Liu used to live in a normal family in Xinshi township, Leiyang city, Central China's Hunan province. Her father Liu Guocheng and mother had run two restaurants in the town. She also has a younger brother named Liu Gongzheng.

Things changed since 2017 when serious illness hit the family. Liu's younger brother was diagnosed with epilepsy at the age of 1 that year. Later on New Year's Day in 2018, he was diagnosed with acute lymphatic leukemia.

Curing the boy led to the family's savings nearly running out, with new debts continuing to pile up. In the face of these expensive medical costs, the mother made the heartbreaking decision to escape from the family on Aug 17, 2017, and she gradually cut off contact with them.

The situation got even worse in April 2018, when Liu Limei herself was also affected by Henoch-Schonlein purpura in her kidneys, a disorder that affects blood vessels and usually improves without treatment.

The daughter dropped out of kindergarten. Their house was sold, but they still owed 200,000 yuan ($29,110) to others. The father plunged into deep despair.

Sensible of the difficult situation they were in, Liu Limei, then 5, began helping her father take care of her brother in the ward. To comfort her only remaining parent, she often said, "Dad, don't be upset. We will listen to you and work hard to pay back the debt when we grow up."