Former entertainment industry figure Li Yapeng, who has been out of the limelight for years, tied the knot again in 2022 with the 19-year-younger Miss World, Hai Hakinxi, and they have a daughter together. Due to Li Yapeng’s debts amounting to 40 million Chinese yuan, the family recently moved out of their mansion to a smaller house, sparking rumors about trouble in their marriage. Responding humorously to the speculation, Hai Hakinxi recently addressed the situation in a video.
For years Li Yapeng, who left show business to pursue entrepreneurial ventures, faced financial difficulties due to failed investments and accumulated significant debts, leading to court-ordered debt enforcement and restrictions on high spending. Hai Hakinxi shared a video on social media on May 14, announcing their relocation, citing financial struggles and the decision to downsize from their large residence to a rented smaller house.
During a live Q&A session on May 27, Hai Hakinxi responded to several questions from netizens. One inquiry posed was about the absence of public appearances of the couple together, questioning if they were divorced.
In jest, Hai Hakinxi initially replied, “That’s right,” but quickly clarified, “No, no, it doesn’t mean there are problems or that we’re divorced just because we haven’t been seen together for a while. Thank you for your concern.” She emphasized that they both work hard for their family based on mutual understanding and denied any divorce rumors.
Regarding the move to a smaller rented property, Hai Hakinxi explained it was primarily to be closer to her workplace for livestreaming activities and to reduce living costs. She candidly expressed during the livestream, “Everyone knows our situation, right? We are actively facing challenges, working hard, and prioritizing debt repayment.” She mentioned that currently, they do not own any property under their names, likening their downsizing from a mansion to a smaller house to a “shell-less snail,” eliciting sympathy.
After divorcing Wang Fei, Li Yapeng stepped away from the entertainment industry to focus on business endeavors. Transitioning from the “Cultural Academy” to the “Snow Mountain Art Town,” from owning hundreds of acres of tea plantations to running hotpot restaurants and a liquor business, Li Yapeng admitted that his investments failed due to his “sentiment surpassing capabilities.” In April 2023, Li Yapeng was court-ordered to enforce debt repayment due to debts totaling 40 million yuan, followed by an additional 10.98 million yuan in May.
In order to expedite debt repayment, Li Yapeng has turned to livestreaming sales to promote various products. Concerns arise from netizens due to the unprecedented weak market demand in China, raising doubts about Li Yapeng’s ability to clear his daunting debt through selling tea leaves via livestreams.