Actress Liu Yifei seen dining with financial magnate godfather Chen Jinfei

Chinese-American actress Liu Yifei. Photo from Liu’s Weibo

According to 163, Liu was dressed simply in a floral dress, with her hair down, sunglasses, and light makeup for her dinner out with Chen on Friday. The two were observed leaving a restaurant while engaging in a lively conversation and laughter, a departure from her typically reserved nature. Chen also seemed in high spirits.

Upon exiting the venue, Liu and Chen continued their conversation while waiting for their car. Their interaction appeared very natural, and was described by media outlets as resembling that of “any other father and daughter.”

Liu seldom discusses her relationship with Chen directly, but the businessman frequently refers to her as his goddaughter. In an interview, he shared that as a friend of her mother, he was dubbed “dad” by Liu when she was just five, and later became her official godfather.

After learning about Liu’s passion for acting, Chen made arrangements to support her dream. He moved Liu back to China from the U.S., where she had been living with her mother after her parents divorced, and personally helped her enter the entertainment industry.

He currently serves as the CEO of Liu’s management agency Hongxingwu Entertainment and holds 90% of the company’s shares. Liu is the only artist managed by the company. Her latest TV series “The Tale of Rose,” which premiered on June 8 and quickly gained popularity, was reportedly produced by Chen.

Liu, 37, first gained fame with her role in the 2003 TV series “The Story of a Noble Family” and has successfully transitioned to film.

By 2009, she was named one of the New Four Dan actresses, a designation for the successors to the four most bankable actresses in China, originally including Xu Jinglei, Zhang Ziyi, Zhou Xun, and Vicki Zhao.

Chen, 62, was recognized by Forbes in 2000 as one of China’s wealthiest entrepreneurs.