Wu Jinyan and Hong Yao, who famously turned their on-screen romance into real life after starring in this film History of Yanxi Palacehad been facing speculation about relationship problems since late September 2025. At the time, Chinese media reported that Hong Yao’s wedding announcement post about Wu Jinyan had mysteriously disappeared from her social media account, raising suspicions that it had been deleted or hidden. In China’s entertainment culture, couples often only remove related posts when they break up or divorce, fueling widespread rumors that their marriage was in trouble.
However, on February 18, Chinese outlet Sohu reported that passersby had recently spotted the couple vacationing in Sanya, China, where they welcomed the Lunar New Year together. According to eyewitness accounts, the pair even surfed side by side. This marks one of the rare public sightings of Wu Jinyan and Hong Yao together since rumors of a disagreement surfaced five months ago.
Industry sources say that instead of returning to their hometown for the holidays, the couple chose to spend the Lunar New Year holiday on what appeared to be a honeymoon-style trip to rekindle their relationship. Notably, they traveled alone without their baby, focusing solely on time spent together.
Wu Jinyan surprised the Chinese public when she announced her marriage to Hong Yao on September 13, 2024. Around the same time, it was revealed that she was already six months pregnant. In February 2025, she gave birth to their first daughter.
Despite becoming a new mother, Wu Jinyan did not take an extended maternity break. After quickly regaining her slim figure, she returned to filming projects instead of focusing solely on childcare, drawing both admiration and criticism.
Her marriage to Hong Yao triggered a significant reaction among fans. Many in her fandom expressed anger and disappointment, claiming that she had jeopardized a thriving career by marrying a B-list actor with a controversial romantic history.
Hong Yao, in particular, has come under intense scrutiny. Chinese netizens had previously uncovered evidence suggesting that she continued to behave flirtatiously even on the day she registered her marriage to Wu Jinyan, allegedly following and liking photos of an attractive influencer.
Furthermore, during Wu Jinyan’s pregnancy, critics accused Hong Yao of appearing disengaged. While the actress attended filming sets, events and press conferences despite her visibly advanced pregnancy, Hong Yao was rarely seen supporting her publicly. He also sparked outrage after he was photographed smoking next to his pregnant wife, sparking accusations that he was reckless and overly dependent on her financially.
Now that he has become a father, many netizens express hope that Hong Yao will mature, take on more responsibilities and offer more support to his wife.
With their recent beach trip making headlines, the couple seems to be distancing themselves from past rumors. Whether this marks a full reconciliation or simply a temporary retreat from public scrutiny remains to be seen, but for now, Wu Jinyan and Hong Yao appear to be starting the new year side by side.
Sources: K14
