#201 From a Security Guard to a Lawyer 从保安到律师

Hello everyone! Welcome back to MaoMi Chinese! Many people have dreams, but not everyone can achieve them. Today, I want to share the story of a man who went from being a security guard to becoming a lawyer. He was once an ordinary security guard, but after ten years of studying and six attempts at the legal exam, he has finally become a lawyer.

This man’s name is Liu Zheng. He was an ordinary person who had done many ordinary jobs. In the past, he washed cars and worked in factories. His salary was low, and his life was dull. Later, he became a security guard at Peking University. Peking University is one of the top universities in China, and the students who study there are exceptionally hardworking and intelligent. Liu Zheng’s job at the university was simple, but the students inspired him. He knew they were all bright. He said that seeing these young people, who were not only smarter than him but also worked harder, made him feel that he should work hard too.

The law school at Peking University is full of intelligent and diligent students. Every night, the university’s teaching buildings closed at 11 p.m., but the law students would still be studying. Liu Zheng saw that at 11 p.m., there were still many students in the classrooms revising. He often waited until midnight to give them extra study time before reminding them to go back to sleep. Moved by their dedication, he decided to take the legal exam himself and become a lawyer. In China, the legal exam is one of the most difficult exams. Every year, around 600,000 to 700,000 people take the test, but only about 20% pass.

Liu Zheng worked as a security guard from 5 p.m. to midnight. After his shift, he would go to sleep, then wake up early the next morning to attend university lectures, even though he wasn’t officially enrolled. This is called “蹭课,” which means attending a class without being a registered student. Let’s hear what Liu Zheng himself said about this:

“My working hours were from 5 p.m. to midnight. Some lectures started at 8 a.m., so I would get up early to go to class. Sometimes, the lecturers would notice me and give me a knowing smile.”

Liu Zheng mentioned that some courses started at 8 a.m., so he had to wake up very early to attend. Occasionally, a professor standing at the podium would recognise him and smile at him knowingly. A “knowing smile” is a friendly and understanding smile, often exchanged between people who are familiar with each other, like when we see an old friend.

The professors and students at Peking University were very kind to Liu Zheng. Many professors encouraged him to attend their lectures, and students even shared their books with him. With their support, Liu Zheng taught himself law and eventually took the legal exam. The first year, he failed. He failed in the second, third, fourth, and fifth years too. But finally, in the sixth year, he passed! He never gave up, and after all these years, he finally succeeded. Now, he was qualified to become a lawyer. A professor at Peking University recommended him for a position at a law firm, and after passing the interview, Liu Zheng officially became a lawyer. It took him ten years to achieve his dream.

Liu Zheng’s story has touched many people. They are inspired by his perseverance and by the kindness of Peking University’s professors and students. What about you? What is your dream? How long would you be willing to work for it? Leave us a comment and share your thoughts!