As Wang Xiaofei’s new wife gripes about the ‘expensive’ summer camp cost, Barbie Hsu’s children are at the core of the controversy

TAIWAN: As reported by The Star via Sin Chew Daily, the Wang Xiaofei household is brewing trouble after his new wife, Mandy Ma, caused controversy over a livestream comment she made about summer camp costs. Wang Xiaofei, 44 is a Chinese businessman who is the ex-husband of the late Taiwanese actress Barbie Hsu.

During their 11-year marriage, Wang and Hsu had two children: an 11-year-old daughter and a nine-year-old son. Sadly, Hsu passed away in February of this year at the age of 48, due to complications from pneumonia.

“A bit expensive”

The most recent incident began during a livestream when influencer Ma, 26, commented that one of Hsu’s children’s summer camp fees of 2,000 yuan (S$355) seemed “a bit expensive.”

Ma’s remark didn’t go over well with netizens, who were quick to label her as stingy, particularly given her new role as stepmother to Hsu’s children.

To clarify the criticism, Ma explained that the 2,000 yuan (T$8,215 or S$4,601) charge wasn’t for the entire camp but instead for just an hour of it.

“Friendly chat”

“The payment’s all sorted,” she said. “We were just having a friendly chat, and honestly, thank you for caring about our family stuff as much as you do.”

Despite some online negativity, it appears that Ma is genuinely involved with her stepchildren. In fact, one of the kids even gave her a sweet Mother’s Day card this year that said, “Thanks for often taking me abroad. Happy Mother’s Day.”

Meanwhile, Wang and Ma just had a big, fancy wedding ceremony last month, about a year after they officially got married.

Mandy Ma is the current wife of Chinese businessman Wang Xiaofei, who was previously married to Taiwanese actress Barbie Hsu. Ma is 18 years younger than Wang, making her 26 years old.

Lavish wedding ceremony

Just over a year ago, in May 2024, Mandy Ma and Wang Xiaofei formally registered their marriage. They held a lavish wedding ceremony last month (May 2025) at the historic Prince Jun’s Mansion Hotel in Beijing, a 400-year-old courtyard-style residence. The event was described as an intimate affair, attended by only family members and close friends.

Ma reportedly received an extravagant dowry, which included two homes, a Rolls-Royce, and 1 million yuan in cash. Her mother-in-law, Chinese entrepreneur Zhang Lan, gifted the cash sum, while Ma’s own parents contributed the luxury car and properties.

Despite what some people say online, Ma is reportedly quite involved with her stepchildren, who are Wang Xiaofei’s two kids from his marriage with Barbie Hsu. Reports suggest she has developed a close relationship with them and often accompanies them on outings.

Mandy Ma has appeared on Wang Xiaofei’s live streams, which reportedly boosted viewership significantly.