"His family was mad at me and even threatened my life. I lost six kg in five days," Wang recalled. Fortunately, Shen was found alive and healthy in a suburb on the sixth day, thanks to a radio alert.

"I cried my heart out after he was found. I was worried about him and all the pressure washed away with my tears. Unfortunately, his family insisted on compensation, which I thought was totally unfair--why were they blind to his rehabilitation?" Wang said. Consequently, she turned over the operation to a friend and took a three-month leave at home, with a broken heart.

"I felt empty and unpleasant at home, and could not help missing residents at the retirement home," she said. "So I chose to go back."

In 2003, Wang visited state-owned retirement homes in Shanghai, Beijing and Hangzhou with a working group. On the trip she observed the gap between her retirement home and others. Wang said her advantages lay in "software," which refers to love and service, but she lacked "hardware" including facilities, space and, most importantly, money.

In 2004, Wang found a three-story building on Qingjiang Road for expansion. It was an ideal place, from the location to its internal structure; the only problem was the 160,000-yuan ($22,000) annual rent--four times what she paid before. It was enough money to buy a new apartment. Wang signed a 15-year rental contract after changing the U.S. dollars her husband had earned in Cambodia into Chinese currency behind his back.

The basement was rented to a grocery store operator; the first floor was split into a hostel and the retirement home's reception and kitchen. The second and third floors were reserved for elderly residents. The rooms ranged from singles to four-bed dorms; in the function room, residents had access to a TV set, DVD player, stereo equipment and games, which all came from donations. In addition, Wang recruited another 10 staff members, all laid-off or retired workers, for nursing work and daily chores. But the accommodation fee Wang set--800 yuan ($107) to 1,000 yuan ($134) per person per month--was only 300 yuan ($45) higher than before.

Money troubles were not new to Wang, whose intention in running a retirement home was not to earn money. "It was tolerable and understandable if something urgent happened, and the fee would be reduced or waived if the family was too poor to afford it," Wang said. "For example, a granny who owed us more than 4,000 yuan ($580) for the past year recently passed away. I did not go to her house even though I knew her daughter's address. I thought she must be sad and her life would become a mess if I insisted on claiming the money. I just let it go. It's true that I lost money, but it was worth it because I was helping her."

Wang is good at nursing geriatric diseases such as senile dementia and brain thrombus, and she train the staff based on her experience over the past decade. Nine residents who used to be confined to bed are now capable of walking. Sun Baoying, 85, has lived in Room 220 since August 2007, sharing it with two roommates. She said she prefers to spend festival and holiday occasions there rather than at home. "I inspected other retirement homes before this one," Sun's son Zhou Guanghan, 65, told Beijing Review. "I made up my mind after the third visit. I'm satisfied with the conditions, the food and the service here; the roommates help take care of each other. My mother enjoys her life here."

Wang's effort has paid off. She has received several awards since 1999, having been recognized among the top 10 retirement home managers, the top 10 people in the service sector and as a role model for self-employment. The retirement home turned its first profit in 2006 and now brings in some 70,000 yuan ($10,000) in annual income for Wang, who will use it to fund her second expansion project. Moreover, she now has more than 500 volunteers.

Wang just finished a 14-day training course in Beijing in January, which she said would be helpful for her work. "I was enlightened by the professional knowledge, the advanced management concepts and the experiences shared by my counterparts nationwide," Wang said.

"I think the secret to the success of my retirement home lies in love, patience and responsibility. Money cannot buy the sense of achievement and satisfaction in helping others," she continued.

"Looking back, opening this retirement home was the right choice. I would like to live here when I am too old to do anything, and my daughter can continue my work. The government has paid more and more attention to the issues related to our aging society. I personally believe that the elderly will be better off if they receive more help."