Knife skills of girl, 6, come with heart-piercing tale

While most 6-year-olds enjoy meals prepared by their parents, Liu Limei has already become a social media sensation at that age, thanks to videos showcasing her impressive skills in cutting food with a Chinese cleaver.

Highly skilled with a blade, Liu is not just proficient in cutting fruits and vegetables into perfect cubes or slices. In the videos posted online since February, she can even make artistic food carvings.

A carrot can be cut into the shape of a swallow and flowers. A stick of celery can be turned into a dress. A lotus flower and leaf could be made from parts cut from purple onion, eggplant and cucumber. The little girl uses the cleaver like a magic wand to turn normal fruits and vegetables into beautiful plates.

To date, more than 40 of her works of edible art have been shown on Kuaishou, a popular short-video sharing platform, where she has gained over 389,000 followers online.

However, the lovely works of art have a heartbreaking background.