Taiwanese influencer Mandy Ma, the wife of Chinese businessman Wang Xiaofei, has denied claims that she had a strained bond with his late ex-wife, Taiwanese actress Barbie Hsu.
In a recent livestream, Ma – who's based in Beijing – said she remained on good terms with Hsu up until the latter's death, adding that there's no need for the public to pit them against each other.
"I'm doing my best to carry out what Barbie had entrusted to me," she said.
It's believed Ma was referring to taking on the role of a devoted stepmother to Wang and Hsu's two children.
She has been flying to Taipei several times a month to visit her stepchildren.
In another update, Ma is currently expecting a child with Wang, 44.
Reports say she's around seven months pregnant and plans to return to Taiwan to give birth.
Responding to critics who claimed she was having a child to fight over Wang’s family assets, Ma said: "You're really funny. Fighting over what assets? Didn't you all say (Wang) is bankrupt? If so, there's nothing to fight over."
She added that the only reason she's having a child is because she feels responsible and genuinely wants to start a family of her own.
For the record, Wang and Hsu were married from 2010 to 2021.
Following their divorce, Hsu tied the knot with South Korean musician Koo Jun-yup in 2022 while Wang registered his marriage with Ma in 2024.
