"Bro, your chest hair is spurting out," Li said to him during their meeting in the stand-up comedy theater.
Looking back on that moment, Sampson says he found it "very abstract and quite humorous".
Li, who majored in Western medicine, began her comedy career after being discovered during an improvisation event.
"I've always enjoyed making the people around me laugh since I was little. I feel very happy when I know they need me," she says.
Both Sampson and Li value the collaborative nature of their work. Stand-up can be a solitary pursuit but having a partner offers essential support and shared creative input, he says.