Local celebrities Felicia Chin and Jeffrey Xu admit they're dating

Is it Felifrey or finally free?

Local TV stars Felicia Chin, 31, and Jeffrey Xu, 28, have finally confirmed their relationship, after the whole Star Awards 'incident' this year.

The pair were first spotted canoodling in public this February, but denied their romance during the awards ceremony in April.

In case you need something to jog your memory, the picture of Xu planting a big kiss on his lady's cheek (in front of a group of reporters, no less) had set tongues wagging.

And this was after he literally stood with his arms wide open, waiting for Chin to give him a hug when he was announced as a Top 10 Most Popular Male Artist winner. On live television.

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZkEpEquy_Q[/embed]

The man's got guts, that's for sure. It paid off, though, even though we now know that they were already an item at the time.

The couple, who were interviewed by 8 Days magazine and My Paper, were candid about their relationship. If you're keeping count, they've been going out for 10 months.

Read also: Jeffrey Xu: I feel sparks between me and Felicia Chin

The beginning

According to Chin, it all began during a surprise birthday steamboat dinner on Oct 24 last year that was planned by her church friends.

Her friends had hinted that Xu might show up to surprise her. But when she found herself wondering where he was and feeling "so happy" when he finally turned up, it was a "confirmation" of her feelings for him.

For Xu, he told My Paper that he felt the sparks "from the start", and was attracted to Chin's character and caring personality. But what sealed it for him was when he had a "vision" of the two of them having a cup of coffee at Paris' Eiffel Tower - a place they had talked about visiting together.

Xu had been conflicted about pursuing one of the "princesses" of the TV station and was praying about it when the vision struck, he told 8 Days.

"Now in terms of where she stands in my heart, she's second only to my mum!" said the China-born actor to My Paper, laughing.

Said Chin: "Although we are quite different in our thinking, but we are alike in many ways - such as our love for nature, reading, and we share the same faith (Christianity).

Marriage on the cards?

The pair, who have known each other for two years, are already talking marriage.

Xu revealed that when they embarked on the relationship, "the end goal is to get married, that is our understanding". He cheekily adds: "And she also wants to give me a family."

But the pair, who met each other's parents even before they got together, have somewhat different desires when it comes to their ideal wedding.

Xu, who hails from Shanghai, told My Paper he would like an island wedding whereas Chin is happy with something more private, with just close friends and family.

Asked if they will now be resistant to filming intimate scenes, Xu says it's important to still be professional:

"If our seniors (who are married) can do it, how would we dare." Chin adds that it'll be natural to warn each other in advance if the script calls for such scenes, "out of respect and to be considerate about the other party's feelings".

ssandrea@sph.com.sg