Hong Kong singer–actress Niki Chow’s awkward reply to a happy birthday Weibo message from her boyfriend, Chinese actor Xu Zhengxi, has led to rumours that the two have quietly parted ways.
According to Hong Kong media, on Niki’s 36th birthday (August 30), Zhengxi sent in well-wishes over Weibo and attached candid shots of Niki, leading fans to think the two were still together. But the next evening, Niki replied to Zhengxi's messages with, “Thank you! Hope everything is going well for you! Take care!”
The “Take care!” sparked talk of a separation, with many fans leaving messages including: “This sounds like they’ve broken up,” and “I’m really sad, hope you two stay well.”
In an interview on August 30 in Shanghai, Niki had clarified that she would be spending her birthday with cast members and not Zhengxi, and when asked directly whether the pair had parted, she replied, “Let’s not talk about personal matters.”
Niki and Zhengxi, five years her junior, met in May 2013 while filming the period drama The Virtuous Queen of Han at the Hengdian World Studios in China. Despite sharing few scenes, the younger Zhengxi was thoughtful and considerate when Niki suffered heatstroke twice, fetching food and drinks and making sure the actress was comfortable.
The couple made public their relationship that September and had been seeing each other for two years — there had even been talk of a wedding — so the latest news of a breakup shocked fans and netizens.