Casino heiress Laurinda Ho receives actor husband’s care amid rumblings of discord

Laurinda Ho (R), daughter of the late casino mogul Stanley Ho, and her husband, actor Shawn Dou. Photo from Laurinda Ho's Weibo

Sinchew reported that Ho and Dou were present at a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a jewelry brand in Hangzhou, southern China, on March 8, where they walked hand in hand and shared affectionate glances.

Indicating a rare opportunity for the couple to be together due to their demanding work schedules, their public appearance quelled rumors of marital strife that have persisted since their multi-million-dollar wedding in Bali in April last year and intensified after an incident last October where Ho appeared reluctant to hold Dou’s hand.

Speculation about their relationship was further fueled by reports suggesting that they had contemplated divorce, which allegedly upset Ho’s mother Ina Chan due to Dou’s behavior towards her daughter.

Allegations of the rift were compounded when Ho attended musician Wilber Pan’s wedding in Bali last December and celebrated her mother’s birthday in Hong Kong earlier this month without Dou.

Observers suggest the couple’s challenges are primarily due to the limited time they can spend together post-marriage, a consequence of their professional commitments. Although neither Ho nor Dou has publicly addressed the speculation, Ho has mentioned on a television show that their careers have resulted in periods of separation exceeding a month.

Ho, 33, thrives as a socialite and businesswoman, with her mother Ina Chan’s fortune estimated by Forbes to be around US$1 billion.

Dou, 36, has made a significant impact in the acting world since his debut in Chinese director Zhang Yimou’s "Under the Hawthorn Tree," and has since appeared in several notable films, including "Dangerous Liaisons," "Time To Love," and "Princess Agents."