On the morning of October 15, 2025, a livestreamer identified as Sisi was leaving her apartment in Yongzhou, China, accompanied by her young daughter, when she discovered an unfamiliar package on the shoe rack outside her residence. Upon handling the object, it detonated, causing burns to Sisi’s face, neck, and arms. While her daughter narrowly avoided serious physical harm, the blast singed the child’s hair and backpack. Later that same day, police arrested 27-year-old Liu Mouqiang, a former viewer of Sisi’s broadcasts, in connection with the attack.
Court documents indicate that the explosion was the fourth in a series of retaliatory acts orchestrated by Liu. The conflict originated from Sisi’s livestreaming career, where Liu had spent approximately 1,000 yuan on virtual gifts. Liu grew dissatisfied, claiming he had reached “Level 28” and was being treated “worse than a tourist,” a perception Sisi refuted by explaining that the level was based on cumulative spending across various creators. After Sisi rejected his romantic advances—including a proposal backed by an offer of 160,000 yuan—and returned his gifts, Liu began a persistent campaign of harassment. He tracked her offline, created new accounts to post defamatory content, and once remarked, “Female livestreamers all belong to the top donor.”
In June 2025, the Qiyang People’s Court mediated a civil lawsuit filed by Sisi, which resulted in an agreement requiring Liu to delete defamatory material, apologize, and pay 3,000 yuan. However, the legal process inadvertently jeopardized Sisi’s safety; the mediation documents included her home address, which Liu subsequently used to target her. This was not his first attempt at intimidation. Prosecutors allege that in May 2025, Liu detonated an explosive device at her parents' shop after observing her location during a livestream. In August, he placed a metal spike under her car tire, and in October, he sprayed a corrosive liquid inside her home before the final bombing attempt.
In March 2026, prosecutors charged Liu with endangering public safety by dangerous means. During his trial in June, Liu attempted to frame the attacks as a personal relationship dispute, a narrative Sisi firmly rejected. The case underscores the severe risks faced by women in the creator economy, where commercial intimacy is frequently misinterpreted by some viewers as a claim of ownership. The incident has also raised questions regarding the effectiveness of legal protections, as Sisi’s attempts to seek justice through the court system ultimately facilitated her harasser’s access to her private life.
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Liu first encountered Sisi through her livestreams. Sisi told The Beijing News that he had spent a little more than 1,000 yuan (around $150) on gifts for her. He later complained that he had reached “Level 28” through virtual gifting and was being treated “worse than a tourist.” Sisi explained that the level reflected
