Shannie Yeung Reveals Divorce Reason & Chaotic Life Before 40

Former Miss Hong Kong Charlene Tse Ning revealed in a recent interview that she was deeply unhappy before the age of 40, attributing a period of turmoil to a lack of self-awareness and difficulties within her first marriage. The revelation came during a conversation with friend and media personality, Cherry Siu Huen, on Siu’s YouTube channel.

Tse, 61, founded her successful biscuit brand, “Cookie Quartet,” in 2008, which has since expanded to multiple locations and garnered international accolades for its signature butterfly cakes. She has previously stated her business generates nine-figure annual sales. Despite her professional success, Tse described her life prior to turning 40 as “a mess” and “chaotic,” marked by a sense of personal dissatisfaction and an inability to address underlying issues.

“I was very passive before,” Tse explained in the interview. “It wasn’t until I turned 40 that I really understood myself. I realized my previous life was a complete mess, very chaotic, and I was just unhappy. I couldn’t handle many things and felt trapped, unable to break free. That was the lowest point in my life.”

Tse’s first marriage was to Simon Cham Kian-hoon, with whom she has two daughters, Charlene Ning Tung and Ning Lok. The couple divorced in 2005. She later married Wong Tak-wai in 2010, and describes that marriage as happy and fulfilling. According to Tse, the breakdown of her first marriage wasn’t marked by dramatic conflict, but rather a quiet disconnect. “We didn’t even argue,” she said. “That was the worst part. If we had argued, I would have at least known what he was thinking. But there was no arguing, no cold war. It was just…suffocating. I would just eat and eat, and I don’t even know if I was depressed, but I didn’t take any medication. I just kept eating, and I got very fat.”

Tse stepped away from her television career with TVB in 1991 to focus on raising her daughters, and stated she did not enjoy acting. “I didn’t enjoy filming dramas, and naturally found it hard work,” she said. She described feeling lost and lacking direction during this period, and ultimately concluded that separation was the best course of action. She indicated that the decision to divorce was made when her daughters were older.

Tse also revealed plans to expand her business internationally, with potential locations in Taiwan, Singapore, and South Korea.