36-year-old wealthy businessman leaves career behind to retake university entrance exam twice

The reason behind businessman Ly Long's decision to retake the university entrance exam wasn't a midlife crisis, but rather an unfulfilled 18-year-old dream: to become a doctor.

Buy a house for your parents before graduating.

Li Long was born in 1989 in Harbin, Heilongjiang Province – a major city in northeastern China. In 2008, amidst millions of candidates struggling in the Gaokao (national college entrance examination), Li Long excelled, scoring 695 points.

That result led him straight to Tsinghua University – a school often referred to as the "Harvard of China" – making him the pride of his entire family.

At 36 years old, with tens of millions of yuan in assets, three houses in Beijing, and a successful career, Li Long surprised everyone by retaking the university entrance exam. (Photo: Baidu)

In the eyes of his relatives, neighbors, and friends, he was a role model of a young man whose life had been transformed by education, a living testament to the Chinese dream of "passing the entrance exam to Tsinghua University and having a prosperous life" that has been passed down through generations.

But Li Long wasn't the type of student who just buried himself in books. Even while studying at Tsinghua, he took advantage of opportunities to tutor to cover his expenses and earn extra income.

Even while still in school, Li Long was able to earn 30,000-40,000 RMB per month (approximately 109-146 million VND) through tutoring, leveraging his reputation as a Tsinghua University student. Before graduating, he had already bought a house for his parents in his hometown of Harbin, according to Jiupai News. This is an "unbelievable" feat that many people might not achieve even after working their whole lives.

After graduating, Ly Long didn't choose the safe path of becoming a researcher or a civil servant. He shifted his focus to private education and then started his own business.

More than a decade later, Li Long possesses everything society defines as success: financial stability, respectable status, and a fulfilling marriage. He has become the real-life "ideal son" of many.

A "reboot" at age 35

But what makes Li Long special is that he decided to retake the university entrance exam at the age of 35. Not to get another degree, not because of unemployment, but for a simple reason: He had always dreamed of becoming a doctor but had to put that dream on hold due to difficult family circumstances.

"At that time, my family was poor, and studying medicine was both long and expensive, so I chose a different path to get a job quickly and help my parents," Ly Long recounted.

However, the dream of wearing a white lab coat never disappeared; it was simply kept hidden for 16 years. 16 years ago, he was a top student in Basic Sciences at Tsinghua University. 16 years later, he is the owner of a company, has a house, a car, and a fulfilling family life, but he chose to "start over."

Although he didn't get into Tsinghua University as he hoped in the 2025 Gaokao (National College Entrance Examination), Li Long remained passionate about medicine and chose to study at a different medical school. (Photo: Baidu)

In 2024, at the age of 35, Li Long retook the college entrance exam for the first time and scored 658 points, but was still a few points short of getting into Tsinghua University's medical school. Undeterred, in the recent 2025 Gaokao (national college entrance exam), he re-registered and this time scored over 640 points, but still did not pass.

But instead of being disappointed, Li Long calmly said, " If I can't get into Tsinghua, I can study at another medical school. What I'm pursuing is medicine, not prestige."

According to Upstream News, to prepare for the exam, Li Long spent dozens of hours studying every day. He studied early in the morning, spent his days immersed in the Tsinghua University library, and only practiced exam questions after his children had gone to sleep. At an age when many people are comfortably sitting in air-conditioned offices, he focused on memorizing formulas and rereading every page of his high school textbooks.

The pressure came not only from academics but also from societal judgment. Many people mocked him, saying, "He has too much money and too much free time!", "Why is he still striving for fame at this age?" . But for Ly Long, this wasn't a pursuit of fame, but a journey of self-discovery.

On Chinese social media, many people expressed admiration for Li Long's decision. "In a society that constantly measures success by grades, degrees, and cars, he chose to go against the grain. He didn't follow societal standards but followed the call of his heart."

Another person wrote: "He doesn't need to prove anything anymore. Freedom is daring to live life for yourself, even if it means starting over, even if it means failing."

Many commentators suggest that his story is not just about an adult retaking the university entrance exam, but a reminder: Are we living for our dreams or living according to what society deems right?

(Source: Vietnamnet)

Link: https://vietnamnet.vn/doanh-nhan-tre-36-tuoi-giau-co-bo-lai-su-nghiep-de-2-lan-thi-lai-dai-hoc-2427357.html

Source: https://vtcnews.vn/doanh-nhan-tre-36-tuoi-giau-co-bo-lai-su-nghiep-de-2-lan-thi-lai-dai-hoc-ar957511.html