Looking at my parents' proud faces, I also felt very proud. I remember more than a year ago, when I brought Vy home to meet my parents, my mother cried and threatened to disown me if I married Vy.

***

I first met Vy at the centerfor disabled children. That day, my sister Lan had something to do so she asked me to pick up Cu Bi. I curiously looked through the window, observing the class taking place before my eyes. The class was quiet, but bustling with the movements of each person's hands. Innocent eyes attentively followed the teacher's hands. The young teacher always smiled brightly, her hands seemed to be dancing. The excitement sparkled in the children's eyes. I stood there and was drawn into the class without realizing it.

Bi jumped up when he saw me. “Is school fun, Bi?” I asked in writing. Unfortunately, Bi was born deaf and mute, so communication was very difficult. Bi diligently wrote the answer, each large, round stroke appearing: “Miss Vy is very fun to teach, Kien!”. “Then take Bi to school tomorrow.” Bi nodded and smiled. I took Bi to the toy store like every other time, thinking that he would be very happy. But Bi shook his head and asked to go home. That surprised me a lot, because after only a few months of going to school, his personality had changed completely.

Having dinner together, the whole family was happier knowing that Bi was improving day by day. Ms. Lan excitedly said that since Ms. Vy came to the center to teach, Bi liked going to school more. Every time she picked up her child, she was very excited to see his happy face. She was also learning sign language in an online course taught by Ms. Vy. She admitted that the teacher was enthusiastic and funny. Knowing sign language, she understood Bi better and found life more enjoyable than before. How nice it would have been if she had learned sign language sooner. She smiled regretfully. Listening to Ms. Lan, an idea flashed through my mind. I decided to sign up for a sign language course.

The first class took place, the class had about 15 students of different ages and occupations. The whole class was excited when they learned that the teacher was deaf and mute. Everyone was curious about the class, because for each person this was a special class, with a special teacher.

The teacher entered the classroom and bowed to the students. I recognized Vy - Bi's teacher. Vy's mouth smiled brightly. Vy looked at the whole class with gentle eyes and then she wrote two words "thank you" on the board. The projector screen displayed the same rhythm of the signs on her hands: "Thank you for being here. That shows everyone's concern for deaf-mute people. Let me introduce myself, my name is Thanh Vy. I am a congenital deaf-mute. I used to cry because I felt lost. I used to live in self-consciousness and deadlock. But after finding sign language, my life has changed for the better. Sign language not only helps us get closer to each other. It also helps deaf-mute people conquer knowledge and live a more meaningful life. Once again, thank you everyone!" During that lesson, I was moved, and from Vy's sharing, I understood more about the difficulties that deaf-mute people encounter in life.

In each lesson, Vy often brings students one surprise after another, with vivid illustrations, the class is always fun and full of laughter. I myself am also surprisingly diligent in studying, in addition to studying in class, when I am at home, I also look for videos that Vy shares online to study by myself. After a short time, I was able to confidently communicate in sign language. And with the dynamism of a city youth union secretary, I joined the "Connection" project founded by Vy. It is a project to support learning sign language via the Internet and finding jobs for deaf and mute people. "Deaf and mute people can work and contribute like normal people". Vy hopes that with her project, everyone will see that. The project is shared on social networking platforms and is receiving more and more attention from everyone. That motivates us to make efforts and always do our best. We feel that every time we discuss the project.

When the city lights were on, we walked together on the street filled with the scent of milk flowers. Vy often walked to inhale that fragrance. I picked a branch of flowers to give to her. She took a deep breath and smiled. At the same time, the wind brought a shower of flowers, tiny buds clinging to her hair. At that moment, I felt my heart flutter. Suddenly, I held Vy's hand tightly, placed her hand on my chest, and drew a heart to say: "I like you." Vy's eyes were stunned, then she leaned her head on my shoulder and burst into tears. "I feel like I'm not worthy of you, but my heart is different. It beats fast every time I'm with you. The last time you didn't come to the center to study, I was anxiously missing you. It seems like I like you too!" Happiness burst into my heart, I hugged Vy, and placed a passionate kiss on her lips. And we fell in love from that day.

I heard that my son would bring his girlfriend home to meet his parents this weekend, and I also heard that his future wife was also a teacher. My parents were very happy, their son was only in his 30s and they were worried about him being single. The day I brought Vy home to meet my parents, I was very nervous, but I still tried to hold Vy's hand tightly to encourage her. And what was to come, came. My father glared at me angrily and then went upstairs. My mother shook her head in disagreement. Despite my pleading, my parents' objections really put me in a deadlock.

Moreover, for several days I could not contact Vy. When I went to the center, everyone said that she had asked for a few days off. She texted me on Zalo: “Let’s break up. There will be someone better than me who loves you. I don’t want you to suffer and be tormented because of me.” The feeling of suffering overwhelmed my soul and I burst into tears. It was the first time I cried like that.

Lan patted my shoulder and encouraged me: “I am the mother of a deaf-mute child, so maybe that’s why I can accept this more easily than my parents. I also love Vy very much. So, I will support you. Here is Vy’s hometown address, you should try going there. I heard that mom had a private meeting with Vy, she sent Vy a very long handwritten letter hoping that she would break up with you. Maybe that’s why Vy made that decision. You should try your best, I will try to persuade my parents!”

Following the address on the paper, I walked through the winding dirt road around the green tea hills, and it was not until dark that I arrived at Vy’s house. A middle-aged woman stepped out and squinted at me and asked:

- Who is looking for Vy? She's not home!

- Yes, I'm Kien, Vy's friend. Where did Vy go, uncle?

- I don't know either!

The answer was like a cold wind blowing into my heart, making my legs buckle and my body tremble. The woman sighed and said: - Go inside, put your things in the kitchen and warm yourself up, poor thing it's so cold!

By the flickering fire, the woman served rice and invited me to eat. Her voice was gentle: “To be honest, I am Vy’s mother. A few days ago, she came back and cried a lot. Then she said she would go to the South for a while. She told me not to say anything if Kien came looking for her. I just love her, so I encourage her to do what she thinks is right.” Then she slowly asked:

- Are you sure you love Vy?

- Uncle, I really love Vy.

- Yes, looking at you I know you are a good person. But no matter how strong you are, in love a deaf and mute person like Vy will always be insecure. So maybe she thinks breaking up will be better for you. You will soon find someone better than my Vy.

- Sir, in this life I will not marry anyone else but Vy.

The woman sighed deeply, she gave me a piece of paper with Vy's address in Saigon and said: "Take this, before she left Vy told me not to tell anyone. But after meeting you, I thought differently. Well, whether we can be together or not depends on fate. For the sake of love, I hope you two will try."

Saigon welcomed me with a persistent downpour. I stood before Vy, soaked as a drowned rat. Vy looked at me, stunned, her eyes filled with tears. I quickly hugged her as if if I didn't make it in time, she would disappear again. In the small room, the warmth was on my lips, my hearts were beating to the rhythm of happiness. That night we knew we would belong to each other forever.

“If the earth doesn’t accept the sky, the sky will have to accept the earth. Come back, tell Vy to come back too. Your parents agree.” My mother called me, choking with tears. The wedding took place, and I happily held Vy’s hand as we walked down the aisle.

***

Today, Vy said she wanted to tell me some more good news. Besides the news that Vy is a special guest on the show “Shining the examples of determination” with a project called “Connection”. I don’t know what other good news there is. I’m curious and can’t figure it out.

At night, we often held hands and walked on the milk flower road as a habit. Suddenly Vy stopped, she gently took my hand and placed it on her belly and smiled. Following the hand gesture, I shouted happily, "There is an angel inside". So I was a father. Hugging Vy with immense joy, I wanted to tell her from the bottom of my heart: "Thank you, special teacher, the love of my life!".

Tran Tu