Zhao Lusi quietly operated an egg pancake stall in a Hainan night market in China on Jan 20, where she was spotted by customers only towards closing time.
Speaking about her experience in a Xiaohongshu livestream on Jan 23, the 27-year-old Chinese actress — also known as Rosy Zhao — shared: “I spoke about opening a noodle business in my livestream last summer, because at the time I had the feeling that I might leave showbiz.
“It’s my desire to fulfil my wish [to operate a small business], so I went ahead and did it. We quietly set up a stall and I was only recognised for the last two orders. I felt blissful that day because the vendors around us took care of us very well and I am really happy. I am just experiencing life in the most beautiful and warm-hearted way. I think it’s a boost for myself.”
Lusi has been in dispute with her former management agency Galaxy Cool Entertainment since she revealed in January 2025 that she suffered from depression.
In August 2025, she announced in a Weibo post that she was allegedly mistreated by the agency, including forced monetary compensation for brand endorsements which she had to withdraw from due to her health condition and alleged assault by an unnamed individual from the company in 2019 after she failed an audition. She declared in the same post that she is quitting the company.
Later, while assuring fans she was okay in a Douyin livestream, she said if she is unable to continue working in showbiz, she would think about opening a small noodle business.
Since then, Lusi’s drama Love’s Ambition, which was filmed before she revealed her depression diagnosis, received positive reviews during its broadcast. In a livestream on Dec 31, 2025, she shared she had read a few good drama scripts and is considering returning to acting.
She recently appeared as a special guest in Chinese actor Dylan Wang’s D.Party concert in Macau on Jan 17.
While it wasn’t a noodle stall that Lusi set up in Hainan, netizens who had purchased from her stall shared that it was a blessing to have eaten something made by her. Many also took selfies with her.
One netizen wrote: “The egg pancake Lusi made for me was really delicious! I passed by a small stall and was wondering if I should try it, so I decided to buy one and realised that the person making it was Lusi!
“Lusi has a very good complexion, fair and very small face. I was also lucky to get a selfie with her!”
Another netizen wrote: “I ate egg pancakes that Lusi made and spoke a lot with her. I also took a selfie with her and she is really very nice! I am so excited!”
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This isn’t Lusi’s first experience with operating a small business. In 2022, a photo of her selling wontons in Taiwan’s MingDao University while she was an undergraduate there circulated on Weibo. She reportedly purchased the pork ingredient personally from a nearby market every morning to prepare the wontons, which was well-loved by teachers and students.
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yeo.shuhui@asiaone.com
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