Chapter 86 Leo
Five years later.
On a small desk covered with a white tablecloth, five-year-old Leo sat on a high stool, standing on tiptoes. His tiny body was wrapped in a loose blue hoodie, looking a bit frail, yet he sat up straight.
He held a colored pencil in his hand, the tip scratching across the drawing paper, while his other hand rested on the phone stand in front of him. His soft, childish voice came through the microphone.
"Today, I'm drawing a sunflower, the kind that turns to follow the sun."
Leo's eyes were round and bright, with long eyelashes. When he spoke, the corners of his mouth naturally curled up, revealing two faint little canine teeth.
The comments in the live stream chat exploded instantly, flooding the screen.
"Wow, Leo's streaming again today! His voice is still so cute!"
"Oh my gosh, those brushstrokes are so skilled! How can a five-year-old draw like this?"
"The sunflower looks so full of life. It instantly brightens my mood! Such a healing little genius!"
"I've already placed an order. Hanging Leo's painting in my room will definitely feel so cozy!"
Leo occasionally glanced at the screen. When he saw the compliments, he shyly lowered his head, though the pencil in his hand didn't stop. "Thanks, everyone, for liking it. This painting will be in the link. If you want it, you can buy it."
His painting style was simple and vibrant, with bold colors. Every piece radiated pure joy. The sound of order notifications in the live stream kept ringing one after another.
Just then, a series of golden airplane effects flashed across the screen, followed by a bold comment: "LO gifted airplanes ×10!"
Right after that, a notification popped up in the background. A user with the ID LO had bought all the remaining paintings in the link—eight in total—clearing out the stock in an instant.
The chat went wild.
"Holy cow! LO, the big shot, is back again! Always doing this!"
"I was just about to buy one, and now they're gone. Can the big shot leave one for us?"
"Is LO Leo's biggest fan? Always gifting during streams and buying up all the paintings!"
"I'm so jealous I could cry. I've tried to buy three times and never got one. This big shot's speed is insane!"
Leo looked at the "sold out" notification in the background, tilting his head in confusion. "LO bought all the paintings again?"
He spoke softly into the microphone, "Sir, you buy so many. Do you have space for them at home?"
LO didn't respond on the screen, just sent two more airplanes, and then went silent.
Leo finished the last stroke of color, put down his pencil, and waved at the camera. "That's it for today's stream. Thanks for watching. Tomorrow, I'll draw little kittens."
After ending the stream, Leo jumped down from the high stool and ran toward the living room on his short legs, shouting, "Mom! Mom! LO bought all my paintings again!"
Olivia was in the kitchen preparing a fruit salad. Hearing his voice, she wiped her hands and walked out.
She wore a simple beige sweater, her long hair tied back casually. Compared to five years ago, when she was always tense, her eyes now looked much softer, and there was a calm confidence in her expression, shaped by time.
"Bought them all again?" Olivia walked over, picked up Leo, and kissed his soft cheek.
Leo nestled in her arms, his little hands around her neck. "Yeah! All eight of them. Does LO really like my paintings?"
"Looks like it. LO has great taste." Olivia smiled and ruffled his hair, though she felt a bit helpless inside.
For the past couple of months, this user named LO had shown up at almost every one of Leo's streams, not only sending huge gifts but also buying up all the paintings every time.
Leo's paintings weren't expensive, just 200 bucks each. They were meant to let her son experience the joy of sharing. But LO spending thousands each time to buy everything was way beyond what she expected.
"Mom, is LO a really rich person?" Leo asked curiously.
"Maybe." Olivia set him down and handed him a plate of sliced strawberries. "Eat some fruit. You sat for so long. Are you tired?"
Leo popped a strawberry into his mouth and shook his head. "Not tired. Drawing makes me happy."
Seeing his content expression, Olivia felt even more determined.
She took out her phone, found LO's profile, and tried sending a private message: [Hello, I'm Leo's mom. Thank you so much for always supporting my child's paintings. But buying so many pieces every time is really a lot—the paintings aren't worth that much. Would you mind sharing your contact info? I'd like to refund the extra money.]
After sending it, Olivia put down her phone, not expecting much.
She had messaged LO twice before, but there was never a reply. This time would probably be the same.
Meanwhile, in the CEO's office on the top floor of Vettel Group.
Luca leaned back in his leather chair, pressing his throbbing temple with his fingertips, his face pale.
On the desk in front of him was a framed small painting—a sunflower drawn by Leo. The bright yellow seemed to chase away the dullness of the office.
Since Olivia left without a word five years ago, Luca had suffered from severe migraines. When they struck, the pain was unbearable, and he couldn't do anything.
He had tried countless treatments, but nothing worked. Then, three months ago, he stumbled upon Leo's live stream by chance.
When he saw that sunny painting, his tense nerves somehow relaxed, and the headache eased a little.
Since then, he became a regular in the stream, buying all the paintings each time. It wasn't for collecting them—he just felt a sense of peace looking at them.
"Boss, are you okay?" His assistant knocked and came in with some meeting documents, looking worried at Luca's state.
Luca lowered his hand and took a deep breath. "I'm fine. What time is the afternoon meeting?"
"Three o'clock, a video call with the European partners. The materials are ready." The assistant placed the files on the desk. "Do you need painkillers?"
"No need." Luca waved him off, his gaze falling back to the sunflower painting, his expression complicated.
Over the years, he had been searching for Olivia, using every connection he had, but there was no trace of her. It was as if she had vanished from the world.
He had even wondered if Leo could be his child, but with no proof, all he could do was hold onto these paintings, carrying a faint, unexplainable attachment.
Just then, his phone screen lit up with a private message notification—it was the one from Olivia.
Luca glanced at it, saw the word "refund," and frowned without realizing it.
He didn't open it, just swiped the notification away, feeling inexplicably annoyed.
He didn't need a refund. As long as he could keep seeing these paintings, that was enough.
"Double-check everything for the meeting. No mistakes." Luca instructed the assistant, his tone returning to its usual coldness.
The assistant nodded and left the office.
The room fell quiet again. Luca picked up the small painting, his fingertips brushing lightly over the paper, a trace of gentleness in his eyes that even he didn't notice.
Olivia waited all afternoon but got no reply from LO, so she gave up.