According to Sohu, Bai Lu is considered an unusual case in the Chinese entertainment industry. While many celebrities often change teams after gaining fame, Bai Lu’s staff turnover rate is reportedly only one-fifth of the industry average.
Over the past 10 years, Bai Lu has gradually transformed his relationship with Hehe from a typical employer-employee dynamic into something closer to family. The friendship attracted attention again in January 2026, when car brand Li Auto confirmed that Bai Lu had purchased a car as a gift for Hehe. The vehicle, worth around 200,000-300,000 yuan, was not a standard year-end bonus but rather a gift to celebrate their decades-long friendship.
Bai Lu reportedly used her personal account under her real name, Bai Mengyan, to place the order, and the dealership staff initially did not realize that the customer was a famous actress. Their friendship dates back to 2018, when Bai Lu was still relatively unknown. At the time, Hehe reportedly quit her job as a kindergarten teacher in Nanjing, earning about 3,000 yuan a month, after Bai Lu invited her to move in and work together.
The two once shared a small 10-square-meter basement room in Hengdian, where conditions were modest. They reportedly lived among damp walls and mice, with instant noodles often serving as their daily meal. During those early years, Hehe took on multiple roles, including assistant, photographer, video editor, and day-to-day manager, earning the nickname among fans of being “one person equal to an entire studio.”
As Bai Lu’s career grew, the actress continued to show appreciation for her friend. When he learned that the company had booked economy class tickets to Hehe, Bai Lu allegedly paid out of his own pocket to upgrade them to first class. Although the two sometimes argue, Bai Lu is known to make peace by sending “lucky money” (red envelopes) to Hehe. He also reportedly opened an unlimited payment account for his assistant to use and remembers many of his personal preferences.
In 2025, when they celebrated 10 years of friendship, Bai Lu shared an old photo on Weibo showing the two of them sitting outside their basement eating instant noodles. The caption read: “Those difficult years were not in vain.” The post quickly rose to the top of trending topics.
According to Sohu, there is also an unwritten rule in the entertainment industry that some celebrities frequently replace assistants because they fear that assistants might know too many personal secrets. However, Bai Lu reportedly rejected suggestions from management companies to hire more “professional” assistants, including candidates who spoke multiple languages and could negotiate contracts.
To celebrate their decades-long friendship, Hehe also wrote a heartfelt message online: “Sometimes I feel like having a friend like you is like winning the lottery. I can’t imagine what my life would be like without you.” Bai Lu responded in the comments, writing, “Psychologists say that if a friendship lasts more than seven years, it can last a lifetime.”
Sources: DL
