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| What Really Happened Between Liu Nian, Chen Tianxiang and He Congrui? (Image via: Weibo) |
A single anonymous gossip post was all it took to send China's short drama community into overdrive. Liu Nian, Chen Tianxiang and He Congrui suddenly became the centre of intense online speculation after a post using only surname initials hinted at an alleged love triangle. Within hours, social media detectives had confidently "solved the mystery", despite there being no evidence to support the claims. The internet, once again, seemed determined to hand out verdicts before anyone had even seen a case.
The controversy erupted on the evening of 29 June after entertainment gossip accounts shared claims involving a male actor with the surname "C", another actor with the surname "H", and an actress with the surname "L".
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Although no names were mentioned directly, countless users quickly linked the initials to Chen Tianxiang, He Congrui and Liu Nian, turning an anonymous rumour into one of the day's biggest entertainment discussions.
The speculation gathered momentum because Liu Nian has frequently been paired on screen with Chen Tianxiang, with the two leading several popular short dramas together, making them a familiar duo among viewers.
At the same time, He Congrui, another of Liu Nian's regular co-stars, had previously been the subject of unconfirmed dating rumours involving the actress. That combination of established screen partnerships and existing online speculation made it easy for social media users to connect the anonymous initials to the three actors.
Chen Tianxiang had already been linked with Liu Nian on several occasions before these rumours surfaced, largely due to their repeated on-screen collaborations and growing popularity as a screen pairing. The gossip gained even more attention after reports circulated in May 2026 claiming that Liu Nian and He Congrui had ended their alleged relationship.
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As speculation gathered pace, Liu Nian wasted little time responding. The actress issued a firm public statement rejecting every allegation, describing the circulating relationship rumours as fabricated and completely without factual basis.
She argued that several entertainment accounts had deliberately used vague descriptions and suggestive wording to create misleading narratives, damaging both her reputation and her acting career in the process.
Her statement did not stop at a simple denial. Liu Nian demanded that anyone spreading or reposting the false claims remove the content within 24 hours, issue public apologies and help limit the wider impact of the rumours.
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She also warned that failure to comply would result in legal action, including claims for compensation and accountability under relevant laws. The message was clear: enough with the fictional scripts outside the filming set.
Not long afterwards, Chen Tianxiang also addressed the growing controversy through his management company. In its statement, the agency firmly rejected the dating allegations, insisting that every claim circulating online had been invented and lacked any factual foundation.
The company stressed that the actor has remained focused on his career and maintained only normal social relationships with those mentioned in the rumours.
The agency further stated that it had already begun collecting evidence relating to posts and discussions spreading the allegations. It warned that those responsible could face legal consequences if they failed to delete the content and publish formal apologies within the requested deadline.
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| Chen Tianxiang's Agency Issues Strong Statement Over Viral Dating Allegations |
According to the company, the widespread speculation had disrupted Chen Tianxiang's professional work while also affecting the company's commercial reputation.
Noticeably absent from the entire discussion has been any evidence supporting the original claims. The rumours spread largely through anonymous posts, coded initials and online guesswork, with users filling in the blanks themselves.. it sometimes feels as though initials have become enough to launch an entire television series, complete with plot twists, supporting characters and an audience ready to binge-watch before checking whether the story is even real.
Many supporters of Liu Nian and Chen Tianxiang praised both stars for responding quickly instead of allowing speculation to grow unchecked.
They argued that anonymous gossip accounts continue to profit from attention while public figures are left repairing damage to their reputations. There were also voices calling for greater caution across entertainment communities.
For now, both Liu Nian and Chen Tianxiang have firmly denied the allegations, while no evidence has emerged to support the claims linking them with He Congrui.