Zhang Yaodong Serves Diners At His Tampines Tze Char Stall After Staff Resigns; Praised For "Making An Honest Living"

Almost a year after his career-destroying scandal, ex-Mediacorp actor Zhang Yaodong seems to be moving on pretty well. 

While the 47-year-old Malaysian-born actor never responded to allegations of him impregnating various women, he did reveal in November that he has two daughters, and deeply regrets not having been there for them throughout their childhood.

In February, it was revealed that Yaodong is no longer managed by Mediacorp's talent management arm The Celebrity Agency.

So what has Yaodong, who is nominated in the Top 10 Most Popular Male Artistes category at this year's Star Awards, been up to lately? 

The actor was recently spotted manning a seafood tze char stall in a Tampines Industrial Park coffee shop. 

A diner, Xia Tian De Yu Er, had noticed Yaodong working the cash register and took to Xiaohongshu to share about it. 

"The food stall I eat at every afternoon turned out to be run by him. I only saw him coming to help because his staff resigned," wrote the diner.

Xia Tian De Yu Er also remarked that Yaodong, who helped to take orders and serve customers, "looked better in person" and praised him for being polite. 

It appears that Xia Tian De Yu Er's post-scandal impression of Yaodong had changed after meeting him in person.

"Actually, it's very virtuous for one to admit their mistakes and correct them," Xia Tian De Yu Er wrote. 

Netizens seem to agree too.

Though there are still those who continue to condemn Yaodong, many are now defending him and urging others to not rain on his parade. "There's nothing wrong with him making an honest living," wrote one netizen.  

This is in fact not Yaodong's first F&B venture. He has a catering business and he and his pal Terence Cao once opened a roast meat stall in a food court but shuttered it after two years, causing Yaodong to lose a six-figure sum. 

Yaodong's parents, who were from a town named Selayang in Selangor, started out as hawkers before opening a coffee shop. The actor was said to have helped out there when he was young.