On February 18, the “The Romance of the Condor Heroes” couple—Chen Xiao and Michelle Chen—announced their separation after 9 years together. Their relationship faced numerous rumors of divorce over the years, which they repeatedly denied. However, in the end, they could not stay together.
Surprisingly, despite the main parties being Chen Xiao and Michelle Chen, Zhao Liying’s name has been repeatedly brought up. The hashtag “Chen Xiao – Zhao Liying Reuniting for a Second Time” even became a trending topic on Weibo, amassing 20 million views.
Many netizens are expressing their hopes for Chen Xiao and Zhao Liying to reunite. Fans of their on-screen chemistry from “Legend of Lu Zhen” believe that now is the perfect time, as Zhao Liying has also been single for years following her divorce from Feng Shaofeng.
Additionally, in late December 2024, insiders claimed that Chen Xiao had reached out to Zhao Liying after encountering issues in his marriage. Well-known blogger Wang Daifa revealed that Chen Xiao met Zhao Liying, expressing a strong desire to rekindle their past romance. However, Zhao Liying’s response to his proposal remains unknown.
According to Sohu, Chen Xiao and Zhao Liying played a crucial role in each other’s rise to fame. They collaborated successfully in “Legend of Lu Zhen” and “The Palace”, earning praise for their on-screen chemistry. Many viewers even hoped they would develop a real-life romance. Their success in these works helped them become top-tier actors in Chinese entertainment.
Following their collaborations, dating rumors surrounded Chen Xiao and Zhao Liying. On the variety show “Happy Camp”, Chen Xiao peeled shrimp for Zhao Liying and declared her his “goddess”. He frequently mentioned her in interviews, describing their “beautiful relationship”. During the filming of “Wife’s Secret”, Chen Xiao was seen visiting Zhao Liying on set and chatting warmly. They were even photographed holding hands.
However, while filming “The Romance of the Condor Heroes”, Chen Xiao fell for his co-star Michelle Chen—who was four years his senior—and quickly married her in 2016 at the height of his career.
Despite this, on the day of his engagement to Michelle Chen, Chen Xiao notably liked a birthday post dedicated to Zhao Liying. He even posted an image of the bride in the wedding dress that resembled Zhao Liying.
Due to their complicated history, Chen Xiao and Zhao Liying have avoided each other for the past 11 years. However, whenever one of them experiences problems in romantic relationships, fans immediately bring up the other. Many still hold out hope that Zhao Liying and Chen Xiao will reunite.