時間如同靜止般緩慢,又如同隔世般遙遠離去。545Please respect copyright.PENANAr4LxRO6zz2
545Please respect copyright.PENANA6MHRViE3bb
時節已經漸漸轉秋,青碧的山色褪黃了大半,紛飛的落葉在落地前優雅地旋舞,在落地後又漫無目的地隨意翻轉,隨風颺起的是溫柔低語的樹葉摩挲。545Please respect copyright.PENANAOXBzBD4XZA
545Please respect copyright.PENANAmc5Xif3EwS
拄杖在崎嶇的樹隙間穩步健行,逐日走出的細長窄道在樹林間極不顯眼,隨即可能被席地而生的草叢給吞沒。原本,這裡已不是人跡常至的林間深處。545Please respect copyright.PENANAb1fNexTk3Q
545Please respect copyright.PENANACqQVtgTxmV
然而只要多走幾步路,便可發覺稀奇的野生草種。由毒蛇糞土裡生長的劍藤才真正具有解毒功能,而難以栽種的七葉蘭在此地從六葉甚至九葉都有,麻雀花雖然是人畜皆懼的毒物,但在一些絕症裡卻是極為有效的治藥。545Please respect copyright.PENANApt5NUymD6X
545Please respect copyright.PENANAqEPaxPvgNO
一路走著便可採掘一路的草藥,即使非可直接藥用或食用的植物,也能如數家珍地一一識別出品種與特性。對於可能出現的野生動物,同樣地能列舉出食用的療效,蛇膽清熱袪濕,鹿茸治虛補筋……像是自家後院一樣,總是能不斷地發掘出新物種,也只有自己才會閒情逸緻地深入這座山林。545Please respect copyright.PENANARmRitnt8xG
545Please respect copyright.PENANAuIQJ1sbT1T
帶著籃中隨手採摘來的植物葉片,看日光也已爬高沸熱,便轉身往回頭路走去。545Please respect copyright.PENANA5estAevru4
545Please respect copyright.PENANAdmYa4xqPIV
少婦一身素布粗衣,步行卻顯得端雅雍容,笠帽覆上一層輕紗,絕不讓人窺見其貌。545Please respect copyright.PENANAK26CmxKWyv
545Please respect copyright.PENANAGHYEgNUlnk
趁著清晨起身採藥,洗淨後便可在日光下烘曬以便藏存,每隔三日便到山腳下的谷地裡為村民們看病,屋梁上也時常擺掛村民所謝贈的禮肉禮糧,生活已不憂吃穿住,每日規律的作息更是平靜地讓人無所欲求。545Please respect copyright.PENANARmmPOqSwOA
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或者說,如今的生活正如她所安排的一般,所以心中才會如此平靜。545Please respect copyright.PENANA2S0ioAdydQ
545Please respect copyright.PENANAfWHIbIOm4B
所以,即使看到岩壁陰影下的慘白大貓,也沒有太多餘的驚訝吧。545Please respect copyright.PENANA534KinMeqR
545Please respect copyright.PENANAhyDeLNVXFi
少婦停下腳步注視著小溪對岸的白色活物,那是一個人,體形相當精壯有力,卻有著極不相稱的白晰身體,連髮色都淡如晨光。545Please respect copyright.PENANAI3iVPXPfmJ
545Please respect copyright.PENANAWOV5OtCd5v
大白貓如同野生動物,緊閉著眼蜷縮著身體躲在陷落裡。545Please respect copyright.PENANAfv2ScboiiF
545Please respect copyright.PENANAprmceNELcb
該像平常遇到牲畜般若無其事地無視嗎?比起考慮到對方是危險的流犯,她下意識地更當作猛獸野禽看待,只是這片刻連猶豫都稱不上的停頓,猛然赤瞳已壓迫視野,竹籃與採摘來的藥草陡翻散落,大白貓抓著少婦的手腕釘在樹幹上一手則擒住頸項。545Please respect copyright.PENANAw2K5o4PWwE
545Please respect copyright.PENANAyLV6Ij2LLD
如同豹匹迅捷敏銳,大概是察覺被人注視而嚇得從對岸撲來的吧。少婦打量著他兇惡的眼神,充滿血絲的瞳色比她所猜想的更加鮮紅。545Please respect copyright.PENANAkerWwddk7V
545Please respect copyright.PENANAm2PWhdWEDM
「──看來是頭受傷的大貓……」545Please respect copyright.PENANAquHkBhUiGZ
545Please respect copyright.PENANAscVGOZxY4d
少婦不禁脫口說出,男人微驚愕,卻仍威嚇地猛瞪著她。545Please respect copyright.PENANAseCqLuc02m
545Please respect copyright.PENANApHEScgwQv4
白紗下隱約有著曖昧不明的笑容,她又說道:「喂,需要我幫你療傷嗎?」545Please respect copyright.PENANATiP5UPpQoC
545Please respect copyright.PENANAAktwnikS46
545Please respect copyright.PENANA59iYZnX0qE
545Please respect copyright.PENANAqkDg1VpGS3
山腰稍微平坦之地被墾出一片略圓的禿地,夯土充實石板疊縫圍成一道矮牆,一間離地三吋的高腳木屋座落其中,屋側留了兩棵蔽蔭的樟樹與蠋松,屋前的空地上擺了幾座竹架子,其餘地方則種了些苦蘿根、芍香等易生常見的藥用植物。545Please respect copyright.PENANAit8O6cX41F
545Please respect copyright.PENANAO1AfExB5ly
少婦繞到屋後的水槽拔洗藥草,取下掛在牆面的方篩灑上石灰粉,將藥草一片片放置整齊,再置放於屋前的竹架子置曬。而後,才將滿身警戒不安的大白貓領入木屋。545Please respect copyright.PENANABIvkEKKGOQ
545Please respect copyright.PENANAV1K9CPSlRX
大白貓四處張望,屋內光線充足而通風,屋內收拾得井次有序,只是有一股刺鼻的藥草味……少婦正從藥味傳來的櫃子裡挑了幾瓶藥罐與麻布取下。545Please respect copyright.PENANAW6h8zPZ9iS
545Please respect copyright.PENANADH8UcQoL4Q
「坐下。」545Please respect copyright.PENANAIusIgnoi5V
545Please respect copyright.PENANApBNFWuvkh5
依著少婦近乎命令的指示,大白貓不甚甘願地坐在擺著藥品的矮几旁,少婦令他脫下遍佈血污與塵垢的老舊衣衫。原本大白貓身上就有許多大大小小的傷痕,而在左肩頭下的胸膛上,流出的體液與鵝黃的短絨草一起塗抹在泛黑的傷口上,然赭黝的血液還是有一著沒一著地緩緩滲出。545Please respect copyright.PENANA1Vh2chth6u
545Please respect copyright.PENANAEcOiL88M2N
裂口略呈扁錘狀,相當深入肌內,只是所幸沒傷及臟器,血流得並不多,但是傷處由紫入黑的血肉污色明顯地是毒性所致。545Please respect copyright.PENANAuINhRE80eE
545Please respect copyright.PENANAOFWOQLlJlK
少婦略刮起毒液,淺嚐一口。545Please respect copyright.PENANAaeqAaAubaH
545Please respect copyright.PENANAUmvatEFFaQ
大白貓不可置信地傻傻瞪大紅色眼瞳。545Please respect copyright.PENANA30eItm8EOt
545Please respect copyright.PENANA7CNRJzoJVY
少婦問道,「你自己摘野草療傷?」545Please respect copyright.PENANAv7yL9tvkoW
545Please respect copyright.PENANA9uiyKqVSXZ
大白貓點了點頭。545Please respect copyright.PENANA3rnfDxzscW
545Please respect copyright.PENANAzmJM6NfPC6
她取下黃色細毛一看,這種草毛是山間隨手可得止血良藥,卻恰好能凝聚傷口裡的毒性。…其中似乎還有難以取得動物性毒液…少婦沒有說出口,顯然是特意調配的毒藥,雖然並非會立即致死,卻是不可小覷的慢性巨毒,時日久了足以讓臟腑衰竭……545Please respect copyright.PENANA3FMAFh868G
545Please respect copyright.PENANABGXRRewyTu
看這頭大白貓似乎還挺身強體壯的,想必也已中毒有數日了。545Please respect copyright.PENANAF8FRDayGcF
545Please respect copyright.PENANAcbyFPryL00
少婦不再遲疑,動手清除黑色傷痂,接著猛力往傷口旁一擊,大白貓露出吃痛的表情,而濁色的鮮血也開始重新流出,少婦沾起一抹藥膏正要塞入傷口,大白貓往後縮了身。545Please respect copyright.PENANA40qPbJbKsr
545Please respect copyright.PENANAFB9vK6Npry
「嗯?」她也立即撤手,凜然板起臉孔,「不想活命就馬上離開,免得我浪費藥材!」545Please respect copyright.PENANA8BYT6opHNa
545Please respect copyright.PENANAbxbVXOVrsi
男人訕訕地移回位置上,少婦便又塗上膏藥,再拭乾傷口,又沾了些藥水或藥膏重複擦拭與塗抹的工作,最後敷上癒合與淨化的稠液,便包紮起傷處。545Please respect copyright.PENANAwy4H4J7lPL
545Please respect copyright.PENANAafrlBtQw4M
少婦收拾起醫具,邊說道:「毒物從傷口侵入體內,視情況必需再換幾次膏藥,同時與湯藥服用方能退解。在毒性散盡之前可以讓你在這裡睡地板。」545Please respect copyright.PENANADicceLkyiF
545Please respect copyright.PENANAgM6HqR8FSi
語畢,便丟下那隻看起來不再那麼警戒的大白貓,忙自己的日常事例去。545Please respect copyright.PENANA0jrHepksp7
545Please respect copyright.PENANAyR7Jmp3T00
像是大白貓的男人縮在屋子角落,直到天黑後才轉醒。545Please respect copyright.PENANA7Bh769w2uF
545Please respect copyright.PENANAtV9Oh3kupt
屋內只有一盞微弱的油燈,但對大白貓來說卻是相當溫和的照明。矮桌上留了些食物,他不客氣地徒手抓了就吃,雖然份量顯得不太足夠。545Please respect copyright.PENANAnWjv83B7LE
545Please respect copyright.PENANAImnAcjG473
差不多把食物盡數掃空時,少婦提著黑色的陶壺走入,即使天黑後她仍覆上薄紗遮掩面容。545Please respect copyright.PENANAc6VW4zWk7U
545Please respect copyright.PENANAnXUZxADkTr
把刺鼻又混濁的黑色熱湯傾入碗中,再遞到男人面前。「這是散毒的藥湯,味道很苦,你一定要喝到一滴不剩,否則,」面紗底下的臉龐似是盈滿笑意,「既然要耗費我藥材,不如調配毒藥來得省事。」545Please respect copyright.PENANAkrkuFlT886
545Please respect copyright.PENANA9c3VTWEPiU
面對的與自己膚色完全反比的黝黑湯藥,他帶著些微疑惑小小地啜了一口……545Please respect copyright.PENANAdTbKME6qBa
545Please respect copyright.PENANAon2sJPjL1d
果如少婦所言難咽濃苦,他極力摀住口鼻。少婦冷不妨又加了一句:「要趁熱喝,冷了會更苦。」545Please respect copyright.PENANA94M4BwsZ8r
545Please respect copyright.PENANATS1y54cGuo
大白貓回頭瞪起那一碗膽汁般的湯水,臉色比中毒時更加地鬱悶,最後是勉強一鼓作氣吞入肚中。少婦卻將壺中剩餘的藥底倒入杯中,若無其事地品嘗而起,模樣足以讓一隻大貓洩足了氣勢。545Please respect copyright.PENANAgv3u7XCcEF
545Please respect copyright.PENANAhLU3mhKyTJ
少婦蔑看他一眼,「沒事的話就再去睡吧,你至少還得休息個幾日才足夠。」545Please respect copyright.PENANA1W4YtIV6ek
545Please respect copyright.PENANAplLE2cchnx
大白貓卻直盯著少婦,發出低沉的聲音:「我想看妳的臉。」