On October 26th, the production team of "Flowers Along the Way" released a special VCR—a video recorded by Stephen Chow himself, expressing support for Cecilia Cheung. The moment the video came out, the audience was instantly excited.
In the camera, Stephen Chow held the script in his hand and read out seriously: "Cecilia Cheung is rather shy, please be considerate of her." However, he could not help but interrupt himself the next second, complaining with disgust on his face: "Who wrote 'Cecilia Cheung is rather shy'? It's outrageous! Who can say such a thing!" As soon as the familiar nonsensical style appeared, all the guests burst into laughter, and Carina Lau and others laughed so hard that they fell over.
Netizens joked: "Isn't this the top-notch after-sales service of "The King of Comedy"? " This short impromptu complaint reflects the tacit understanding and friendship between Stephen Chow and Cecilia Cheung for more than 20 years.
Cecilia Cheung's response was also a memorable one. She first broke down in tears, then, through a mixture of laughter and tears, said, "I called him, but he didn't answer. I suspected he'd changed his number..." Then, she added tenderly, "But he said 'watch me grow up,' and that really made me feel loved." Between laughter and tears, she poked fun at Stephen Chow's often reclusive nature while also revealing their unassuming yet profound friendship.
Back in 1998, 18-year-old Cecilia Cheung was spotted by Stephen Chow and cast in the role of Liu Piaopiao in "The King of Comedy." The line, "I'll support you," became a classic in Chinese film history and launched her acting career. Cecilia Cheung has repeatedly stated publicly, "Without Stephen Chow, I wouldn't be who I am today." She cherishes this gratitude to this day—since 2015, she has celebrated Stephen Chow's birthday almost every year on June 22nd. In 2025, she even posted a still from "The King of Comedy," reading, "This day comes every year."
Stephen Chow, who typically keeps a low profile and rarely appears in public, recorded a rare video in support of Cecilia Cheung, a gesture of "giving back." Compared to actors like Huang Shengyi and Zhang Yuqi, who have gone to court over collaboration disputes, Cecilia Cheung is one of the few actors to have maintained a friendly relationship with Stephen Chow for over twenty years. As one netizen put it, "Of all the stars he's worked with, only she has a constant friendship."
As for the line about "he didn't answer the phone," it was actually a joke from Cecilia Cheung on set. It poked fun at Stephen Chow's "invisible" style, but also showcased the natural rapport between the two—though they didn't communicate often, they were tacitly aware of each other and cared about each other. She even jokingly asked the production crew, "How did you even get in touch with him?" This comment was both heartwarming and a hint at Stephen Chow's determination to make this appearance.
From "The King of Comedy" to "Flowers Along the Way," twenty-three years have passed, and Yin Tianchou and Liu Piaopiao no longer need the lines "I'll support you" to prove their friendship. True friendship is when you need it most—even if he disappears, he will always appear.
