After 18 days together and “seeing hope,” Selena Lee reunites with her ex-fiancé

(Beijing, Jan 8) The final episode of China’s relationship reality show Goodbye, My Lover 5 delivered a major twist. Li Shihua, who had previously stated publicly that she would “never see” her ex-fiancé Che Chongjian again, ultimately chose to step off and turn back in the final decision—signaling a decision to restart their relationship. The ending instantly became a hot topic. Many fans said they were shocked, with some labeling her a “classic love-brained” romantic, while others offered congratulations and hoped the relationship would truly last this time.

Li and Che reportedly dated for eight years, with their relationship marked by multiple breakups and reconciliations. They were even engaged at one point, but officially split in February 2025, surprising many observers.

In October last year, the pair joined Goodbye, My Lover 5 together, putting their unresolved history back under the spotlight. Early in the show, Li once chose “not to break up,” briefly raising hopes of reconciliation. But her stance later shifted sharply—she delivered a firm “we will never see each other again,” which reportedly caused Che to break down in tears, leaving a strong impression on viewers.

As the show reached its final choice, Li said the 18 days together helped her see hope again. She admitted she was moved by Che’s attentiveness and openly described herself as soft-hearted—saying she didn’t want him to be unhappy and felt pained seeing how much effort he put in. In the end, she decided to give the relationship another chance, believing that starting over “might be better.”

When Che turned around and saw Li returning, he smiled “like a child,” ran toward her in visible joy, and the couple ended the show by getting back together—seemingly mending what had been broken.

One more detail drew attention: in October last year, Li traveled alone to Türkiye for a bridal photoshoot, which sparked speculation online that she might have already reconciled—or was even preparing a sudden marriage. At the time, she described it simply as a trip about “loving herself.” Now, considering the show’s filming timeline, some netizens suspect the trip may have taken place while their relationship was quietly being repaired.