She started acting when she was 14-years-old, appearing in movies and commercials in Hong Kong. At 15, she auditioned for a girl band to be launched by BMG Records called "4 in Love" and passed with flying colors. From then on, she was called "Rainie" to fit in with the weather-based named girls of the group; she was originally called Lily in the industry.

She moved to Taiwan and pursued her acting career as she lived with her co-band members under one roof. She starred in various dramas starting with the mega blockbuster Meteor Garden where she played a supporting, yet pivotal role as the cute Xiao You (Hana Yori Dango's "Yuki" Chinese counterpart).