According to Sky News and the South China Morning Post, Lu weighed approximately 30 kilograms when the problem was identified. Reports said that doctors wanted him to reach a substantially higher weight before the donation could take place.
For the boy, the numbers became a personal mission.
Every meal was connected to the same goal. Rice provided energy, while meat, eggs, and milk helped increase the nutritional content of his diet. Family members supported his efforts, and the story reported that his younger siblings sometimes gave him their portions of meat.
The details reveal how the illness had affected the entire household. His father's medical needs were no longer something only the adults discussed. The children, too, were finding ways to contribute, even if their understanding of the situation was necessarily different from that of the grown-ups.
Yet Lu's determination came with a physical challenge.
Eating significantly more than usual can be uncomfortable. A child who is not accustomed to large portions may struggle to finish meals, especially when the schedule is repeated day after day. Rapid changes in body weight can also create practical difficulties, from finding comfortable clothes to adjusting to a changing body.
Nevertheless, Lu continued.
His willingness to persist did not mean that the process was easy. It meant that the reason for doing it mattered more to him than the discomfort he experienced along the way.
A Goal That Meant More Than a Number on the Scale
For Lu, gaining weight was not about appearance, popularity, or fitting in with his classmates. It was about reaching a medical target that could allow his father to receive treatment.
That distinction matters.
Weight is often discussed in terms of beauty standards, fitness goals, or social expectations. In Lu's case, it became part of a much more serious medical decision. The number on the scale represented progress toward a procedure that might help his father.
He reportedly aimed to reach approximately 50 kilograms, or 110 pounds, although news reports at different stages of the process described different interim weights and targets.
The goal required discipline unusual for a child his age. While many youngsters find it difficult to maintain even simple daily routines, Lu had to follow an eating schedule that served a purpose far beyond his own immediate needs.
He also had to live with the uncertainty that accompanies serious illness. Even if he reached the target, there would still be medical examinations, the transplant itself, and a period of recovery for his father.
There could be no guarantee that everything would work out exactly as the family hoped.
But the possibility of helping gave Lu a clear objective at a time when much of what was happening around him must have felt beyond his control.
Instead of focusing on the uncertainty, he concentrated on the next meal, the next kilogram, and the possibility of getting one step closer to the transplant.
When His Changing Body Became a Target for Teasing
As Lu's weight increased, the changes to his appearance became noticeable at school.
According to reports published in June 2019, some classmates began calling him names because he was getting bigger. His transformation was visible to other children, but they did not necessarily understand the reason behind it.
For an 11-year-old, school can be an environment in which even small differences attract attention. Children are still learning how to understand other people's circumstances, and teasing about someone's body can cause embarrassment, isolation, or lasting emotional distress.
Lu's situation was particularly difficult because the changes were deliberate and connected to his father's illness. He was working toward a goal that required him to look different, even while his classmates judged that difference without understanding its meaning.
His teacher, Zhao Meng-meng, told reporters that classmates had made comments about his increasing size. News coverage also reported that their reactions changed after they learned why he was gaining weight.
The revelation helped put his appearance into perspective.
What initially looked like an unusual change in a boy's body was actually part of an effort to help a seriously ill parent. Once the children understood the circumstances, the teasing reportedly subsided.
The episode offers an important lesson about the harm of judging people based on appearances. A person's body does not reveal the full story of their life, the challenges they face, or the reasons behind their choices.
Someone who appears different may be dealing with a private medical condition, a family crisis, or circumstances that others know nothing about.
Lu's story does not suggest that children should have to explain their bodies to earn kindness. Rather, it reminds us that kindness should come first, even when we do not understand another person's situation.
A simple decision not to mock someone can prevent unnecessary pain. Taking the time to understand another person's circumstances can turn judgment into empathy.
For Lu, the teasing was another difficulty to endure during an already demanding period. Yet he remained focused on his father's treatment.