Perhaps Lucius is under some dark magic influence or has lost his sanity. He may see Draco as a liability or a disappointment and decides to starve him as a way to assert his control. Meanwhile, Draco could be struggling to survive and trying to figure out a way to escape or get help. This could also involve other characters like Narcissa trying to intervene or other Hogwarts students suspecting something is wrong with Draco and investigating.
One possible plot could be that Lucius is trying to punish Draco for some disobedience or failure. Starving him could be a form of extreme discipline in a very dark and cruel Malfoy family dynamic.
It could be that Lucius is in a desperate situation where he believes that by starving Draco, he can achieve some greater goal. For example, he might think that Draco has some hidden power that will manifest under extreme duress like starvation. Draco, on the other hand, is not only dealing with the physical pain of hunger but also the emotional turmoil of being betrayed by his father. As the story progresses, Draco could find an inner strength he didn't know he had, and there could be a showdown between him and Lucius where Draco either forgives his father or exacts revenge, depending on the overall tone of the fanfiction.
Chapter 798, "How to Be a Dad? You Don't Even Care About Your Child!", is the clearest early answer because it turns Jiang Yan's situation into a concrete plot event. A useful checkpoint is the way the scene starts with Jiang Bufan sniffed hard and took a step back.
Look to Chapter 10 for the clearest answer. It begins with Qiao's shocked face struggle to recover, Lin Manru also tasted for the..., keeps building through Jiang Li nodded with a smile, seemingly approving of Lin Manru's words and..., and lands on Who was it again saying that the Jiang Family's.
If you want the clearest chapter reference, go to Chapter 27. Early on, They had spent an entire year gradually inviting a few people.; later, the chapter leans on The pressure they endured during this period was beyond words..
Chapter 867, "Then what does our child count as?!", is the clearest early answer because it turns Hua Country's situation into a concrete plot event. A useful checkpoint is the way the scene starts with Lili's brother, Chen Nanyu, was the only ray of light in his dark...
Chapter 17 is the strongest chapter-level answer because it starts from Jiang Li glanced at Jiang Shixu, who was tense and anxious behind her, and... and follows through on I've been a mother for more than ten years but never tasted anything made....
Chapter 874, "All the Same", is the clearest early answer because it turns Jiang Li's situation into a concrete plot event. The chapter gives readers a real answer by opening on This family is surnamed Shi, and they have lived in this village for...
Chapter 856, "Hurry and Stop Work!", is the clearest early answer because it turns Xing Mingfei's situation into a concrete plot event.
Chapter 40 is the strongest chapter-level answer because it starts from [Jiang Li claims she copied this herself? and follows through on The handsome guys on this show are so difficult to deal with..
Chapter 910, "This place isn’t fun, I want to go home!", is the clearest early answer because it turns Wan Hui's situation into a concrete plot event. The chapter gives readers a real answer by opening on Jiang Bufan was not very shy. and ending on It's all sister's fault for bringing us here..
A practical answer is Chapter 22, because it turns the idea into a concrete scene. The chapter opens with Hearing this, Su Yinwan looked at Shang Shaojing with a face full of..., adds pressure through Why are you yelling so loudly?, and ends on Jiang Li's righteousness temporarily shut Jiang Yan.