Chinese influencer and former model Zhang Dayi is now enjoying a seemingly happy marriage with a wealthy businessman, six years after she was publicly accused of having an affair with Jiang Fan, the former chairman of Taobao and Tmall.
On October 8, Zhang Dayi shared new photographs on social media showing off her noticeably large baby bump, suggesting that her due date is approaching. This is her second pregnancy after welcoming her daughter, Qiao Qiao, in 2024.
Earlier in May, Zhang announced her pregnancy during a livestream. She also clarified that she had conceived naturally, denying rumors that she had undergone in vitro fertilization (IVF).
According to Sinchew, the 37-year-old influencer has shifted her business focus toward maternity and baby products. She is currently married to businessman Liao Junhao, who is three years younger than her. The couple officially registered their marriage in 2023, one year after Liao proposed.
On social media, Zhang now primarily shares glimpses of her life as a wife and mother. In several videos, she has praised her husband for being calm, gentle, attentive, and devoted to their family, describing him as someone who takes excellent care of their child.
Liao Junhao reportedly comes from Suining, Sichuan Province, where his family built considerable wealth through the real estate industry. His father is believed to be Liao Jiaguo, a prominent local businessman and major shareholder of Junhao Construction Group. The family reportedly owns numerous properties and luxury hotels. Photos and videos previously shared online have also shown an impressive collection of luxury vehicles in the family’s garage, including McLaren supercars and a Mercedes-AMG G63.
Before settling into her current family life, Zhang Dayi was one of China’s most recognizable internet celebrities, attracting attention for both her extraordinary business success and controversial personal life. Once dubbed China’s top e-commerce influencer, she generated enormous sales through Taobao and was widely regarded as a pioneer of the country’s influencer-driven economy and livestream shopping industry.
In 2014, Zhang partnered with Feng Min, vice president of Ruhnn Holding, to establish a Taobao fashion store known as “The Wardrobe I Like.” Within its first year, the store reportedly generated more than 100 million yuan in sales, quickly becoming one of the platform’s leading women’s fashion retailers. During the Singles’ Day shopping festival on November 11, 2016, it became the first women’s fashion store on Taobao to surpass 100 million yuan in sales within a single day.
Her business maintained remarkable momentum between 2017 and 2019. On Singles’ Day in 2019 alone, the store reportedly generated 340 million yuan, approximately $48 million, in sales. By that time, it had accumulated more than 12.4 million followers and achieved Taobao’s highest seller reputation level.
Zhang was also recognized as an early innovator in livestream commerce. During a two-hour experimental shopping livestream on Taobao in June 2016, she reportedly attracted more than 7.7 million viewers and generated 20 million yuan, approximately $3 million, in sales. She was among the first major influencers to use audience engagement data to anticipate fashion trends. Rather than mass-producing clothing, she shared proposed designs with followers, collected feedback, accepted preorders, and only then finalized production with manufacturers.
The extraordinary success of Zhang’s Taobao business became a driving force behind the rapid expansion of Ruhnn Holding, the influencer management company associated with her career. The company eventually listed on the Nasdaq stock exchange in the United States under the ticker RUHN, with Zhang holding approximately 15% of its shares. Her success made her a prominent symbol of China’s rapidly expanding digital commerce industry. In 2017, publications including WWD and Forbes drew comparisons between her business performance and the earnings of American entertainment personality Kim Kardashian. Zhang also represented young e-commerce entrepreneurs at an Alibaba investor event.
However, her remarkable career was overshadowed by a major controversy involving Jiang Fan, the former chairman of Alibaba’s Taobao and Tmall businesses. According to Sohu, speculation circulated that Jiang had quietly supported Zhang’s business success, although the nature of their relationship remained unclear. The controversy erupted in April 2020 when a Weibo account belonging to Jiang’s wife publicly named Zhang in a warning. The post read, “This is the last time I’m warning you. If you continue trying to seduce my husband, don’t blame me for exposing you. Have some self-respect.”
The accusation immediately spread across Chinese social media. Although the post was quickly deleted and searches for related keywords were reportedly restricted on Weibo, the controversy continued to escalate. Zhang faced widespread allegations that she had become romantically involved with Jiang while he was married. However, the public accusation did not independently establish the full nature of their alleged relationship.
The scandal soon developed into a broader corporate controversy because Zhang was a major shareholder in Ruhnn Holding, an influential business partner within Taobao’s e-commerce ecosystem. Following the incident, Jiang faced professional consequences, while Zhang encountered a substantial public backlash and boycott calls. Ruhnn’s share price also declined on Nasdaq, and the company was delisted in 2021. Amid falling sales, rising operating costs, and continuing pressure on the business, Zhang’s once-iconic Taobao store, The Wardrobe I Like, announced its closure in September 2024.
Six years after the controversy, the individuals involved have largely moved on with their lives away from the public spotlight. Jiang Fan is reportedly focused on Alibaba’s international business operations and maintains a particularly private personal life. Meanwhile, his wife has not publicly revisited the allegations about their marriage. Zhang Dayi, for her part, has entered a new chapter as a businesswoman, wife, and mother, with her second child expected to arrive soon.
Sources: Ngoisao