Novels like Back to 1997: Starting Out as a Small-Town Writer
Books Chinese readers most often put in the same booklists as Back to 1997: Starting Out as a Small-Town Writer, best match first.
- 1 The Lust for Power: From Rural Service Program to the Provincial Party Compound 权欲：从三支一扶到省委大院 In early 2006, a university student from a coastal region answered the nation's call to serve in the Three Supports and One Assistance program. He arrived in a remote mountain village in the southwest, put down roots at the grassroots level, and led the villagers to a better life. Winning the appreciation of his superiors, he steadily rose through the ranks toward the provincial Party committee compound. 3Reads—Score—14d adds
- 2 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
- 3 The Number One Rising Star 头号红人 Ye Xingsheng is widely recognized at the office as a model worker. He works diligently and delivers outstanding results, yet never earns his leaders' favor. When the company builds subsidized housing, Ye Xingsheng visits a leader bearing gifts, hoping to secure an apartment. Unexpectedly, that gift changes his fate forever… 5.1kReads8.1Score49114d adds
- 4 I’m Building a Fusion Reactor, So What’s It to You, Li Dakang? 我造核聚变，关你李达康屁事？ The protagonist transmigrates as Sun Liancheng and unexpectedly awakens a cutting-edge technology System. To escape the fate he had in the original series, he either studies quantum satellites through a telescope, writes SCI papers, or develops nuclear fusion in his office and files patents... One day, after the small-stool and rock-candy incidents, Li Dakang holds a training course on laziness in government and livestreams it nationwide. While taking notes, the protagonist accidentally pulls ou 12Reads5.5Score—14d adds
- 5 In the Name of the People: A New Chapter in Handong 名义：汉东新局 He Zhinian transmigrated with a head full of answers. He knew who would fall, who would rise, and who looked powerful but was already finished. But he had no intention of making a living off that knowledge. He wanted to do just one thing: While there was still time, help this land avoid decades of taking the wrong turns. Handong was only the beginning. All those sharp minds were busy guessing what cards he held. They had no idea their fates were already laid out in his head. 453Reads6.1Score13314d adds
- 6 Power and Politics: I Can See the Ranks of the Officialdom! 权力仕途，我能看到官场等级！ Lin Zhiyuan was a low-level clerk with no connections or influential backing. His superiors demoted him and sent him away, leaving his life at rock bottom. Then, by chance, he found an ancient Tiger Roar Stone passed down from antiquity. From that moment on, he could see the official aura surrounding every person, and his career in government took a turn for the better... 92Reads—Score—14d adds
- 7 After My Divorce, I Rose Through the Ranks in Government 离婚后，我在官场一路开挂 The higher-ups send a special task force to investigate Luming County. After the deputy county magistrate mysteriously dies by suicide, Qin Chuan, a secretary in the Government Office’s secretarial section, loses his patron. Targeted by his superiors and hit by marital troubles, he finds himself surrounded by danger. Outnumbered and outmatched, how will he turn the tables? 11.8kReads6.6Score1.9k14d adds
- 8 Xiao Xiao Hao's Book 小小昊的一本书 A lowly live-in son-in-law has little say in anything and must always watch his in-laws for approval. His career hits rock bottom, and he faces pressure from both sides. But when he is down on his luck, one strange encounter after another comes his way, and he unexpectedly transforms into a dragon in a single day. 6Reads—Score—14d adds
- 9 Fighting My Way to Sainthood: From Fourth-Level Chief Battle Master to Battle Saint 斗而成圣：从四级主任斗师到斗圣 [An officialdom story told through Eastern fantasy] Three months ago, Hua Ming'an was a rookie at the Huari Advanced Fighters' Association, full of zeal as he led a hunt that wiped out a low-tier demon beast. But that demon beast was a relative of his immediate superior, President Liu. With a single transfer order, he was “promoted on paper but demoted in practice” to Jiuping Town, the most chaotic place around. There, the president had his eyes gouged out and his tongue cut off by his superior' —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 10 The Road to Light: Reputation 光明之路：名义 At the age of twenty-six, Lin Feng chose the hardest road. He concealed his illustrious family background and started out in Luquan Township, the most remote part of Beiyue Province. Everyone thought this PhD had come to “pad his résumé” before moving on. He made his way through the muddy countryside, the tangled intrigues of the county seat, and the turbulent undercurrents of the city. For nine years, he kept his head down and worked hard, advancing from the countryside to the provincial govern —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 11 The Summit: Back Then, I Was Just a County Office Nobody 登顶时刻：那年我还是县委小卒 Chen Lin had always looked up to his mentor as a guiding light on the path to an official career. He never imagined that his mentor had only ever seen him as a tool for climbing the ranks, and had even been sleeping with his girlfriend. With his career and love life both in ruins, Chen Lin wanted to fight back, but he was just a minor player with no power to stand against them. Then one day, his superior, Li Huanyan, asked to meet him... 77Reads6.9Score—14d adds
- 12 The Pinnacle of Power: Saving a City Leader in the Night 权力巅峰：从夜救市领导开始 (This book has multiple female leads, no cheating or NTR, and plenty of feel-good moments.) First sword after being reborn: cut down the one you love! In his previous life, Gao Ran was a low-ranking official who was meek, obedient, and above reproach. And yet he was dumped, bullied, and exiled. In the end, worn down by hardship and sorrow, his hair frosted white, he climbed the stage alone, sick and old. He died depressed and far from home. In this life, he will live differently and take another 5.3kReads7.3Score42414d adds
- 13 Climbing the Official Ladder: Starting as My Ex-Girlfriend's Boss 仕途升迁：从成为前女友上司开始 After graduating from graduate school, Wang Cheng passed the provincial government’s selected graduate recruitment exam and reported to his new post in a township, only to discover that he had become his ex-girlfriend’s direct supervisor… 754Reads—Score—14d adds
- 14 A True Han-Dynasty Succubus: From the Start, I Steal Zhuge Liang and Zhao Yun 真大汉魅魔，开局截胡诸葛亮赵云 Liu Yu, a librarian, transmigrates to the end of the Eastern Han dynasty and begins his journey into the art of political intrigue. In a chaotic age, it is not enough to know how to fight. You also need to understand human nature and social customs. “Zilong, do you want a wife?” “Kongming, how about your brother-in-law teaches you some science?” “Dian Wei, come with me. I’ll make sure you have plenty of good food and drink.” “Ziyi, you can come along, but why are you bringing a divine general?” 185Reads—Score—14d adds
- 15 From the Start, I Expose the Political Arena’s Dark Secrets and Shock the Corridors of Power 开局掀翻官场黑幕，震撼权力圈 [Power at the peak + feel-good political drama + fast-paced + reborn] His boss is targeted in a staged car accident, his girlfriend cheats on him, and a petty rival pushes him aside to climb the ladder. Wang Chen faces the darkest moment of his career in government, but he isn't worried at all. He's been through all of this before. In his previous life, his timid compliance earned him nothing more than a certificate honoring him as a martyr. In this life, he already sees it all coming, and he's 3.1kReads7.6Score39314d adds
- 16 A Dragon in Officialdom 官场游龙 What kind of story would unfold if someone who could control small insects like mosquitoes, flies, and bees to eavesdrop infiltrated the world of government? Long Ziyou, a college graduate from a third-rate sports school, unexpectedly gains this ability. What will he accomplish in the political arena? See how Long Ziyou uses his power to navigate the sea of officialdom, making connections everywhere and climbing steadily up the ranks! 1.6kReads8.6Score16714d adds
- 17 I Have Clones to Help Me: What's Wrong with Wanting to Join the Department? 我有分身助力，想进部咋地了？ [Doppelgangers] [Not brainless] [Officialdom] [From village official to the pinnacle of power] Lin Hao returns to the day he became a village official and discovers that he gains a doppelganger every time he levels up. The only novel on Tomato Novel about someone rising from village official to the very top! [Backed by two completed novels, each over a million words] 5.7kReads7.1Score38214d adds
- 18 The Road to Power: A Chance Encounter with a Heiress 官路争锋，从邂逅豪门千金开始 [No cheating, no transmigration, no rebirth. Political advancement and tangled romance, ordinary man and rich beauty, realistic and engaging.] When Li Zhi graduates, he turns down a high-paying job in the provincial capital and a chance to pursue graduate studies, leaving his hometown for his girlfriend’s city and passing the civil service exam for a small township. He thinks they’ll live happily ever after, but her parents tear them apart. Starting alone in a remote township far from home, he b 10Reads—Score—14d adds
- 19 Back to 1992: No Rush to Get a Cadre Position 重回九二：干部编制我不着急 The 1990s are a time of surging change, and veteran Wang Zhenshan is reborn. In his previous life, the K3 robbery claimed the lives of his family and friends, leaving him with lifelong regrets. This time, he refuses to be confined to a secure government post. He puts down roots in Qinghe Township, starts a pharmaceutical company, and helps the locals grow prosperous. A chance encounter with an old acquaintance in the capital brings him to the attention of a senior official. One phone call that l 595Reads6.7Score11914d adds
- 20 In the Name of the People: Qi Tongwei and I Are Both Reborn! 人民名义：我和祁同伟都重生喽！ He transmigrates into a world that brings together a whole host of TV dramas from Rabbitland, becoming Zhao Mengsheng's only son in Under the Flower Garland. He attends the political science and law department at Handong University, and from the start, beats up Hou Liangping and Zhong Xia'ai… 5Reads7.0Score—14d adds
- 21 The Path to Power: Breaking the Deadlock 官途之破局 A college student from a small county town enters the government and eventually rises to the very top. A new work is here! Come read my stories on Fanqie Novel. I hope you enjoy them. Your support is what motivates me to write, and I’ll do my best to tell every story well! 7Reads—Score—14d adds
- 22 From the Start, I Became Gao Yuliang’s Most Troublesome Student 开局成了高育良最头疼的弟子 Everyone thought that with Gao Yuliang as his patron, Lu Xiaodong would rise smoothly through the ranks in Handong. But this disciple refused to follow the usual path. He wouldn’t step into the game his master’s faction had laid out. Qi Tongwei targeted his weakness: his brother-in-law, Shen Jianfeng, became entangled in business with the Shengqiang Group, giving Qi leverage to threaten him. His mentor, Gao Yuliang, lost himself in the pursuit of power, and the two men drifted apart, going from 4.9kReads—Score10214d adds
- 23 You Need Connections to Get Ahead in Politics, and Luckily, I've Got Them 混官场是要讲背景的，而我正好有 Li Dakang was once a retired civil servant in Huaguo in the twenty-first century. After having a few too many drinks at his retirement banquet, he woke up to find that his soul had transmigrated into the body of a young man with the same name in 1993. In this life, his identity was rather special. He came from a prestigious family and was a direct descendant of its main line, giving him access from birth to resources and a head start most people could only dream of. With such advantages, he re 952Reads7.4Score10414d adds
- 24 Officialdom: Starting with the Investigation into the Loss of State-Owned Assets 官场：从侦破国有资产流失案开始 [Political Intrigue + Overwhelming Power + Satisfying Read] Xiao Muchen, an economics prodigy at Huaijiang University, is unexpectedly reborn in the 1990s as a junior official at the State-Owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission in Luo’an City. As corruption swirls beneath the surface of the state-owned enterprise reforms, he uses the memories of his previous life and his mastery of economics to unleash a storm over a case involving the embezzlement of state assets at a cement fac 578Reads7.1Score10014d adds
- 25 The Deputy Secretary on Temporary Assignment 挂职副书记 Zhuang Xiaobo, vice chairman of the Writers' Association, arrives in Jiangcheng on a transfer order and takes up a deputy secretary post overseeing cultural projects. With nothing but his pen, he pries open a web of corruption. His scholar's cunning cuts to the bone. With no powerful backer, he relies on ink and paper to fight his way through... 153Reads—Score—14d adds
- 26 Political Comeback: A Temp Worker’s Rise to the Top 官场逆袭：临时工的仕途高升之路 Chen Qian, a graduate of a prestigious university in the twenty-first century, is abandoned by his girlfriend on a rainy night. Desperate in the mud, he unexpectedly activates the [Career Peak System]! [Scan]: See through other people’s loyalty, potential, and connections! [Simulation]: Predict how events will unfold and provide the best way to turn a crisis around! [Missions]: Complete career missions to unlock luck, connections, and crucial information! From then on, the world holds no more se 26Reads7.2Score—14d adds
- 27 A Physician’s Road to Power 医者官途 No rebirth, no System, no harem: pure, hard-nosed political maneuvering. After his superior is transferred, he is pushed aside by petty rivals and suppressed by others. He abandons medicine for politics and embarks on an official career. A doctor carefully navigates the political world, breaking through traps amid open and covert attacks to forge a smooth career path all his own. 25Reads—Score114d adds
- 28 In the Name of the People: I Vote for Chen Yanshi, Who Refuses to Retire! 名义：我投退而不休陈岩石一票！ [System novel] [Transmigration novel] [Alternate universe] [Fiction] [Fan fiction] Li Quan is a transmigrator whose life is a mix of good and bad luck, full of twists and turns. The good news is that he comes from a well-off family and never has to worry about food or clothing. The bad news is that he was born with an incurable lung disease. Although it has no obvious symptoms, is not contagious, and leaves his lung function normal, his life is as fragile as a dying candle. Fate always seems to 7Reads5.3Score—14d adds
- 29 Reborn in 2003: The Road to Rising from the Grassroots 重回零三年，基层扶摇路 He has spent half his life in public service, working diligently for the common good. For twenty-two years, Tian Jingchen proved that diligence and hard work can never outweigh factional power struggles and political scheming. When a major corruption case was finally settled, everyone in high office rushed to distance themselves and protect their own interests. Only he, a hardworking official with no connections, was pushed forward to take the blame and make the sacrifice, dying with bitter regr 10Reads—Score11914d adds
- 30 A New Hire, and Now a Midlife Comeback System? 萌新入职，中年逆袭系统来了？ My new work 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! 3.1kReads8.9Score19014d adds
- 31 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
- 32 The Political Arena: Starting as the Youngest County Magistrate 官场风云：从最年轻县长开始 From a senior leader’s chief secretary to the province’s youngest county magistrate, Zhang Yi had barely taken office when he was hit by a once-in-a-century downpour. A reservoir holding nearly a hundred million cubic meters of water was on the verge of bursting its dam, threatening the lives and property of thousands downstream, and he had not a single soldier at his disposal! Then a highly daring plan suddenly came to mind... 515Reads6.7Score—14d adds
- 33 Reborn in Qi Tongwei’s Body: I Awaken the Progress System from the Start 魂穿祁同伟，开局觉醒进步系统 [Fast-paced] [Feel-good power fantasy] [Not brainless] [One heroine] Give him a System, and he can become student council president at a top university right from the start. Give him a sacred physique, and he can order Li Dakang to run personal errands for him. A junior county committee clerk transmigrates into Qi Tongwei during his university days and awakens the Progress System from the start. Complete missions, and you can advance. Hou Liangping has Zhong Xiaoai? Sorry, I've got a System. Zha 4Reads5.5Score—14d adds
- 34 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 4Reads—Score—14d adds
- 35 From the Start, I Was Placed Under Investigation! 开局我就被双规了！ In his previous life, his boss was fired from both his Party and government positions. As the boss’s secretary, his own political career was already ruined. Then he suddenly got the chance to be reborn. With an insight into the workings of fate, he turns things around in the most desperate circumstances! 10Reads—Score—14d adds
- 36 The Ladder of Power: It All Starts with a Phone Call 权力阶梯：从一通电话开始 Upright and incorruptible, yet skilled in the art of taking the indirect route. Cleansing the murky currents, he is even better at planning ahead and breaking deadlocks. Li Yulin is a lone, courageous cadre. He presses on against the tide, refusing to give an inch! He swears to let the light of justice pierce the dark web of power! 8Reads6.1Score—14d adds
- 37 Transmigrated into Officialdom: I Rise to Power and Wealth with Superpowers 穿越官场：我靠异能升官发财 After his business failed, he was buried in debt and spent twenty years paying it off. One night, he celebrated by having a few extra drinks. When he woke up, he had transmigrated to a parallel world that was familiar, yet somehow not quite the same. While he was still trying to make sense of it all, he discovered that he had a supernatural ability. Chu Jiangfeng grew overconfident and plunged headfirst into a career in government. He decided to take a different path. Trying to frame my boss? Th 4.5kReads8.2Score28514d adds
- 38 A Comeback in Politics: I Have X-Ray Vision 官场逆袭：我有一双透视眼 [Not reborn + no System + authentic officialdom story + political career + meeting at the top] So what if my sweet, naive girlfriend ran off with a rich second-generation heir? So what if people put up roadblocks to stop me from taking the civil service exam? I, Zheng Gongbei, still stood tall, passed the exam, and came first in the province. A leader took notice of me and made me his secretary. I made my way through officialdom, punished evil and promoted good, cracked down on organized crime, 208Reads8.8Score2314d adds
- 39 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
- 40 Official Through and Through 官里官气 [A work by a seasoned government-office writer, with true-to-life cases and no wishful thinking] To get ahead in government, you need two key abilities: First, know how to get things done: understand the issues, clarify your approach, and see tasks through, so your leaders recognize your value... Second, know how to read people, including your leaders, your rivals, and everyone you deal with. In the art of subtle hints and roundabout language, you must discern what others really think... When it 1.3kReads8.5Score16314d adds
- 41 Reborn: You Dump Me for a Government Job? I'm No Saint 重生：考公就分手？我不是好人 Fourth place on the written exam, but failed to get a civil service job? Sorry, I’m done being a good guy. This year, I’m getting in! A breakup? Fine. If I can’t have your heart, I’ll have your body! Trying to put me down? Sorry, I have connections up above! When Lin Fan, reborn with the experience of two lifetimes, chose a different way to live, everything turned out differently. In the world of powerful officials, it has always been every man for himself, full of schemes and intrigue. With the 55.7kReads7.2Score5.6k14d adds
- 42 Yuliang, Stop Crying. I Really Am the Leader of the Shajiabang Gang 育良别哭了，我真是沙家浜帮主 Zhao Weixin transmigrates into a world that combines various film and television dramas. After years of hard work, he becomes the head of Duancheng, a prefecture-level city in Handong Province with the worst economy in the province. Just as he is getting ready to make his mark and transform the city, Hou Liangping shows up. “Explain this jade Buddha, over a foot tall. Where did it come from?” “And where did you get all the antiques filling this villa?” “…” Watching Hou Liangping revel in his own 385Reads6.7Score—14d adds
- 43 The Pinnacle of Power: Starting as a Government Cadet 权力巅峰：从选调生开始 My new work is out! You can read it on Tomato Novel. I hope you’ll enjoy it. Your support is what motivates me to write, and I’ll do my best to tell every story well! 192Reads6.8Score3614d adds
- 44 The Political Ups and Downs of a Government Official's Heir 官场世家子弟的官场风云 A passionate political drama with a single heroine. The protagonist rises through the ranks from the grassroots level, growing through political struggles and practical experience. He always serves the people, never forgets his original purpose, and puts his ideals into practice. 4.1kReads7.6Score26614d adds
- 45 Power and Influence: Three Intelligence Reports a Day, and I Speed My Way into the Ministry 权势：每天三条情报，我狂飙进部 The first thing you do after landing a government job is dump your sweetheart. After his girlfriend passed the exam for a municipal agency, she looked down on Li Haoran, a civil servant in a township. In his previous life, Li Haoran kept pestering her, unable to let go. But after being reborn, he immediately agreed to break up, and unexpectedly wound up with the Daily Intelligence System. It gave him three random pieces of information each day, and from then on, his fortunes soared! [Today's int 472Reads7.6Score—14d adds
- 46 The Dragon King Returns: I Open a Corner Shop in the Urban Village 龙王归来：我在城中村开小卖部 The Dragon King Returns: I Run a Little Shop in the City Village 10Reads—Score—14d adds
- 47 Reborn: Notes from the New Officialdom 重生之新官场笔记 A friendly warning: readers who like mindless power fantasies can move along. You won't be able to get through this book! The officialdom has never been a place where you can charge in on sheer passion, and power is no game of settling scores on a whim. Authority and high office are never won through sheer courage alone. Only by knowing how to weigh your options can you hold fast to the limits of when to advance and when to retreat. 1kReads8.1Score10814d adds
- 48 In the Name of the People: Helping Qi Tongwei Get Into the Ministry 人民的名义：带领祁同伟进部 One day, Liu Xun was reborn just after finishing the college entrance exams. In this new life, he decisively applied to a school completely different from the one he chose in his previous life. Can he make the most of the opportunities in the years ahead? 964Reads5.4Score—14d adds
- 49 The Road Through Officialdom Begins with Being Reborn 官场征途，从重生开始 For love, Chu Haoran chose to become a live-in son-in-law, only to end up behind bars. The day before his release, he was attacked. Given a second chance at life, Chu Haoran chooses to enter politics... 5.9kReads6.5Score44914d adds
- 50 The Storm Is Coming 狂澜将至 [Anti-Corruption + Battle of Wits] A bizarre car accident in a university town seems like a random occurrence, but it leads to a shocking case in Dongjiang Province. When criminal investigator Lin Xiao gets unwittingly drawn into it, he discovers that the clues eerily overlap with those surrounding his father's fatal car crash, which was ruled an “accident.” When Lin Xiao uncovers the first crack in the case, a criminal syndicate led by Sun Yaowei comes to light. On the surface, the “Young Maste 1Reads—Score—14d adds
