It’s because they’re smart. A 62-year-old former professor in Sichuan didn’t just retire. He got rehired; as a research fellow; to finish unfinished projects. Why? Because experience doesn’t expire, even if pensions do. His salary? Lower. No social security contributions. But he didn’t care. “I can’t just sit idle,” he said. And that’s the real story. As China’s workforce ages, institutions are turning to retirees; not out of shortage, but out of strategy. These aren’t temp jobs. They’re targeted roles for people who still have value, energy, and expertise. What’s the lesson for India? Maybe we’re too quick to push people out at 60. What if we kept them in; not as burden, but as asset? The future of work isn’t about age. It’s about ability. And in China, they’re already proving it.