Zhou Yanjun crosses the street, accompanied by her colleague in Wuhan city, Hubei province, Mar 3, 2015. Her job as a blind masseuse helps her earn about 3,000 yuan ($479) to 4,000 yuan a month. [Photo/IC]

Zhou Yanjun is among her colleagues who constantly check her cellphone during the break for an update on the market performance.

"If I hadn't been greedy seven years ago, I wouldn't be under a mortgage now," said Zhou, who entered the market in 1997.

An initial investment of 20,000 yuan helped her to make 1,000 yuan profit within three days. The stock market seemed like a "confidant" who would bring her surprises since then, Zhou recalled. She would check on the market via radio and asked her husband to brief her updates.