Hong Kong actor and singer Andy Lau (C) and his Malaysian wife Carol Chu (R) attend the memorial service of Cantonese opera actress Hung Sin Nui in Guangzhou city, China, Dec. 17, 2013. Photo by AFP

According to Jayne Stars, Ye shared details about Lau and Chu’s relationship on social media, saying he had kept the secret for decades. He claimed Lau and Chu’s romance began in 1987 when Chu and her sister attended Lau’s concert in Malaysia.

“In the 1980s, I helped Carol and her sister attend Andy’s concert in Malaysia,” Ye recalled. “Since Carol’s looks were Andy’s preferred type, he fell in love at first sight and they chatted for half an hour.”

The reporter went on to say that a week after Lau returned to Hong Kong following the concert, he dined at Chu’s family restaurant and learned that the two had already begun dating.

“At that time, we didn’t have cell phones and only had landlines where you had to put in coins at the front desk to call,” Ye explained. “Carol’s sister sat with me at the table and I could see Carol hovering over the phone. Her sister secretly said Carol was waiting for Andy’s call.”

“Not long after the phone rang and it turned out to be Andy. Carol’s sweet expression told me she was deeply in love.”

Ye noted that Lau always intended to keep his relationship private.

“Since they started dating, Carol never talked about their relationship with me,” he said. “This may be why Andy was even more appreciative and how Carol became Mrs. Lau and the mother of their beautiful daughter.”

This revelation aligns with comments made earlier this month by Hong Kong filmmaker Wong Jing, who described Lau and Chu’s relationship as highly discreet, noting that they would meet in secret locations and, at times, only once a year.

Lau himself confirmed how infrequently he and Chu met during the early years of their relationship in an appearance on Hong Kong host Carol Cheng’s YouTube show “The Do Show” last year, according to 8days. He shared that they felt so secure with each other that they could go six months without a phone call, as Chu “didn’t make such demands.”

Since marrying Chu in 2008, Lau has been known for fiercely guarding his family’s privacy, with Chu and their daughter rarely appearing in public. According to The Straits Times, the superstar reportedly invested RM100 million (US$23.2 million) in a private jet for Chu’s annual visits to her hometown of Penang and hired four bodyguards and three nannies to ensure the safety of his wife and daughter.

Lau, 63, is celebrated as one of Cantopop’s “Four Heavenly Kings,” along with Aaron Kwok, Jacky Cheung, and Leon Lai.

Chu, 59, reportedly comes from a wealthy family known for owning a seafood restaurant.