Chinese Actress Liu Xiaoqing, 75, Calls Fan "Grandma"; Later Finds Out She's Younger Than Her
They say age is but a number, and the two women in this bizarre exchange probably know this all too well by now.
75-year-old Chinese actress Liu Xiaoqing visited a tribe in a recent episode of Road Blossoms season two. There, she met an enthusiastic elderly fan, Ma Ni, who was with a younger lady who's presumably her granddaughter.
When Xiaoqing asked which of her films the granny had seen before, the woman shyly named the 1979 classic Little Flower.
That instantly stirred a warm wave of nostalgia on set, and prompted Xiaoqing to request for a photo with the fan, whom she referred to as "this lao lao".
In northern Chinese dialects, "lao lao" is used to refer to maternal grandmother but can also be used to affectionately address someone older than yourself.
That's when things got awkward.
Despite calling her fan "lao lao" earlier, Xiaoqing pointed out: "Both of us should be of the same age". The unexpected comment left everyone stunned.
After all, Xiaoqing, who appeared vibrant and youthful, does look noticeably younger than the grey-haired Ma Ni.
The two went on to compare ages, and found out that Ma Ni, whom Xiaoqing had just called "lao lao", was actually a year younger than Xiaoqing.
The exchange drew a mercilessly honest comment from Ma Ni’s granddaughter.
"But Ms Liu Xiaoqing looks so much younger than you," laughed the younger girl, leaving Ma Ni slightly abashed.
Netizens were equally blunt after the episode aired.
“They don’t look like they’re the same age, more like two generations apart!," one remarked.
Some, however, questioned why Xiaoqing called Ma Ni “lao lao” despite knowing they are about the same age, and criticised the actress for using what they saw as an "inappropriate" form of address.
