Xu Ziqi's 30-Year Transformation: From Planning Partner to Destiny Navigator

By the end of 2025, when news of Henderson Land Chairman Lee Shau Kee’s passing spread, the name Xu Ziqi once again became the focus of public attention. The distribution of a 66 billion Hong Kong dollar estate instantly thrust this 43-year-old woman into the spotlight. Some cheered for her “breaking through,” others calculated her “eight years, four children” investment return, but few truly understood: Xu Ziqi’s life was never a matter of sudden luck, but a nearly thirty-year, meticulously designed class leap. This is not a fairy tale of love, nor a simple calculation of utility, but a complex story about planning, choices, constraints, and self-awareness.

Mother’s Precise Strategy: Planning Her Daughter’s “Perfect Daughter-in-Law” Persona

Xu Ziqi’s story truly began long before her encounter with Lee Ka-shing. Her mother, Li Minghui, was the mastermind behind this grand design. During her daughter’s childhood, Li Minghui had already initiated a comprehensive plan.

Moving the entire family to Sydney seemed like a common decision, but in reality, it was a carefully orchestrated “track switch.” In Sydney, Xu Ziqi had the opportunity to immerse herself in Western high society, engaging with different social circles and networks. It was less about relocating and more about creating a tailored pathway for upward mobility. Meanwhile, Li Minghui’s educational philosophy was highly unconventional: she forbade her young daughter from doing chores, bluntly stating, “Hands are for wearing diamond rings.” This revealed her core goal—Xu Ziqi was not to become a traditional virtuous wife and mother, but to cultivate a “perfect lady” matching top-tier aristocratic families.

To achieve this, Li Minghui arranged a series of elite education courses for her daughter: art history, French, piano, equestrianism… These seemingly refined skills were essentially a process of “social coding.” Each skill corresponded to a social scene in high society; each upbringing subtly crafted Xu Ziqi’s social identity. These “noble educations” ultimately made her a key to opening doors to the upper echelons.

At 14, a talent scout discovered her, and Xu Ziqi entered the entertainment industry. But under Li Minghui’s meticulous control, her acting career was merely a tool, not an end. She strictly regulated her daughter’s script choices, refusing roles with explicit intimate scenes, aiming to maintain her “innocent girl” persona. This persona not only brought her fame and exposure but also preserved her “high-end” aura in elite circles—laying the groundwork for her future entry into the aristocratic class.

London Encounter: The Perfect Convergence of Fate and Preparation

In 2004, in London, Xu Ziqi, pursuing her master’s degree, met Lee Ka-shing. On the surface, it was a chance encounter, but in deeper logic, this meeting was not without signs.

Xu Ziqi possessed all the qualities needed to enter top aristocratic families: her international education in Sydney and London gave her a global perspective; her fame in entertainment provided recognition within social networks; and her mother’s carefully crafted “perfect persona” made her a perfect match for the “appropriate daughter-in-law” image sought by wealthy families. From Lee Ka-shing’s perspective, he also needed a wife who could showcase his taste and status, consolidating his position and influence within the Lee family. This was not just love, but a “matching” of two classes and their expectations on a young woman.

Three months later, photos of their kiss made headlines in Hong Kong media. This was not a leak but a carefully staged media narrative. In 2006, their lavish “royal-style” wedding, costing hundreds of millions, caused a sensation across Hong Kong, reinforcing the symbolic significance of this union—it marked a glamorous transformation from actress to wealthy matriarch.

Lee Shau Kee’s famous remark at the wedding—“Hope the daughter-in-law can give birth to a football team”—seemed joking but revealed the core mission assigned to Xu Ziqi in this marriage. For top aristocratic families, marriage is never just about two people’s love; it’s a vessel for bloodline continuation and wealth inheritance. From that moment, Xu Ziqi’s body was marked with the collective expectation of “continuing the family line.”

The Cost Behind Four Children in Eight Years: Birth as a “Mission” Rather Than a “Choice”

Soon after marriage, Xu Ziqi entered an intense fertility cycle. This was not simply about having children but a phase in a long-term family plan—an “execution stage.”

In 2007, her first daughter was born. Lee Shau Kee lavishly held a 500 million Hong Kong dollar 100-day celebration, turning her birth into a family event. But two years later, with the birth of her second daughter, the situation shifted—her eldest uncle, Lee Ka-kit, used surrogacy to produce three male infants at once. In the patriarchal hierarchy of wealthy families, this meant a loss of influence. Without a son, Xu Ziqi faced invisible pressure: she needed to prove her reproductive value.

Media reports mentioned that Xu Ziqi sought every possible method to conceive a son, adjusting her routines and suspending all public appearances. These efforts, seemingly private, were actually under the watchful eye of the collective aristocratic will. She finally gave birth to her first son in 2011, and Lee Ka-shing immediately spent 110 million Hong Kong dollars on a yacht as a “gift.” In 2015, the birth of her second son marked the completion of her “eight years, two boys and two girls” mission—two daughters and two sons, fulfilling her family’s reproductive expectations.

But behind each birth, there were hidden costs. The cautious pregnancy, rapid postpartum recovery, body management, and the constant mental pressure of family members asking “When will there be more?” formed an invisible form of bodily violence. Reproduction shifted from a woman’s personal choice to a “tool” for aristocratic bloodline continuation. Each pregnancy was accompanied by extravagant rewards—luxury homes, shares—but these material compensations could not make up for the loss of control over her own body.

The “Golden Cage”: The Contrast of Material Luxury and Inner Emptiness

Externally, Xu Ziqi seemed to have everything many women dream of: endless wealth, top status, and meticulous care. But all this superficial brilliance concealed suffocating constraints.

A former bodyguard’s comment poignantly captured her reality: “She’s like a bird living in a golden cage.” When going out, a large security team is always nearby; even a bowl of street-side wonton noodles requires prior clearance and inspection; shopping must be in high-end malls, and schedules are pre-approved. Every aspect of her private life is subtly governed by her “identity.”

In public appearances, her words, actions, and attire must meet the expectations of a “billion-dollar daughter-in-law.” Living under long-term planning, expectations, and surveillance, Xu Ziqi gradually lost her ability for self-expression. She learned to perfectly embody the “aristocratic wife” persona, yet deep inside, she felt suffocated by the “over-perfection.”

Before marriage, her life was planned by her mother; after marriage, she was bound by the invisible rules of the aristocracy. This long-term “others’ expectations” lifestyle gradually eroded her subjectivity and personal will. Every step and choice was made to cater to others’ expectations and family interests. This was not material poverty but a spiritual and self-awareness “poverty.”

After 66 Billion: A Transformation to Live for Herself

At the end of 2025, Lee Shau Kee’s passing changed everything. When Xu Ziqi and her husband inherited the 66 billion Hong Kong dollar estate, a crucial turning point emerged—she finally gained enough financial independence to no longer be entirely constrained by external rules.

This was clearly reflected in her subsequent behavior. After receiving the inheritance, she reduced her public appearances but appeared in a fashion magazine shoot with strikingly rebellious looks—golden long hair, sexy leather outfits, smoky makeup. This was not just a visual change but a silent declaration: the Xu Ziqi who was planned and constrained was stepping back, and a new image of someone living for herself, making her own choices, was emerging.

The deeper meaning of this transformation lies in financial independence bringing mental autonomy. When women hold sufficient resources and decision-making power, they can break free from long-standing “others’ expectations” and redefine their lives.

From “Life Winner” to Self-Rediscovery: Reflection

Xu Ziqi’s story is never just a simple “married into a wealthy family” success story, nor a utilitarian narrative of “fertility for wealth.” It is more like a complex prism, reflecting the tangled relationships among wealth, class, gender, personal choices, and social expectations.

By the standard of class ascension, Xu Ziqi is undoubtedly a success. Through meticulous planning and preparation, she transitioned from “actress” to “wealthy daughter-in-law” to “controller of billions.” But if measured by self-actualization and personal happiness, the Xu Ziqi who was planned and constrained for nearly thirty years has only just begun her journey to reclaim herself.

This story also reveals a profound truth for ordinary people: regardless of social class or circumstances, maintaining self-awareness, independent thinking, and personal agency are always the most essential and irreplaceable lessons in life. Climbing the social ladder is never easy, but more difficult is to remember “who you are” after success.

Now, free from reproductive pressures and holding billions in wealth, what the next chapter of Xu Ziqi’s life will be remains unknown. But one thing is certain: this time, she finally has enough strength to make life choices entirely according to her own will. And that, in itself, is the greatest victory.