Singapore - Tay Ying's been mistaken as her father's mistress.

MediaCorp actor Zheng Geping saw the need to clear the misunderstanding on Christmas day last year, after he was spotted with Tay Ying at a Christmas service.

He posted a photo of them on his Instagram account, with a caption which said: "Ha, there are some speculations she is my 'nen cao' (Chinese for tender grass), hello, once & for all... she is my daughter lah, my baobei (precious one)!!!"

Tender grass refers to the Chinese idiom, "old cow and tender grass", which refers to an older man being with a much younger woman.

But far from being embarrassed, Tay Ying is amused by the episode - although she still isn't sure what gave people the wrong idea. "Maybe it's because I'm quite tall, so we look like a couple?" says the svelte young woman, who stands at 1.71m.

For the record, her mother, Channel 8 actress Hong Huifang also found the clarification funny.

She is definitely a daddy's girl, adds Hong.

While Tay Ying has no diva-like child-to-the stars tendencies, Hong rues her daughter's attitude in the mornings.

"She usually has a hard time waking up in the morning, and I don't have the patience for that, but her dad is a whole different story.

"He will be at her bedside cooing 'darling, wake up', repeatedly in the gentlest of tones, until she gets up," says Hong in Mandarin.

Her look of mock incredulity does nothing to hide the pride this mother clearly feels about the close bond that father and daughter share.

Tay Ying isn't afraid to admit it: "My dad spoils me. He always spends on me. I think that on some level, I take it for granted. I'm quite blessed."

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(Photos: TNP, ST, Mediacorp, Zheng Geping, Hong Huifang, Instagram)