HK actress Grace Chan spent Valentine's Day at home with beau Kevin Cheng
For Hong Kong actress Grace Chan, it's the small things that matter when it comes to love.
The 24-year-old, who has been dating Hong Kong A-list actor Kevin Cheng, 46 since last year, opted for a quiet Valentine's Day with her beau last Sunday.
The couple spent the night in, whipping up a V-Day dinner together at home.
Chan told The New Paper yesterday: "We cooked an Italian meal and watched movies at home. It was nice and the food tastes even better when we prepare it together."
To her, an ideal romantic date does not have to come with grand gestures.
"It will be great if we go travelling together, have a great day out and then go for dinner at a nice restaurant and have a good conversation," she said.
"It doesn't have to be an expensive restaurant. What matters most is that we enjoy the conversation and the company."
22-YEAR AGE GAP
It is believed that the pair started dating last February after co-starring in the TVB vampire-themed series Blue Veins.
Their relationship made the headlines due to their 22-year age gap and the fact that Chan had snagged one of Hong Kong's most eligible bachelors despite his reputation as a playboy.
Last week, Chan visited Cheng's family for Chinese New Year.
She said with a smile: "I wished his mother 'Happy Chinese New Year' and received a hongbao from her. She also cooked for me. It was a nice gathering."
Chan, who broke into showbiz after winning the 2013 Miss Hong Kong beauty pageant, was in town to promote her new drama, Brother's Keeper 2, which will air on StarHub TV later this year.
Also starring Edwin Siu and Kristal Tin, it is the sequel to the 2013 series about the moral struggles of half-brothers (played by Ruco Chan and Siu) during the late and post-colonial periods of Hong Kong and Macau.
Chan plays a wild child who, in one scene, goes skinny dipping with Siu's character.
On the scene, which was filmed at night in Japan, Chan said she was initially hesitant as her parents and relatives would watch the show.
"They will give feedback and that made me nervous," she said,
"However, while on set, I wore several layers of clothing as a precaution, so it was quite safe."
Her worried mum even accompanied her to Japan for the shoot.
Chan said: "She didn't get to watch me film that scene as she had to leave the country earlier. However, she felt more assured after seeing how well the crew and cast treated me."
We cooked an Italian meal and watched movies at home. It was nice and the food tastes even better when we prepared it together.
- Hong Kong actress Grace Chan, on how she spent Valentine's Day with her boyfriend, Hong Kong actor Kevin Cheng
Bungee date will make Natalie Tong jump for joy
Hong Kong actress Natalie Tong did not have to lift a finger to feel loved on Valentine's Day.
The 34-year-old, who has been dating fellow TVB actor (below) Tony Hung, 32, for a year, told The New Paper: "I didn't cook, he did. He prepared something simple like a hotpot dinner and gave me a rose."
She said: "I am usually not a flowers type of girl, but I think it was sweet as he remembered to buy it for me."
Tong was in town yesterday alongside Hong Kong actress Grace Chan to promote her own show Short End Of The Stick, which is showing on TVB First (StarHub TV Ch 860).
The period comedy, which also stars Wayne Lai, Nancy Wu and Edwin Siu, depicts the lives of eunuchs after the fall of the Qing dynasty and their eviction from the Forbidden City. Tong plays a servant girl.
PRESENTS
She does not think giving presents on Valentine's Day is a big deal. Instead, she prefers to receive gifts from her partner when it is least expected.
She said: "Giving presents should not be a frequent affair. If he buys me a present out of the blue, it will be a pleasant surprise."
For Tong, an ideal date would be an overseas vacation where the couple bungee jump together.
She said with a laugh: "I've never tried bungee jumping and I am scared of heights. So it will be special if we can do the jump together. That will make me less scared."
Unlike Chan, Tong did not visit Hung's family during Chinese New Year as he was not in town.
She said: "I spent most of my Chinese New Year sleeping as I am mostly busy with filming. The break was good to catch up on sleep."
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