Mainland Chinese actress Yang Zi recently won the Best Actress award at the 31st Magnolia Awards for her role as “Bai Ju” in the TV series “The Tree of Life.” Her friends in the entertainment industry, including Liu Tao , Ma Sichun, and Yuan Hong, all sent their congratulations publicly via Weibo. However, Li Xian , Yang Zi’s co-star in “Go Go Squid!” and a friend of 16 years , remained silent on Weibo, unexpectedly sparking heated discussion among netizens. The hashtag “Li Xian didn’t post a congratulatory message for Yang Zi” even trended on Weibo.
Many netizens speculated that the two might have changed their once-deep friendship due to their busy careers in recent years, with some even questioning whether their 16-year friendship had faded and why Li Xian was the only one who hadn’t posted anything. Since the two have been recognized as close friends in the entertainment industry for many years, Li Xian’s silence naturally sparked endless speculation.
However, as more details emerged, public opinion gradually shifted. It’s reported that Li Xian had already privately congratulated Yang Zi. In an interview, Yang Zi revealed that upon learning of her award, Li Xian immediately sent her his blessings via private message, jokingly telling her, “You’ve finally proven yourself.” This lighthearted remark, more typical of close friends, was considered by many fans to be more genuine than a public statement.
In addition, fans explained that Li Xian had just returned to China after finishing World Cup-related activities and immediately started filming his new drama “Misty Green” before adjusting to the time difference. He had been filming night scenes continuously, and his schedule was very tight, so he was unable to post on social media immediately.
In fact, looking back at their interactions over the years, many netizens believe that Li Xian’s support for Yang Zi has never been proven by a single Weibo post. Previously, when “The Tree of Life” aired, Li Xian paid for a private screening to support his friend’s new work, and he also showed concern for Yang Zi while she was filming in the highlands; the two have also sent each other birthday wishes at the same time for eight consecutive years, establishing a deep friendship.
As the incident continued to unfold, online opinions gradually became more rational, with many commenting, “There’s a kind of blessing called WeChat,” “True friends don’t need to be publicly active every day,” and “Private congratulations are more sincere than posting on Weibo.” Some fans also joked that both are now shining brightly in their respective fields, “One won the Magnolia Award for Best Actress, and the other stood on the World Cup stage. Meeting at the top in different arenas is the best answer.”
In addition, many fans are taking advantage of this wave of popularity to urge Li Xian and Yang Zi to collaborate again, exclaiming, “Let’s arrange a third collaboration right away!”
