There is a saying that behind every successful man, there is a woman.
For Hong Kong actor Bobby Au-Yeung, 64, that woman is his wife Fu Kit Han.
The loving couple tied the knot in 1996, and according to Bobby, have never had a fight in their 28 years of marriage. He was previously married to hairstylist Lau Wai Yu from 1991 to 1993.
The secret to their happy marriage is mutual respect and Bobby said his wife has never raised her voice at him.
In fact, the star, who’s known for his many iconic roles in TVB dramas in the ’90s, credits his greatest achievement to marrying his supportive wife.
“The biggest change my wife brought to me is making me more diligent. She tells me not to be lazy and to prove to everyone that I’m not ‘living off’ her like people say I am. They’ve said this for 20 years, but in recent years, they’ve stopped,” he said in an interview with Mingpao.
You see, Kit Han, who was his ardent fan, is the granddaughter of former Macau gambling tycoon Fu Laorong. Her family is said to be worth HK$8 billion (S$1.34bil).
Bobby was introduced to Kit Han through the ex-wife of his File Of Justice co-star Michael Tao.
According to reports, it was Kit Han who pursued Bobby and suggested getting married after dating for a year.
Due to Kit Han’s low-key nature, their relationship remained private for years and even Bobby was unaware that she’s from an affluent family.
It was only after news broke about their relationship that he found out about her influential family background.
There was unsavoury talk that Bobby had married into money and that Kit Han’s family had something to do with his rising success.
Reflecting on the early days of their marriage, Bobby admitted that he used to feel bothered by the gossip. Over time, he became less concerned. “When you have money, people say you’re showing off, and when you don’t, they call you ‘poor.’ At this age, I don’t care anymore,” he said.
In 2013, Bobby suffered acute pneumonia and was rushed the hospital where he fell into a coma.
He said the near-death experience changed his outlook on life and made him realise the importance of maintaining a balance in life.
“After that, I stopped overworking myself. As long as I have enough, that’s fine,” he said.