Mainland Chinese actress Fan Bingbing and Taiwanese artist Zhang Jun Ning became best friends when they collaborated on the historical drama “The Empress of China” in the past. Despite Fan Bingbing’s previous setbacks in her career due to getting involved in a tax evasion scandal, Zhang Jun Ning never wavered in her support and warmth towards her friend. On September 4, which happened to be Zhang Jun Ning’s 43rd birthday, Fan Bingbing took to Weibo to share an intimate photo of them together, wishing her a “very happy birthday” and showcasing their strong friendship once again.
In the Weibo post on September 4, Fan Bingbing shared a cozy photo with Zhang Jun Ning and wished her, “Happy birthday! May every day be filled with happiness and joy, sister Xu, love you!” The reason why Fan Bingbing calls her “sister Xu” is because Zhang Jun Ning portrayed a character named “Xu Hui” in “The Empress of China.” In the photo, the two friends were seen sticking their faces close together, expressing over a decade of deep friendship, while another picture captured them smiling sweetly, raising their hands to form a big heart, creating an atmosphere of joy and happiness.
Responding to Fan Bingbing’s heartfelt birthday wishes, Zhang Jun Ning affectionately replied, “Thank you, my dearest beauty. Just thinking of you every day makes me happy and joyful. Thank you for your wishes, my smile will last throughout the day!” Her joyful response touched many netizens, highlighting the strong bond between the two friends. Fan Bingbing humorously revealed the origin of their shared photo, saying, “The photo was taken on New Year’s Day, but posted during the Virgin Month, looks like we can really keep secrets well!”
During an interview, Zhang Jun Ning once referred to Fan Bingbing, with whom she worked on “The Empress of China,” as her “brother.” Fan Bingbing faced a major setback in 2018 when she was heavily fined over 880 million Chinese yuan by the authorities for tax evasion, leading to a decline in her public image and career. Despite the competitive and pragmatic nature of the entertainment industry, Zhang Jun Ning did not distance herself from Fan Bingbing, showcasing the stability of their close friendship.
What left a strong impression on netizens was that even though Fan Bingbing’s birthday celebrations were no longer as lavish as before, with her Weibo appearing quite deserted, Zhang Jun Ning consistently stood by her side each year by publicly expressing her birthday wishes, demonstrating true friendship in times of trouble. The interaction between the two friends this time around was highly praised by fans as “enviable sisterhood.”