Shu Qi may have silently admitted to her relationship with rumoured boyfriend Stephen Fung.

The actress recently shared a photo of Stephen at home with her beloved cat, causing widespread speculations that the couple is finally ready to 'let the cat out of the bag'.

According to an article in Popular Asians, Shu Qi and Stephen may share one of the longest on-off relationships in the entertainment industry.

Since their first meeting in 1997, there have been numerous rumours over the past 17 years surrounding the pair.

Even though both had dated other A-list colleagues throughout their careers, the two seem to always return to each other when a romance ends.

With their former loves, Karen Mok, Vivian Hsu, and Leehom Wang all now married, Shu Qi and Stephen's ambiguous relationship once again found its way back into the spotlight.

Over the Lunar New Year, the two were seen together at Shu Qi's hotel, remaining together for an extended period of time.

Although this prompted speculations about their reconciliation, the two seemed hesitant to speak up.

When pressed about the incident this month, Shu Qi stated that she and Stephen are old friends who have little chance of creating new romantic sparks. Stephen however admitted that he had met up with Shu Qi and shared a meal.

Keeping mum about their romance status for nearly two decades, Shu Qi seemed to have had a change of heart and decided to go public.

Active on social media, she frequently shares her thoughts and daily life online.

On Instagram in particular, Shu Qi often posts photos of her travels, meals, and most of all her cat May May Boy. Clearly a cat lover, her album contains more photos of May May Boy than those of herself.

Which is why fans were pleasantly shocked when she uploaded a photo of Stephen eating dinner with her cat on March 25.

A normal at-home photo, Stephen is seen staring into May May Boy's eyes as he was about to take a bite of his food. The accompanying caption reads, "Men's dinner".

Shu Qi's account exploded with fans' comments soon after. Many congratulated the two on their reunion and sent in their blessings, some even urged them to get married.

On March 27, Stephen uploaded a photo of Shu Qi's cat to his Weibo account, with the caption: "Is my dinner ready?"

However, neither Shu Qi nor Stephen has spoken up about the photos thus far, and Shu Qi has resumed sharing May May Boy's beauty shots on Instagram without further comment.

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