蘇州城,清溪客棧。797Please respect copyright.PENANAg4mABNVbtG
797Please respect copyright.PENANAvYx491iiaN
天色濛濛,欲醒未醒,輕盈靈動的晨霧宛若潔白羽紗,披覆在座古色古香的江南城鎮上,寧靜中帶著些許的躁動。797Please respect copyright.PENANAWTx9KSMfSr
797Please respect copyright.PENANAoz0L9hsCKw
客棧後頭的廚房,隔著薄霧依稀可見星點般的火光,兀自延燒,為單調平凡的景象平添幾分色彩。797Please respect copyright.PENANAbV8hZ6sbmt
797Please respect copyright.PENANAaflKnoXXFw
月兒守坐在藥壺前,右手執著一把有些破舊的芭蕉扇,徐徐扇風維持藥爐火勢,身旁還擺著一盞已然燒盡的蠟燭。797Please respect copyright.PENANAEGGjGzZSZi
797Please respect copyright.PENANAPnEWOMVINm
似乎有些疲倦,月兒輕輕打了個哈欠,接著用手背擦去額上點點汗珠。春寒猶帶冷意,可是她守了多時爐火,不免也烘紅了臉蛋,流了不少熱汗。797Please respect copyright.PENANAyleegbUdxO
797Please respect copyright.PENANALx5AyvwalX
除了紅通通的臉頰,月兒臉上用手擦過汗的地方,留下一塊一塊淺淺的碳痕,月白色齊胸襦裙也沾了不少炭灰。即便如此,她缺一點也不覺得辛苦,反而對著即將燒好的湯藥,不自覺流露笑容。797Please respect copyright.PENANARFbIROMH8p
797Please respect copyright.PENANAmf2YtjgQkb
這時廚房門被推開,發出嘔啞難聽的磨擦聲,一名穿著粗布衣的三十多歲婦人走了進來。797Please respect copyright.PENANA8znaeiY0XF
797Please respect copyright.PENANAbq6gSCzDgJ
婦人一來便見著了月兒,不經說道:「月兒小姐,妳又起得這麼早啊!」語氣裡透著幾分不捨之意。797Please respect copyright.PENANAwqQcFSFbjH
797Please respect copyright.PENANA7dEpJR67zY
婦人是這家客棧的廚娘,平日總是第一個踏入廚房。可是自從月兒入住客棧以來,她已經連續好幾天落於後,這不由得令她感到有些不好意思。797Please respect copyright.PENANAnM5SPM8Tub
797Please respect copyright.PENANAjIlMBb8wom
月兒搖搖頭,帶著靦腆的笑容說道:「真是不好意思,又沒經過大姊同意擅自使用這藥壺了。」797Please respect copyright.PENANAncxPzw9epK
797Please respect copyright.PENANAyuwES1OqVB
「沒這的事。」廚娘連忙擺了擺手,要她別介意。她拿起吊掛在木架上,早已沾滿油污的圍裙圍在腰間,說道:「那藥壺擺著也是擺著,小姐如有需要,就盡量用唄。」797Please respect copyright.PENANA7RCokrvcyW
797Please respect copyright.PENANAY5ayjtxTbU
「謝謝。」月兒說道,細心呵護著爐火。797Please respect copyright.PENANAfDxzvokcmd
797Please respect copyright.PENANA9NS7rW6T1O
廚娘走向灶台,開始準備早膳要用的蔬菜、肉塊。過了一會兒,她忍不住勸說道:「別嫌大姊囉嗦啊……月兒小姐,藥要燒,身子也要照顧啊,每晚看小姐總是過了子時才歇息,天未亮接著起來熬藥,這身子骨怎麼堪得住?」797Please respect copyright.PENANA2Ke3t5tKti
797Please respect copyright.PENANAN4d5cPRNjq
並非廚娘有意探求他人隱私,只是看月兒一個十七、八歲的年輕姑娘孤身一人,又得獨力照顧帶傷的兄長,自然忍不住多加留意、關心。自從月兒入住以來,她就沒看到過房間是在子時前暗去的。797Please respect copyright.PENANAc8jkPfWTea
797Please respect copyright.PENANAZ0Z6q0k1fb
「多勞大姊費心了,月兒不要緊的。」月兒笑道,搔了搔臉頰。797Please respect copyright.PENANAbjsTeB6YnZ
797Please respect copyright.PENANA8BYFBb66v2
看得出來她真心不覺得這是一件苦差疲累事,反而從中得到了大大的滿足感。也不知道她是怎麼想的?797Please respect copyright.PENANAe64iyc0bwr
797Please respect copyright.PENANADWgLFsWx8d
廚娘搖了搖頭,人家都說道這份上了,她也不好意思再多說些什麼,只得對著菜刀、鍋瓢之數,繼續膳食的料理。797Please respect copyright.PENANAEjzfhCsHIO
797Please respect copyright.PENANAGaTVFDV7mg
片刻後,藥終於煎好了。797Please respect copyright.PENANAJYBqHYBwUO
797Please respect copyright.PENANAV9QuSZMvJi
月兒站起身,跟廚娘借來瓷碗,小心翼翼地將藥爐子裡的湯藥到入碗裡,頓時冒出一股蒸騰熱氣。然而,相較於這股微不足道的熱氣,瀰漫滿座城鎮的霧氣早已隨著旭日東昇淡去,沒了蹤影,天氣也變得有些暖和。797Please respect copyright.PENANABlR6LNkljl
797Please respect copyright.PENANAqPzTI9Bt0z
廚娘看著她熟練的動作,嘖嘖稱奇,慨歎道:「起初見著小姐舉止儀態,言談應對,本以為是哪戶五指不沾陽春水的大家閨秀。可是小姐選揀藥材、熬煮藥湯的手法又是這般熟練,絕非那些黃花閨女做得來的。真是好奇,小姐究竟是怎麼學來的?」797Please respect copyright.PENANAkWo0c7NFbq
797Please respect copyright.PENANAZ3OJpKCtah
月兒苦笑道:「大姊妳就別取笑月兒了……要說月兒是哪裡學來的,如果大姊家裡也有個人經常弄傷自己,或許大姊也能三折肱而成良醫了。」聲音裡有著幾分無奈,幾分擔憂。797Please respect copyright.PENANAJO8gFwxCcJ
797Please respect copyright.PENANAZoabjX06bE
廚娘皺起眉,自然而然就顯想起那位同月兒入住的兄長。雖然月兒並沒有與那人同居一室,反倒是要了兩間相連的客房,但廚娘看得出來,月兒對這位兄長是十分敬重與愛護,每天每夜為了對方傷勢忙得不可開交。797Please respect copyright.PENANAUm7IxDfGw5
797Please respect copyright.PENANATrIJa2v9Ye
只是廚娘真的不懂,老天怎麼偏要捉弄這麼一個優秀的姑娘?月兒兄長的傷勢,正是身傷易瘉,眼疾難醫!不論傷病是好是壞,注定拖累......797Please respect copyright.PENANApYYd4YttKf
797Please respect copyright.PENANAxqi0J0HXtf
月兒太過專心於湯藥,沒有注意到廚娘神情變化。她簡單收拾下煮藥器具後,跟大姊道了個別,便捧著瓷碗回房間去了。797Please respect copyright.PENANAa9rvhuKaK7
797Please respect copyright.PENANAXBDQMAVyoG
廚娘望著明月般隱去的背影,不禁發出歎息。797Please respect copyright.PENANAx6YjxpSvP5
797Please respect copyright.PENANAI7FRN87blQ
造化弄人!