After the Olympic games Lee's football career would be cut short by the Second Sino-Japanese War and World War II. Initially Lee continued with his club career with South China until Hong Kong was also occupied by the Japanese. Lee was able to escape to Guangdong and joined the Chinese Army where he spent the war playing exhibition games to raise money for the war effort. He was promoted to Major General within the sports division before returning to South China after the war. After spending several seasons with the club he retired in 1948 at the age of 43.