In early April, Chu Vu Nam, 45 years old, was on a business trip in Yunnan when he urgently flew back to Shanghai after receiving repeated, unusual calls from his mother, Giang Hue Anh, 70 years old, urging him to transfer money.

Upon returning home, he discovered that his entire savings of nearly 3.4 million CNY (495,000 USD), accumulated over more than 20 years, had vanished. His bank account held less than 0.5 CNY. He had entrusted his bank card to his mother out of trust. This money was meant to secure the lives of his parents, both over 70, and himself.

A Chinese elderly woman uses a phone. *Illustration: Sohu*

Bank statements revealed that from 11/2025 to 3/2026, in just four and a half months, Ms. Giang spent over 2.8 million CNY on gifts for Ly Giai, a dancer on the WeChat platform, and more than 500,000 CNY for Hua Bao, an idol on Douyin.

During the peak period from late January to early February, Ms. Giang repeatedly visited banks to withdraw money and purchase livestream top-up cards worth 40,000 CNY per day, ensuring she could gift her idols as soon as they went live.

Ms. Giang, known for her frugality, meticulously managed every expense from her 5,600 CNY monthly pension. After her divorce 20 years ago, she lived with her son in a 60-square-meter apartment in Shanghai. As her son matured, the mother-son dynamic reversed. Chu Vu Nam, once the obedient son, now controlled the finances and often dismissed his mother's advice, citing her elementary school education compared to his master's degree.

However, in the virtual world of the livestream room, Ms. Giang transformed into a powerful patron, sought after by many. Ly Giai, born in 1998, would often say: "Please don't leave me, sister," and "Without you, I wouldn't be where I am today"—words her son had never spoken to her.

In response, she freely lavished money, continuously giving gifts worth 3,000 CNY in a single night to help her idol win PK battles, which determine who receives the most fan donations.

"In that livestream room, I was extremely important. Swiping my card until I was numb, I lost all sense of money; the numbers were just like props in a game," Ms. Giang admitted, stating she had "become completely consumed."

In late April, the Pudong District Mental Health Center in Shanghai diagnosed Ms. Giang with anxiety and depression. She now needs to increase her sleeping pill dosage to four pills to get any sleep. Her ex-husband now stays with her 24 hours a day to keep watch, as Ms. Giang occasionally still checks Ly Giai's livestreams.

"Actually, he didn't hurt me," she said. "I don't understand if he deceived me; I don't know anymore."

Chu Vu Nam has consulted a lawyer and is gathering evidence to sue Ly Giai's management company. The company, however, stated that Ms. Giang's transactions were made through the platform's standard features, and they found no evidence of fraud or solicitation violating regulations.

"I feel like this life no longer has meaning," Chu said, noting he has lost 7 kilograms and remains devastated whenever he thinks of his mother.

By Hong Hanh (Source: iFeng)