Is it true Apple is rejecting reture request as long as you open the delivering box?

I bought Ipad pro 2021 12.9-inch 256G for my parents as surprise gift on Nov. 11th in mainland China. It turns out my parents bought the exact same product on the same day because Nov. 11th is like a shopping holiday nowadays just like black Friday in US. So I would like to return one of the Ipad pro. The product box is complete I did not open it yet. I only opened the paper board box from delivering company (not Apple box) to see if the product is complete. I was preparing to give it as gift, so I did not open it at all.

My experience in US is that as long as you not activate the product you could request to return. So I contact the Apple store on Pinduoduo, they refused and and "it is not possible at all to to return". Any suggestion? Really surprised me about the arrogant attitude of the store.

P.S. I used another account pretend to show interest of buying another product and ask if the "7-days no reason return is true", they promised as long as Apple box is in complete the return is fine. How disgusting eww