The online drama between actress Wan Peng and influencer Zhang Huixian exploded overnight after the latter publicly accused the 29-year-old actress of being a “third party,” only to delete her claim later.
The controversy began late on October 17, when internet celebrity Zhang Huixian, took to social media to tag Wan Peng, the supporting actress from the recently-aired Love’s Ambition, “@Wan Peng, you got used to being the third party, calling someone else’s boyfriend ‘babe’, are you this shameless. #LovesAmbition.” In the comments section, Zhang Huixian continued to allege that Wan Peng had repeatedly contacted her boyfriend, despite knowing he was in a relationship with her. She later deleted the post without providing any evidence to support the accusation, which led to netizens calling for a public apology for carelessly throwing accusations.
By midnight on October 18, Wan Peng’s management company responded with a firm legal statement denying the allegations, calling them “seriously false” and promising to pursue legal action. Wan Peng herself changed her profile picture to an eye-roll emoji and reposted the statement with the caption, “Being too kind only spoils the problem.”
The next morning, Zhang Huixian posted an apology, admitting the incident stemmed from a misunderstanding. She elaborated that the accusation was made in a moment of emotional impulse, after being misled by “fragmented and exaggerated stories” made worse by drunken words she heard from another person last year. She said, “for the harm and career damage caused, I apologize to her.” Still, many questioned her sincerity and timing, accusing her of riding on the popularity of Love’s Ambition.
