Liu Yifei's Meteoric Rise in Fame: Drama Frozen for 7 Years Suddenly Released

"Fairy Sister" Liu Yifei starred in many hit dramas, including "The Story of Rose," "Meet Yourself," and "A Dream of Splendor." The fantasy drama "Records of Nanyan Studio" (also known as "A Song of Three Lives") starring her and Jing Boran was wrapped up in mid-June 2018, but was shelved for seven years. It was rumored that the reason was due to the supporting actor Zhao Lixin's inappropriate remarks on Weibo, resulting in him being listed as a "tainted artist" by Chinese authorities and causing "Records of Nanyan Studio" to remain unscreened. Recently, there were reports that "Records of Nanyan Studio" might be aired in June, and Zhao Lixin's scenes have been digitally altered using AI face-swapping technology. "Records of Nanyan Studio" is also seen as another potential blockbuster for Liu Yifei.

"Records of Nanyan Studio" is adapted from the manga of the same name by Zou Xiaolin and illustrated by Shell Shaka. The story describes the mysterious fragrance shop Nanyan Studio, where the owner "Lu Man Sheng" (played by Liu Yifei) uses fragrances to bring out the emotions buried deep in the user's heart. She and the owner of Yunsheng Theater, "Ye Shen" (played by Jing Boran), witness several stories of love leading to heartbreak, but when they become involved themselves, the story becomes reality. The pairing of Liu Yifei and Jing Boran has excited netizens, with Liu Yifei looking stunning in a qipao and Jing Boran's gentlemanly image blending perfectly with hers.

"Records of Nanyan Studio" was shelved for seven years, allegedly due to supporting actor Zhao Lixin. Zhao, now 56, studied at the Central Academy of Drama and was sent to Russia for further studies due to his excellent grades, obtaining a master's degree. He married at 27 and acquired Swedish citizenship, though the marriage ended after three years. However, he became the first Chinese actor to join the Royal Dramatic Theatre in Sweden. At 36, he returned to his alma mater in China as a distinguished overseas-returned talent, resulting in a successful career with works such as "Chinese Stories," "Cao Cao," "The Scent of Blood," "The Legend of Mi Yue," and "The Legend of the Condor Heroes."

However, Zhao Lixin faced backlash in 2019 due to certain Weibo posts. His posts, asking, "During the 8-year Japanese occupation of Beijing, why didn't they loot the Forbidden City or burn it down? Does this align with the traits of invaders?" and "Why did the Anglo-French forces set fire to the Old Summer Palace?" immediately provoked a response from nationalistic youth and led authorities to label him as a tainted artist. Consequently, six unreleased works he was involved in were banned, including "Records of Nanyan Studio."

26-Year-Old Photo Shocks the Internet

Recently, a netizen claiming to be Liu Yifei's middle school classmate posted a photo from Liu Yifei's student days online, stating, "Liu Yifei was my middle school classmate! Found our group photo from back then! I'm the only one with this picture!" The photo, taken in 1999, shows Liu Yifei sitting in the middle, wearing a dark blue vest, white short-sleeve, and jeans, with a scarf and braided hairstyle, looking fresh and elegant. Her face appears almost unchanged from now, described as "proportionately enlarged."

The netizen further revealed that when Liu Yifei was in the sixth grade, she was not only the class beauty but also the school beauty, displaying remarkable beauty at a young age. The netizen couldn't help but exclaim, "All classmates faded in comparison to her." This prompted many fans to comment, "She's too beautiful," "The leading lady aura is apparent from childhood," and "Fairy Sister stood out even as a child."