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媽媽是個有趣的女人，熱愛猜謎，亦愛看我猜謎時的苦惱模樣。872Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQNGHClklxA
872Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTM9vjvh02B
「它偶爾像一個葡萄包，甜甜的，果腹的，令人感到快樂滿足的。它偶爾像一灘鼻水，黏黏稠稠的，令人寸步難行。更多時候，它像空氣，人們運用了它而不自覺……它到底是甚麼？」872Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjJcdySB5u6
872Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUsbtQXPT65
當時我年紀尚小，曾花上數天認真探討謎底，奈何交出的多個答案統統不對。後來我遇上更多比猜謎更新奇有趣的玩意，自然而然淡忘了那個謎語。872Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJVzA49Ls0P
872Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzU2XkrvEJK
直至數十年後的今日，媽媽彌留之際，她竟再次提及那個謎語。我和丈夫齊齊動腦筋，卻沒有一個答案能令她點頭。872Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu4fExuQSOu
872Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV4uUxnk4mo
當晚，媽媽病逝。喪禮後，我重投正常生活，忙得不可開交，不過我每星期必會騰出一天回家探望獨居的爸爸。又一個星期天。老家還是老樣子，爸爸也還是那副深沉的模樣，不苟言笑。我默默完成打掃活，提議與爸爸一起到公園散步。872Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡScCRmL7InH
872Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡceN5lQdqS6
「你回家去忙你的。往後不必來。」爸爸淡然望向窗外。872Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡut4cG3U2mu
872Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYx7yi4yXSl
「不要緊。我閒得很。」我強擠微笑，撒謊——其實我很想回家陪伴孩子。872Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBiMHVDxXbT
872Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHj7FgMtZHL
「你記得《燕詩》嗎？」爸爸突然話鋒一轉，彷彿回到那個教書的年紀，彷彿我是他其中一個學生。872Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1GEk5PWUN4
872Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcCsD39GS0Y
「樑上有雙燕，翩翩雄與雌……」我人到中年仍可以隨口背誦出中學課本的課文，自問是個及格有餘的教師女兒。872Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZRsxjlVaTa
872Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt0mCmwIO1T
原以為爸爸打算說教訓話，誰料他拿出媽媽的遺書遞給我看：「謎底就是《燕詩》。」872Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhxp5lxVHE3
872Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5Yt1D1rIF8
「兩者有何關連？」本已疲累的我此刻更是頭昏腦脹。872Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv9uU2ox1o5
872Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCOCZTvVtd7
「我起初也不明白，直至我剛剛看見你打掃完畢後的疲倦模樣。」爸爸苦笑：「難怪你媽那麼討厭《燕詩》，說它誤人子弟。」872Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo61EgI5XdH
872Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnHHNKbsGDP
「我不明白。」我開始不甚耐煩，希望爸爸可以直白講重點，不要轉彎抹角。872Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHCn1AXJmzt
872Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMLoxKx3hjq
「你必須自己去想明白那個答案——你的外祖母臨終前也是這樣囑咐你媽。」爸爸沒有更多的解說，逕自回到睡房去，不再理會我。872Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbVoAul43Tj
872Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpthxcRyhGG
回家路上，我的腦袋不受控似的，不停在謎語和《燕詩》之間來回打圈轉。872Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvlS8q8E2kr
872Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPfJXaTkPey
抵家。孩子一如平日，興奮無比上前迎接我。我摸摸他們的頭，讚他們乖，內心苦惱稍得舒緩。872Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ319GeFohDT
872Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHS1mR46V76
夜深，孩子們終於入眠，我和丈夫準備就寢去。872Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnUavtShqjd
872Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxuOv4Rkr9d
丈夫關心問我：「與岳父吵架？」872Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcF5eOocd5f
872Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpkf3FdfH8B
「不是。」既然丈夫察覺到我的異樣，我亦毋須隱瞞：「記得媽媽的那個謎語嗎？」872Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUZeZWAov4S
872Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoNCMioWmZK
「記得。我們的答案全軍覆沒。」丈夫傻笑。872Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI0MaR9a2D0
872Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG2YGj4Jkox
「原來答案是『《燕詩》』。」我嘆一口氣。872Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXbiLe7ADy2
872Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNKFSWIzgTz
丈夫若有所思，沒有立即回話。872Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfjtUsKDeKc
872Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBInYi21xTr
「你明白？」看見丈夫似懂非懂的表情，我莫名其妙地火冒三丈。872Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5HUYuRBX4O
872Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9Z7SqL1rSI
「你曾否覺得『養育孩子』是一件很偉大的事，或是覺得孩子對我們有所虧欠？」丈夫巧妙地以提問回應我的問題。872Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHb8DNu5YYw
872Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3K8LKzR6tF
「永不……」我一把倒進丈夫懷內，幻想著孩子將來成家立室後與我倆漸行漸遠——原來會是多麼的心甘情願。872Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgTB1YV1qBV
872Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF1lXln4xI2
父母的唸書聲驀地在我耳邊響起——「當時父母念，今日爾應知。」872Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa86cq3TI5Q
