Cooking convenience for cancer patients

To cover basic costs, the couple initially charged people only 0.5 yuan to cook, but they eventually increased the price to 1 yuan in 2016.

Fan, a family member of a cancer patient in the hospital, has made more than 50 dishes in the communal kitchen. "I learned about this place from other families of patients," said Fan, who is from neighboring Jiujiang city and brought his family to Nanchang for treatment. "I made eel soup here, because there's no way you can buy it anywhere else."

There are many people like Fan who use this facility to prepare food for their sick loved ones. The "kitchen of love" hosts more than 10,000 people annually who come to cook meals.

In February 2021, Wan and Xiong received the Touching China Award 2020, which is an annual award that recognizes the country's most inspiring role models in different aspects. Later that year, in November, they were also named "National Moral Models".

When asked about their motivation for doing this, Wan said: "I want to help. I am willing to do it, and I'll keep doing it as long as I can."

Despite the increasing expenses in rent and utility bills, the couple said they will continue to persevere.

"We are not doing it for money. We are doing it because it brings us a sense of fulfillment," Xiong added.