A Chinese live streamer recently suffered what might just be every influencer’s worst nightmare — a beauty filter malfunction in front of thousands of viewers.

And according to reports, the fallout was brutal.

In a clip that has since gone viral online, the streamer, dressed in a pink top and layered gold accessories, was seen chatting sweetly with a male follower during a livestream. Speaking in an overly affectionate tone, she repeatedly called him “older bro” while subtly hinting that she was short on cash.

The tactic worked.

The fan eventually caved and sent her a 1,000 yuan (S$188) virtual gift, prompting the streamer to gush with excitement and thank him enthusiastically on-stream.

Then came the plot twist.

Just moments later, her beauty filter suddenly glitched — and disappeared completely.

Viewers watched in stunned silence as her appearance changed dramatically onscreen. Netizens later pointed out noticeable differences in her skin texture, face shape and overall appearance, with some commenting that she looked “much older” than viewers had assumed.

The donor’s reaction was immediate.

“Why do you look like that?” he blurted out.

Realising instantly what had happened, the streamer appeared visibly flustered but still tried to maintain her sweet persona.

“Oh dear, my beauty filter disappeared!”

Attempting damage control, she quickly asked the fan to wait while she switched the filter back on.

The man, however, had already moved on to another concern — his money.

He immediately demanded a refund for the donation instead.

Still trying to salvage the situation, the streamer whined: “You already sent it, why ask for it back?"

Unfortunately for her, the internet had already made up its mind.

Chinese media later reported that the streamer lost over 140,000 followers within just a few hours of the clip spreading online.

As for whether the disappointed “older bro” ever got his refund? That part, for now, remains unknown.

Photos: Weibo, Mirror Media