranking police officer. Then, by chance, Wang Yuanzheng got hold of a USB drive. That very drive led to the tragedy that befell him. In this life, Wang Yuanzheng draws on his foreknowledge to find the first rung on his career ladder: Zhang Tiejun. Using articles informed by the experience and insight he will gain over the next —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 49 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
- 50 A Modern-Era People’s Official 当代民吏 This is a modern novel about an ordinary person navigating a career in government. It does feature a “System,” but it isn’t a wish-fulfillment fantasy. It’s more like a guidebook to working within the system, with the “System” serving only as a voice-over that explains things. For ordinary readers, it offers a look at how people work and live within the system. For those already working within it, it offers a deeper understanding of how to conduct yourself and get things done. WTF? He gets hit b 1Reads—Score—14d adds
