According to Sohu, photos shared on social media on Monday show Ho dressed in a green frog costume to surprise Dou on his birthday. Dou, who wore a white T-shirt printed with both his and Ho’s first names, is currently in Hong Kong spending the year-end holidays with his wife. The birthday celebration drew attention as it marked a rare joint appearance by the couple since their marriage in 2023.

Speculation about the couple’s relationship surfaced in October, when multiple reports claimed Ho "wanted to leave her husband," that Dou had been "left penniless after spending all his assets to marry into a wealthy family," and that Ho had "forced Dou to sign a prenuptial agreement."

On Oct. 23, Dou addressed the rumors on his social media account, saying he had initially chosen not to respond to speculation about his marriage but felt compelled to speak out as the claims became increasingly unreasonable. He urged the public not to repost false information. His management company later said it had completed the collection of evidence and would pursue legal action against those who spread defamatory rumors about the actor.

Ho later shared her husband’s statement, saying their marriage remains stable.

"Thank you for your concern," she wrote. "We understand your curiosity, but we believe there’s no need to prove our love to outsiders. Our marriage is still strong."

The couple held their wedding ceremony on the Indonesian island of Bali in 2023 after more than three years of dating.

Ho, 34, is the daughter of Stanley Ho and his third wife Ina Chan, a businesswoman. Forbes estimated Ina Chan's net worth at US$1 billion in 2021.

Stanley Ho, who died in 2020 at the age of 99, built a vast casino empire in Macau. Bloomberg estimated his net worth at about US$14.9 billion in 2019, making him the 17th wealthiest individual in Asia at the time.

Following his death, his fortune was divided among his daughter Pansy Ho, his fourth wife Angela Leong, and his son Lawrence Ho.

Dou, 36, first gained recognition for his role in director Zhang Yimou’s "Under the Hawthorn Tree." His other notable works include "Dangerous Liaisons," "Time to Love" and "Princess Agents."

speculate –v. to guess about something without sufficient evidence

discord –n. disagreement or conflict between people

prenup –n. a legal agreement made before marriage

misperception –n. an incorrect understanding or interpretation