The Deaf Girl

My name is Wendy Scott. From as far back as I can remember, the world has been silent. My parents died when I was fifteen. When news of the mining accident came, I stood in the hospital corridor clutching the empty hem of my clothes, unable to cry. The relatives divided the compensation money; no one was willing to take me in. I sat on the steps holding my parents' portrait until Sam Luke crouched down before me, offering a milk candy. He was also an orphan, two years older than me, with eyes that shone like stars. He signed 'come with me,' and I followed him back to that tiny ten-square-meter rental room. From that day on, we became each other's refuge. By day, I washed dishes in a restaurant; by night, I worked the cash register at a convenience store; on weekends, I pushed a cart collecting scrap—saving every penny to pay Sam Luke's tuition. He studies very well, and every time he receives a scholarship, he immediately tells me in sign language, "One day, I'll buy you the best hearing aid." I smiled and shook my head; with him by my side, not being able to hear doesn't matter. Sam Luke has been with me through seven birthdays. Each birthday, he would use his saved-up money to buy a small cake, light a candle, and have me make a wish. Once, some thugs in the alley called me 'deaf' and snatched my canvas bag. When Sam Luke found out, he went there alone; he came back covered in wounds, his arm broken, yet he clenched my bag tightly in his hand. He lay on the hospital bed, using his uninjured hand to sign, "If anyone bullies you, I'll beat them up." I leaned over the bed crying, stuffing the secretly bought strawberries into his mouth—so sweet that his eyes curved into a smile. In our senior year, Sam Luke received an acceptance letter from a prestigious foreign university. He stared at the letter all night, then tore it up the next morning and signed to me, "I'm not leaving—I want to stay with you." I knew how much he longed to go, yet I still didn't try to persuade him. Because I was afraid that if he left, he would never come back. Later, Sam Luke was admitted to a key university in Capital City, and I went with him. I worked three jobs, busy until dawn every day, just so he could study without worrying about money. After graduation, he joined a company and climbed from intern to director in just three years. We moved out of the rental room and into a big villa, but my hearing still hadn't improved. That day at the hospital, when the doctor removed my temporary hearing aid and said, "You can hear now," my first reaction was to grab my phone to tell Sam Luke. We promised that once I could hear, we would get married. But I didn't call him; I wanted to give him a surprise. I walked to the café downstairs at his company building, but I heard his and Mr. Clark's voices coming from a private room. "Sam, Wendy has stayed with you for seven years and still hasn't left; it seems I've lost my bet again." Mr. Clark's voice was laced with mockery. Sam Luke's voice was cold, completely different from the gentle tone he usually reserved for me: "She's given so much, isn't it all just for my money? She'll cling to me forever." "Isn't Maggie Morgan assigned to be your assistant now? Aren't you afraid Wendy will get jealous?" "Maggie has always seen me as a friend. But I want to use Wendy to push her, to make her fall in love with me sooner." "What about Wendy? We can't keep having her with you forever, can we?" "There are so many people in the Capital City. Let her pick a blind date, marry whoever, and I'll give her a dowry—just to repay her kindness." Every word felt like a needle piercing my heart. I clutched the hearing aid, my hands trembling uncontrollably until my nails dug into my palm, barely holding back tears. I returned to the villa and sat on the sofa, waiting for Sam Luke. He came back at one in the dead of night, carrying the mixed scent of alcohol and the perfume Maggie often wore. He instinctively tried to hug me, but I silently slipped away. I looked at him and signed, "Sam, help me pick someone to marry." Sam's movement froze; his brows furrowed, his tone weary and restless: "Wendy, what are you saying? I told you I would marry you." Seeing I didn't react, he thought I hadn't heard and signed again.