Nicky Wu remarries: 'God saved best for me'

Nicky Wu and Liu Shishi at their wedding banquet in Bali on Sunday.
Nicky Wu and Liu Shishi at their wedding banquet in Bali on Sunday. PHOTO: COURTESY OF NICKY WU
Damian Lau (in black) officiating at Nicky Wu and Liu Shishi's wedding, where (from left) Little Tigers Julian Chen and Alec Su, as well as actors Yuan Hong, Cristy Guo and Annie Liu are guests.
Damian Lau (in black) officiating at Nicky Wu and Liu Shishi's wedding, where (from left) Little Tigers Julian Chen and Alec Su, as well as actors Yuan Hong, Cristy Guo and Annie Liu are guests. PHOTO: APPLE DAILY

BALI • At a Bali wedding that fans hailed as the "best special episode", Scarlet Heart star Nicky Wu choked back tears as he confessed his love to his co-star Liu Shishi by the sea.

The ceremony at Ayana Resort And Spa on Sunday was officiated by Hong Kong actor Damian Lau, who played Wu's father, the Kangxi emperor, in the 2011 Chinese television hit, said Apple Daily.

It began at about 5pm, as the best men, Wu's fellow former Little Tigers singers Alec Su and Julian Chen, and actor Yuan Hong (who played the 13th prince in Scarlet Heart), and the bridesmaids, actresses including Annie Liu (who played Liu Shishi's sister, Ruolan, in the show), filed in.

Enter the groom in a Dolce & Gabbana suit and the bride, on her father's arm, in a strapless Carven wedding dress.

Guests including the Tigers' mentor, entertainer Chang Hsiao- yen, and actor Wallace Huo, clapped and cheered.

Wu, 45, got down on one knee and put a 5.52-carat diamond wedding ring on Liu, 29.

"Since I was young, I've been through a lot of unfair things and I've complained to God more than once," he said, pausing as he began choking.

Wu, who spent years paying off his father's debts, married actress Ma Yashu in 2006, but it lasted three years.

As the guests applauded, he took a breath and continued: "I blamed God for not being good to me, for being unfair to me, for putting me through a lot of strange suffering, for putting me through a lot of unhappy things. Now I understand why. Because God saved the best for me."

Cuddling Liu, he added: "I will listen to you."

She chimed in: "I will give you my shoulder to rest on forever."

Scarlet Heart - starring Wu as the fourth prince and the future Yongzheng emperor and Liu as Ruoxi, his time-travelling lover - proved to be a bonanza for him professionally and personally.

He has said he had feelings for Liu but did not act on them immediately as he thought they could be an effect of filming a romance. So he waited till the sequel, Scarlet Heart 2, which was filmed in 2013, to confirm his feelings and to date her.

They obtained their marriage certificates in Beijing last year.

On Sunday, the banquet began with fireworks and climaxed with a rare performance by the three Tigers, who broke up in the 1990s, said NetEase website.

The trio sang their classic hit Love.

Tears flowed on and off stage when their mentor Chang spoke, said NetEase.

She was quoted by Apple Daily as saying: "Seeing them today, I can rest assured. Julian is still the darkest, Alec is still the cheekiest and Nicky still cries the most."

She said she had not got together with her boys in 17 years and thanked Liu for marrying Wu and making the reunion possible.

TV host Matilda Tao, who also gave a speech, asked Liu why she agreed to marry Wu.

Liu answered: "He's filial, mature, good to me."

The couple were pouring wine onstage when they were quizzed about their baby plans.

The bride, who had changed into a red halter-neck Alexander McQueen gown, said they would have at least two.

The groom said: "We'll have one tonight."

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on March 22, 2016, with the headline Nicky Wu remarries: 'God saved best for me'. Subscribe