Hong Kong actor Tony Leung took the rare step of actively denying the rumored affair with Cheng Xiao, former member of Cosmic Girls.

On August 16th (local time), Indian media outlet Pinkvilla reported statements from Tony Leung's representative, saying, "The rumors of an affair with Cheng Xiao are baseless, absurd, and completely false."

Recently, Chinese media sources have reported on the alleged affair between Tony Leung and Cheng Xiao. Some outlets claimed that despite their 36-year age difference, the pair started their relationship last year when seen shopping together. Rumors even went as far as to suggest that Cheng Xiao had given birth to Tony Leung's child and that Leung was purchasing a house for her in Japan.

In response, Cheng Xiao's side swiftly rebutted these claims, labeling them as "baseless allegations". They also threatened legal action against media outlets that have spread this fake news.

Currently, Cheng Xiao is actively appearing on various Chinese entertainment programs. Given her solidified status as a popular celebrity in China, she responded promptly to quell the spread of such outrageous rumors.

On the other hand, Tony Leung's swift denial is seen as out of character. Top celebrities in the Chinese-speaking world have long been tormented by fake news throughout their careers. Tony Leung, too, has experienced numerous false stories, ranging from divorce rumors with his wife Carina Lau to numerous other unfounded tales, and has generally remained non-reactive.

The reason behind Tony Leung's quick rebuttal through international media might be due to the changing perception of rumors in the Chinese-speaking world and the fact that Cheng Xiao is also well-known in Korea. There's a dominant view that this swift denial was made to prevent the rumor from spreading internationally.

In the past, the general sentiment in the Chinese-speaking community might have been to believe the rumors reported in the media. However, the prevailing response to this alleged affair between Tony Leung and Cheng Xiao is disbelief and ridicule. Given that stars in the Chinese-speaking world are also responding rapidly to fake news, many hope that ridiculous stories like this latest affair rumor won't surface again.

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