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根據居民的指示，我沿著竹林小徑走了一整天，終於到達目的地：一間全竹結構的寺廟。它比我預想中更為破落，冷冷清清的。我抬頭望向高高懸掛在山門的匾額，寫著「竹寺」。685Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzUTG56gfmo
685Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbXzv4Ih8XH
蠻有意思的名字。685Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ3pbYzTUWw
685Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVgOPPsdX3O
當我正要邁步內進時，一個打扮樸素的瘦削大叔剛好開門踏出。四目交投，雙方都愣住了幾秒。685Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkPh3UB4Vpj
685Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfcVG1Vl662
「歡迎內進。」沒等我回答，大叔已轉身為我引路。685Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnLdpDCRNGv
685Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEYX6coy4OI
眼見天色漸暗，我不再磨蹭，看能否找到綫索，省卻逗留此地的時間：「不好意思喔，大叔！請問黃XX女士住在這裡嗎？」685Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNaz21T2c9E
685Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUABtXlcoPf
大叔的腳步突兀地戛然而止。685Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgScLuqPmDF
685Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVASp91NOIc
是我的提問過於唐突嗎？685Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvrSl0WHtIU
685Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5OgNLfpPe2
大叔回頭仔細打量我，神色疑惑，似乎在猜測我和黃女士的關係。685Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHgkywrIX85
685Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBvpLBildW5
「有人託我將信件親手轉交予黃女士。」685Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFEkGb3K8QU
685Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeJc8rUaHas
「黃女士已離開這裡好一段時間，不知何時會回來……甚或是不知會否回來。」685Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdfea5Dcb9t
685Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4VbWa6sCcQ
「她有透露去處嗎？」685Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8B8Vn5mtz5
685Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh3uUWEVaUI
「沒有……我帶你去她昔日的房間試找綫索。」685Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSc60lAjNCz
685Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIMGETblaWt
大叔再次邁步，步履沒有之前的輕，重若銀鉛。685Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtnCjRYBnGw
685Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr0LPvwDnWC
陰冷的空氣，空洞的房間，慘白的牆身，最基本的傢俬和雜物。沒有生活的氣息。685Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTRo1B8CZ0L
685Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpmUfxjOTkF
「剛才在門外碰見你，也還真令我驚訝。」大叔沒有進入房間，逕自在門外呢呢喃喃。「竹寺曾香火鼎盛。後來毗鄰的兩個小鎮分別新建更大更金碧輝煌的寺廟，無意間將信眾分流開去，到來竹寺掛單的僧侶亦逐漸減少，住持最終徇眾要求到另一寺廟主持大局。他指派我長駐於此，打掃清潔，說要方便途經的旅客。我一直覺得他想多了，豈料今天就遇見你。」685Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmjxWiu0iwl
685Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr9YYnMWoin
「可能佛祖不想我白走一趟。」我話中有話，提醒侍奉佛祖的大叔不要忘記佛祖的存在，萬萬不能撒謊。685Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZTuKXN4R2J
685Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrJNtJDyc1y
「我可以明天帶你見住持。他有掛單紀錄，可能有黃女士的聯絡資料。」大叔也不是省油的燈，簡單幾句就將我逼至沒有退路的位置：「但我希望你能先對我坦白事情的前因後果。住持是個大忙人。我可不希望為他增添不必要的麻煩。」685Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPm0lFN2Jui
685Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAVMBPQd5SU
我只得坦白交代。685Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVQK0fPLq4Y
685Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvpN6U6KcoG
我的妻子過身了。臨終前，她希望我能預留一年時間為她完成唯一的遺願：親手將遺書交予離家出走多年的生母——黃女士。事隔多年，黃女士曾在多個地方落腳。我每次根據綫索趕至時，她早已遷居。輾轉間，我追尋至竹寺……685Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR6l5n79qBu
685Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTTbA53Ok5t
「距離一年限期，還剩多少日子？」大叔生起關切之情。685Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRxmQwl2tlQ
685Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVop5EMrsEs
「三日。竹寺很可能是我的最後機會。」我加倍留意他的神色舉止。685Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFYhHfeBGB7
685Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx4Q0L1fCC8
「不考慮延長？」大叔表現出來的的關切絕對超過一個陌生人該有的限度。685Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYm0S2JUA8Q
685Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFm12y573ZO
「妻子信緣份。她認為努力過後仍沒能找到，證明彼此有緣無份，毋須強求。她還叮囑我要燒毀遺書。」685Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEtL8c7TfNn
685Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSxlexfJQ8N
大叔若有所思後，講出驚人的一句：「若果一年期限屆滿時仍找不到黃女士，介意給我看看遺書嗎？」685Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6RIUMeUK4n
685Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfFX5hH0few
「極度介意！」我心裡認定大叔有事隱瞞。685Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtQOtgnQITC
685Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbxRL5rkgfi
尷尬氣氛令大叔不再多話。685Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkG0KDng6eE
685Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNLmCF042GA
晚餐後，大叔在其他地方忙著，我則留在房間對著愛妻的照片痛哭一場。哭過以後，壓力得以紓緩，但心頭卻未能添加半分澄明，混沌混濁。685Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAdQECS3Ktp
685Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbM5Rt4MYbT
我離房在寺內溜達散心。逛著逛著，忽爾看見大叔彎腰對著花園中的小樹喁喁細語，臉上盡是蜜甜。685Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmkyNN0T5PJ
685Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDLxSsTYmOj
我上前跟大叔打招呼。他微笑回應，和顏悅色，渾身散發著慈祥氣息，沒有白天時的隔膜。我嘗試放下戒心，開心見誠與他聊天。685Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYeqTKAVZC5
685Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwCSPcMHzvd
不知怎地，聊著聊著，話題竟牽到大叔的心事去。685Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtfy4gXXgN6
685Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNdvCyHHXOR
「貪，使人執著於一切順情之境。嗔，使人執著於一切違情之境。痴，使人不明白真理，致使生起貪嗔。685Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs5Cb6acUiS
685Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ79rImlXcSe
我痴愚半生，痛苦不已。到此地求法，希望住持指點迷津。但他認為我凡心未盡，要我留在這裡靜思。685Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOTXvEbeHpI
685Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC41HRGzjsW
我在竹寺侍奉多年，住持依然不為所動。我以為他在敷衍我。今天遇到你，我才明白住持所言非虛：任何無關的人事物都可輕易勾起我對逝去伴侶的思念。」685Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdesg7QVVmb
685Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl9MJPLSSGR
我終於明白初時大叔何以對我不太友善。685Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf7IwOUPZgX
685Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbowxur0LMW
將心比心。喪妻之後，任何人事物均能勾起我和對太太的思念。我曾抱怨上天幸災樂禍，何解不讓我安靜避世。我已盡力放下身邊一切，辭掉工作，不聯絡親友，遷出愛巢，但偏偏愛妻的遺願就是要我去彌補她的畢生遺憾！我沒有一刻能放下她，因為我的分分秒秒就是為她而過。685Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDarCAMHGxr
685Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWQOsG10pwu
那種痛苦實非筆墨所能形容。685Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl1MZwGGchN
685Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRt4Zh6Pre6
「你的妻子真聰明，給你的痛苦設下一年期限。只要你在這一年裡拼命為她圓願，往後也就了無遺憾或悔疚。我可沒那麼幸運，不知要拖著這副臭皮囊乾等到哪年哪月哪日……」685Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoWvu3Js5bI
685Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsUM6BGuP8Z
說罷，他跟我和小樹說晚安，然後揚長而去。685Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnoyIMSQNKo
685Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRN8Y8qbg9F
翌日，我翻遍整間竹寺亦找不到大叔，只在他的房間找到他留給我的手繪地圖。我跟著地圖的指示走了大半天，來到住持現處的寺廟。685Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrdTYps1fXp
685Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzGcnTONv46
住持聽罷我的經歷後，不禁黯然慨嘆：「黃女士始終凡心未盡……」685Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK6U7I9Ql9b
685Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡInUh3qUbOs
黃女士當年拋夫棄女，與情夫私奔。豈料甜蜜日子不長久，情夫患急病逝世。黃女士大受打擊，認為是自己作孽甚深，連累情夫。她來到竹寺，望住持能指點迷津。住持認為她深陷激動情緒當中，容易作出錯誤選擇，逐要她在竹寺靜思己過。可惜她半夜逃離。當黃女士重臨竹寺時，她已花光積蓄在黑市做手術整容及變性，以情夫的外表現身……685Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡednjSPQvFT
685Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOkFrdyrBNt
「大叔就是黃女士？」我不禁驚呼。685Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtahh3J9fXh
685Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmGnJYRiEdY
震驚之情瞬間即逝，取而代之的是說不出的矛盾。685Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcuBQtVb0lM
685Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHr6M5ITDge
這個人，我恨不來，亦原諒不了。685Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡske8PfRfWh
685Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzVSIRAgRDk
翌日，我和住持往竹寺走一趟。685Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwstdz4E6b7
685Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiHrdfTcCRw
寺前，我倆不約而同抬頭望向匾額。685Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSWl2venzJ2
685Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnLGBWU1xNn
「你知道『竹寺』何以得名嗎？」住持問。685Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8RbASzj9vz
685Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxVfajNIUFU
「等？」我的猜想有如初來之時。685Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuDUX9GONGz
685Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqfxNx0acRL
「這名字只不過是客觀描述寺廟本身。」住持揚手指向全竹結構的寺廟：「大家實在想多了，對自己的想像投放情感，賦予它過多的意義，致使看不見眼前真象。」685Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAC5bJqNaJU
685Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJJJOprC0su
我驀地憶起大叔前夜的說話。685Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAlz0uxU9ia
685Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡflRTpJaGQh
住持直接走往花園。不出他所料，小樹已被連根拔起，樹下土地被挖出一個大坑，足以容納一個成人。685Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAEhoDUHDeL
685Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnnfZ4eSd2x
我心頭一涼，頓時明白那是甚麼一回事：多年以來，情夫的屍首一直埋在這裡。685Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhN9OcxJxLP
685Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLN4g0bXtJI
我鼻頭一酸，淚如雨下。685Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbA4yN2oSID
685Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiWRFjiBY4m
「『強逼自己放下執著』也是一種執著。」685Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡovQgf8OZJ4
685Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdjMde9cZ8I
住持淡然望天，開始為一切生者亡者誦經。
