A day after Quan Yifeng divorced her husband of 10 years, there was news that she had been spotted with a "young, handsome man" by a Shin Min Daily News reader at the airport in early November.

Mr Chen, 40, called the Chinese newspaper's hotline and reported that he had seen the 34-year-old celebrity host at the Changi Airport Terminal 3 on Nov 4 at about 2am.

He said he was waiting for someone when he saw Quan Yifeng coming out of the arrival hall, accompanied by a young man in his twenties.

Each of them was pushing a luggage trolley and chatting delightfully, as though they had been good friends for many years.

Rushing up to Yifeng, he asked her: "Where did you go on holiday?"

According to Mr Chen, Yifeng told him that she had just returned from a trip to Japan, but did not mention the reason for the trip.

The reader had snapped a photograph of Yifeng and her young male friend, with Yifeng smiling from ear to ear.

Her male friend did not shy away from the camera either.

The young man continued to follow behind Yifeng, leaving a luggage trolley's length of distance.

The two queued up for a taxi, and left together in the same cab.

Mr Chen had wondered about their relationship and whether the young man had anything to do with Yifeng's recent divorce.

The celebrity host is currently taking her time off in Taiwan. She was unable to comment on this report, said Shin Min Daily News.

Young man a good friend, not from entertainment circle

Upon seeing the photograph of the young man, fellow Chinese TV host Desmond Koh said the young man was called "Sonny".

Desmond, a good friend of Yifeng, added that the man was their mutual friend.

He mentioned that Yifeng's friends had already been notified of her separation from former actor Peter Yu in early November.

He added that they wanted to lend a helping hand to Yifeng when she was at her weakest, and had decided to keep her company once she got back from Japan.

Yifeng's friends had all wanted to pick up Yifeng at the airport, but because of their busy schedules, Sonny had to go alone.

Shin Min Daily News also reported that Sonny did not go to Japan with Yifeng, but had only helped her carry her luggage.

Regarding the two leaving together in the same taxi, Desmond explained that Sonny had first sent Yifeng home to leave her luggage there, then brought her out to meet her friends, including himself.

Yifeng is a professional: Producer

Lin Peiqin, producer of the financial series that Yifeng is currently working on, said the team left Japan to film at the end of October. They came back in the early hours of the morning on Nov 4.

Yifeng reported to work at noon the very day to film a variety show.

The show's producer Wu Yunghua said rehearsal for the variety show started at 12 noon. He added that Yifeng was very professional and did not look like she had just got off the plane.

Taking legal action against ruining Yifeng's reputation

Another of Yifeng's good friend reported that he had never seen the young man in the photograph.

Knowing Yifeng for 16 years, he mentioned that Yifeng had been meeting up with him very often, be it for leisure or work.

He said angrily: "Yifeng has been rather upset with her divorce, and this photograph will just ruin her reputation and make her feel worse."

He said he would consider taking legal action against the person who had contributed the photograph.