LayarHijau – Zhao Lusi has once again found herself at the center of public attention after being spotted selling food at a night market in Hainan. On January 22, photos and videos circulated online showing the actress wearing an apron and a cap, with minimal makeup, calmly making and selling egg pancakes (a traditional Chinese egg-based street snack cooked on a flat pan). Her movements looked practiced and natural as she served customers, greeted them warmly, and even took photos and chatted with passersby who recognized her.
The unexpected sight immediately sparked lively discussion online. Many netizens admitted they were stunned and initially questioned whether what they were seeing was real. “Am I seeing things? Zhao Lusi made an egg pancake for me?” one person wrote. Others began speculating that the appearance might be related to preparation for a new role, suggesting she was experiencing everyday life firsthand to better understand a character.
For many fans, however, the moment felt less like work and more like a genuine glimpse into Zhao Lusi’s personal state of mind. Her night market appearance brought back memories of a live stream she held in August 2025, during which she openly said she wouldn’t mind making a living by running a food stall in the future. At the time, she was in the middle of an intense dispute with her former agency, Galaxy Cool Entertainment. Zhao Lusi remarked that opening a small noodle shop or selling street food would be perfectly fine as long as she could support herself, a statement widely interpreted as her rejection of a life overly dictated by others.
Because of that context, while some viewers framed the night market scene as “life experience for acting,” many believed it reflected her long-stated desire for a simpler, more grounded way of living. Zhao Lusi has repeatedly emphasized that happiness matters more than job titles or status. She once even disabled the donation feature during a live broadcast and encouraged fans to focus more on their own lives rather than constantly worrying about her.
Recently, Chinese netizens found out that #zhaolusi selling egg pancake at a night market in Hainan pic.twitter.com/3g02B3Nr9Z
— Layar Hijau (@layar_hijau) January 22, 2026
Her appearance at the night market also reminded the public of the turbulent period she has endured over the past year. At the end of 2024, Zhao Lusi suspended all work due to severe depression and anxiety, undergoing medical treatment and at one point appearing in public in a wheelchair. August 2025 marked a particularly dark moment when she publicly accused her former agency of inhumane treatment, including verbal and physical abuse, which led her to shut down her Weibo account and announce that she no longer wanted to continue working.
In November 2025, during her birthday event, Zhao Lusi tearfully admitted that she once believed she might never be able to return as an actress. Not long afterward, she announced the establishment of her own personal studio as a step toward regaining control over her career. As for reports claiming that she would sign with Huajing Entertainment, those remain industry rumors that have yet to be officially confirmed by Zhao Lusi or any related party.
Compared with the polished, carefully managed image often associated with celebrities, Zhao Lusi standing behind a small pan at a night market felt strikingly down-to-earth. Some customers who purchased her food even praised the taste of her egg pancakes (Chinese-style egg snacks). The ease with which she shifted between being a popular actress and an ordinary street vendor highlighted a quiet resilience and a sense of freedom in how she chooses to live.
More than a piece of entertainment news, this unexpected night market appearance offered a fuller, more relaxed portrait of Zhao Lusi. When her past comment about “not minding selling food” finally became reality under the warm glow of night market lights, the public saw a woman willing to set aside labels and expectations. In an era obsessed with image and presentation, perhaps true calm lies in tying on an apron, carefully making egg pancakes one by one, and enjoying the moment—without always standing under the spotlight.
