<p>Virtual streamers, as hybrid entities of reality and virtuality, provide young audiences with unique digital interaction opportunities, facilitated by advanced avatar technology and niche cultural elements. This research investigates the mechanisms of the interaction patterns and attraction among young audiences and virtual streamers under the globalization of influencer economy. Leveraging the affordance lens, this study uses participatory observation and in-depth interviews to dissect how the youth form new interaction patterns and value systems under the display of technological, communicative, and social affordance. Findings reveal that the digital technology underpinnings confer a liminal identity to virtual streamers, engendering a viewing experience that integrates both virtual and real elements as an integrated entirety. The inability to privately engage with virtual streamers offline has led to a “many-to-many” interactive model, akin to a virtual public square cultivated by humor and cultural resonance. These digital practices nurture a sense of “ephemeral authenticity” emphasizing transient experiences over physical presence and persistent relationship, which transcends traditional expectations for consistency between online and offline realms and redefines the value of social interactions. By encompassing virtual streamers and audiences from difference culture, this study also contributes theoretical insights and empirical evidence on the digital cross-cultural communication of Chinese youth.</p>