After three years of determined effort, 46-year-old Tian Yunliang from Jinan, Shandong province, has secured admission to pursue a master's degree program in finance at a local university, proving that it's never too old to learn.

According to a report by People's Daily, Tian decided to further his education after graduating from a technical secondary school in 2000. He obtained a junior college degree in 2021 and began preparing for the postgraduate entrance examination the following year.

Over the past three years, he has balanced managing his small business during the day with intensive study sessions at night. He consistently woke up at 5:30 am and studied until 11:30 pm, burying himself in piles of study materials.

Reflecting on his journey, Tian recalled being mistaken for a student's parent when he first attended a training class, stopped at the door by a security guard. In class, he realized that even the teachers were younger than him and often referred to him as "big brother". Besides, his experience of failing the postgraduate exams twice nearly led him to give up.

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What kept him going was the encouragement of his daughter, who was a grade-one senior high school student when he resumed his academic studies. "I want to set an example for her," Tian said.

This year, his perseverance paid off when he passed the exam and was admitted to Qilu University of Technology. His inspiring story has since gone viral online, with many applauding his resilience and dedication.