Lonely, Zhou became addicted to live-streaming shows, tipping male streamers for emotional connection. - Shutterstock via SCMP
A Chinese woman found herself caught in a troubling addiction to tipping young male “models” during live-stream sessions, who affectionately referred to her as “sister.”
This obsession ultimately drove her to embezzle an astonishing 4.5 million yuan (US$620,000) from her company in just three months.
The accountant, known by her surname Zhou, aged 43, was originally from Shanghai and earned a modest monthly salary of 6,000 yuan (US$830). Following the death of her mother, she found herself struggling to cope with life’s challenges.
Her family had depleted their funds on her mother’s medical bills, her parents-in-law turned unsympathetic and her husband, engrossed in his career, was seldom home to provide support.
In the depths of her loneliness, Zhou developed an addiction to watching live-streaming shows, where she began tipping male streamers in a desperate bid for emotional connection.
“At that time, I was feeling quite bored. I noticed a young man who was charming and significantly younger, perhaps in his 20s. He called me ‘sister’ and inquired, ‘Sister, why are you still awake so late?’ That was how our conversations began.”
“He showered me with attention, referring to me as ‘wife’ and promising, ‘When you grow old, I’ll take care of you,’” Zhou recounted to Shanghai Media Group.
“Deep down, I recognised that he was likely the same age as my own son. It seemed impossible for him to genuinely like me, yet my loneliness clouded my judgment.”
Her escalating tipping behaviour swiftly drained her savings and led her into overwhelming debt, prompting her husband to file for divorce.
Following the dissolution of her marriage, Zhou found that live-streaming no longer fulfilled her emotional needs, compelling her to seek solace in a male model club, hoping to extract “emotional value”.
“She spent 16,000 yuan during her initial visit, entirely funded by her salary. The bar’s drink packages were priced between 10,000 yuan and upwards of 100,000 yuan,” noted Lei Tianrao, a police officer from the Songnan police station under the Baoshan public security bureau.
The male “bartenders” were all strikingly handsome, charming, and attentive, providing Zhou with significant emotional gratification.
Despite the awareness that these interactions were based solely on monetary exchange, she found it impossible to resist and ultimately embezzled 4.5 million yuan from her employer over three months to support her consumption.
“When I was feeling low, I would transfer funds from the company account. I would then spend it on two men at the bar. What I truly craved was for someone to genuinely care for me,” Zhou admitted.
“In truth, I was committing theft, but to my son, I appeared to be a devoted, hardworking mother.”
Zhou is in police custody being investigated for suspected theft.
Her situation has ignited fervent discussions on Chinese social media platforms.
One user remarked: “Does emotional value truly have to come at such a high cost? You can find emotional fulfilment through adopting a kitten, purchasing jewellery, or even indulging in a spa massage for relaxation. Emotional fulfilment should also be cost-effective!”
“Wow! Are male models genuinely commanding such high prices now? 50,000 yuan for a day?” another user queried. - South China Morning Post
