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After winning the Top 10 Most Popular Female Artistes award, guess what were the three things running through Hong Ling's mind?

The 30-year-old Mediacorp star, who was also nominated for Best Actress for playing an ill-fated policewoman in Unforgivable, brought home her fourth Top 10 trophy at the Star Awards last night (Jul 6).

When Hong Ling happily pranced on stage to receive her award from guest presenterChow Yun Fat, he surprisingly pulled her towards him.

According to Hong Ling, he whispered to her: "You know there's a song called 'Cai Hong Ling'". Basically poking fun at the actress' name. 

Needless to say, Fat Gor's unexpected gesture made Hong Ling's night. 

"I thought: 'Eh, he's really so friendly. He joked with me after hearing my name. I was quite happy 'cos I was the only one who got that interaction," she says to 8days.sg.

She reveals that she's starving as she didn't have dinner and so can't wait to have a post-win feast.

"I'm going to eat Haidilao. I also want McSpicy and McNuggets. But not all in the same night lah. I'm going to stagger, one day eat one," she laughs.

On the topic of celebrating, how is she planning to thank her fans?

"Every time I win, I'll take them out for a meal to reward them. This is fan-service, but I don't know where I would bring them. I'll let them decide," she shares.

We jokingly ask if she would be game enough to cook for them, and Hong Ling surprisingly liked that idea. 

"Nick and I just got a new house. Though I don't want to reveal our address, but that's a very good idea, maybe I can cook for them because I enjoy cooking," she says.  Speaking of Nick, would Hong Ling Does have to comfort him given how he went home empty-handed again this year. "I don't think," she says. "This voting thing is really so tough. Even I'm not confident I can win! I think he can try again. There's always next year". 

She's also unbothered about being arguably the 'high-achiever' in their relationship because their priority now isn't work.

"Our priority is family, so work is secondary. It's not as important," she says. 

It's been a tough year for Hong Ling, whose mum passed away in February this year. She also suffered a miscarriage 11 weeks into her pregnancy in the same month.

We ask if she was hoping to win an award and that it must feel like a morale boost. 

"Honestly, no. This year, I surprisingly wasn't yearning for an award that much because I realised there are too many things going on. Plus I've been going overseas very often and was working a lot, so I was very distracted," she says.

Hong Ling also wasn't hopeful she was going to win anything.

"I thought it was going to be [like in 2023] when I didn't get Best Actress. I also didn't get into the Top 10. After losing Best Actress this time, I told myself: 'Okay, maybe that award won't be mine," she says.

Hong Ling says she gave up hope getting into the Top 10 when the eighth name was called. Her was the ninth name to be announced.

"When I really got it, I was so happy!," she says.

Was she disappointed about not getting Best Actress again though? 

In case you forgot, she was also a hot favourite for the award two years ago when  she was nominated for Your World In Mine.

"I actually harboured hopes of winning for Your World In Mine but this time I didn't. In my heart I knew, I didn't do that well in this show. The audience may not be able to tell but we know it ourselves," she says.

"Though many people liked the role I played, even 8days.sg predicted that I would win. I was very touched when I saw it because I didn't even think this role would get nominated," she adds. 

Catch Hong Ling's winning speech on mewatch or in the video below:

Photos: Mediacorp Photo Unit, Hong Ling/Instagram