冬日,藍天,小雪。287Please respect copyright.PENANAdGfUvpcErO
287Please respect copyright.PENANAe5cRkIBJpJ
空氣乾冷,每次呼吸都會令肺部生起輕微灼痛之感。287Please respect copyright.PENANAgR8CRzEU86
287Please respect copyright.PENANA4gK2J5OnJ6
帶娣不期然騰出手來,將掩鼻布巾稍稍拉整,以保存溫熱濕潤的鼻息。287Please respect copyright.PENANALRchLyRBeN
287Please respect copyright.PENANAwi5bOgTAyB
「若有快馬一匹,那該多好!」她心想。雖說不是弱質纖纖大家閨秀,但背負整整一籃子大蘿蔔在寒冬雪地上陡步行走於她亦是一件苦事。287Please respect copyright.PENANA5Pba7h1CTf
287Please respect copyright.PENANAUB6cRvX3q6
「小姐。」忽爾有道男聲叫住帶娣:「有興趣占卦嗎?」287Please respect copyright.PENANAEWYzZEJZRP
287Please respect copyright.PENANAkUzbvS2Y3a
帶娣循聲望去,只見不遠處梅樹下有一老者正在向她點首微笑。沒有回應的必要,但帶娣自然而然地回了句:「不了。沒錢。」287Please respect copyright.PENANAjISpkGG0yh
287Please respect copyright.PENANABo7B2BY45s
「免費的。」老者沒有絲毫不悅,掏扇撥涼。287Please respect copyright.PENANAEwWhQEybE6
287Please respect copyright.PENANAVATsBtQoYR
「那麼好?」帶娣生起戒心——世上哪可能有這麼便宜的事情?287Please respect copyright.PENANAv2FHRf3LGP
287Please respect copyright.PENANAZ0Wm551Xat
「占卦師乃天界人間之橋樑,工作不外乎『為凡人找答案』和『為天界傳遞訊息』。」光頭紅頰白長鬚的老者笑意盈盈,遠看活像寺廟神像。287Please respect copyright.PENANATIEO4V4wRZ
287Please respect copyright.PENANAy11HUf0jAj
「我沒需要找答案。」帶娣斷言拒絕,再次開步。287Please respect copyright.PENANAVUM7hjOg2y
287Please respect copyright.PENANAnNERAXdtmt
「但天界託我傳訊息給你。」老者不急不躁,語速不徐不疾:「關於你的終身大事。」287Please respect copyright.PENANANCPL3aRBzo
287Please respect copyright.PENANAXXmIDXPIb2
這話正中帶娣下懷——終身大事!287Please respect copyright.PENANARZ2mcuWEyY
287Please respect copyright.PENANAya9j1HpncV
農村女大多十三、十四歲時出嫁,以早日生孩子,為夫家提供更多工作人口。而且農村人自知身份卑微,對成親對象沒多要求,只消四肢健全、頭腦正常、能夠正常工作,再醜再窮亦不會乏人問津。287Please respect copyright.PENANA8ujOHdrpyy
287Please respect copyright.PENANASfVGjHZMfO
但單身的帶娣下個月將要踏入十九歲!287Please respect copyright.PENANAmbQk6wWonm
287Please respect copyright.PENANAOXHSAxwBgo
怎麼會無人提親?不知有多少鄉里背著她議論紛紛,甚至有人已認定帶娣是個不祥人,有意無意疏遠她、孤立她……287Please respect copyright.PENANAd9QmNaxoPw
287Please respect copyright.PENANArSU1A4hV1E
帶娣神色緊張,急步走向老者,恭敬奉上三條大蘿蔔:「請你為我占卦吧。」287Please respect copyright.PENANA3N6ppF8xgK
往大城路上,帶娣不斷思索手中籤文之意。老者不予解釋,只給她一張籤文,奈何她目不識丁,村內又無人識字,那可怎麼辦?苦惱之際,她驀地發覺自己已到達目的地——大城市集。287Please respect copyright.PENANA5Seau5VTxM
287Please respect copyright.PENANAQf5uSfKCO8
她千里迢迢到大城來就是為了賣出大蘿蔔。老爹種蘿蔔很有一手,尺寸大、水份足、味清甜,每年都能賣得好價錢,賺來的錢足夠買下過冬糧食和一條肥豬肉。她努力叫賣。蘿蔔的好有目共睹,可惜今年經濟不景氣,人人都想年末多留一分錢在口袋,不停雞蛋裡挑骨頭,務求低價買蘿蔔。帶娣見怪不怪,沒有退讓,確保了收入,卻增加了賣蘿蔔所需時間。287Please respect copyright.PENANANXDceb0aOp
287Please respect copyright.PENANAqN3iOIZvOT
蘿蔔賣清光時,天色已黑,大多店鋪已打烊。帶娣苦苦掙扎於該否連夜冒險趕路回家,翌日再來大城買東西,抑或花點小錢到客棧投宿,翌日買糧食後踏上歸途……忽爾靈機一觸,決定到寺廟借宿。287Please respect copyright.PENANAGKMhfHBgBj
287Please respect copyright.PENANAWH9LucstOQ
天氣極寒,寺廟擠滿前來借宿的無家可歸者。寺廟住持命人為大家生火取暖,還提供一頓免費齋菜給大家充飢。帶娣留意到角落有一位看似讀書人的小伙子,連忙厚著臉皮上前請他解籤。287Please respect copyright.PENANAWVqEiuII6o
287Please respect copyright.PENANAiM5ofyz3vP
讀書人聽原委、接籤文,先是一呆,繼而一笑:「籤文說,小寒當日,你的真命天子會出現在梅花樹下。」287Please respect copyright.PENANARDY1YlyupT
287Please respect copyright.PENANAt7G2YVQdNR
「哪棵梅花樹?甚麼時辰?他是誰?甚麼樣子?我們是否會馬上成婚?」帶娣求嫁之心洋溢於表,忘形緊扯著讀書人衣袖不放手。287Please respect copyright.PENANAaZN3VwcloR
287Please respect copyright.PENANA8MYjkhgPsf
「籤文沒有提及。不然你試想想有沒有哪棵梅花樹於你有特別意義。」讀書人眉頭輕皺,擔心帶娣會扯破他的衣服。287Please respect copyright.PENANAxHR91FOi2k
287Please respect copyright.PENANAAR9EgCCHoa
占卦老者不就是站於梅花樹下麼?難道是那棵樹?一定是!287Please respect copyright.PENANAew9cTIisAr
287Please respect copyright.PENANAKPZ7ysGak8
帶娣大喜,連聲謝過讀書人。287Please respect copyright.PENANAXtIgfTgWK5
回家以後,帶娣一直心心念念小寒當日將會出現的那抹身影。神不守舍,工作頻頻犯錯,招致金錢損失。老爹問清緣故後悖然大怒:「你這笨蛋!怎麼會相信占卦這回事?動動腦筋吧!」287Please respect copyright.PENANARKc9nKkgaV
287Please respect copyright.PENANAM4wToqhiHL
罵聲震天,吵得鄰居們清楚聽到對話內容。帶娣成為村中笑柄,人人皆拿她當笑料。自尊受損,帶娣提不起勁工作,乾脆窩在家裡呆等小寒到來。287Please respect copyright.PENANAMTu4GL9QvE
287Please respect copyright.PENANAiLWOdbqpcS
顏面受損,加上帶娣不願工作,老爹對帶娣更是沒甚麼好臉色。某夜,老爹再次因瑣碎小事對帶娣大發脾氣。盛怒之下,他失控暴打帶娣。帶娣咬緊牙關,不吭一聲,雙臂抱頭護著臉蛋,心中只求不要被打得臉青鼻腫,以免在真命天子心中留下不好印象。287Please respect copyright.PENANAdYLsGDJBzk
287Please respect copyright.PENANAcoGslQwdwK
踏入亥時,帶娣所有家人已倒頭大睡。她抵著劇痛起床,匆匆梳洗打扮,披上厚衣離家,趕在子時之前到達梅花樹下。287Please respect copyright.PENANAj4fegPsVK7
287Please respect copyright.PENANANrh3exMMqN
寒。287Please respect copyright.PENANATfIGxKeA0H
287Please respect copyright.PENANADZLRnF0CY9
「小寒」標誌著開始進入一年中最寒冷的日子,奈何身寒不及心寒。287Please respect copyright.PENANAhCG8wa9BEg
287Please respect copyright.PENANAan6YZ0v93H
對方會出現嗎?287Please respect copyright.PENANAspidTTCwDg
287Please respect copyright.PENANAXkTamJj4qh
「會。」她再三告訴自己,強要自己堅持下去。287Please respect copyright.PENANA6yy5hlU8B4
287Please respect copyright.PENANAjwQkJLMVPl
對方會嫌棄她是窮困潦倒的大齡農家女嗎?287Please respect copyright.PENANASv8JGWOOyp
287Please respect copyright.PENANAfTsmTp14bw
「不會。」她不停催眠自己,未來夫君定會待她如珠如寶。287Please respect copyright.PENANAu3O8JvMJEv
287Please respect copyright.PENANAncuXgmJJfH
身體的痛、環境的寒和內心對幸福愛情的憧憬形成強烈對比,她的思緒於希望與失望之間來回跳躍。忐忑、不安、未知將她情緒推向極致。不可以!她誓要把眼淚強忍下來——總不能甫見面就哭得一塌糊塗。287Please respect copyright.PENANAMYH7bEMKKf
287Please respect copyright.PENANAsxQ5oDqprz
痛。287Please respect copyright.PENANAlJNz4w7lo2
287Please respect copyright.PENANAWabZIJkfz1
頭痛欲裂。後腦剛才被老爹重擊過,加上此刻寒風吹襲,受傷位置彷如被巨石擠壓,思緒漸見不清。287Please respect copyright.PENANAnTXeS14KWt
287Please respect copyright.PENANAeiZSzCWfmE
這棵樹?那棵樹?哪棵才是籤文所講的梅花樹?287Please respect copyright.PENANAyukCw0vXrt
287Please respect copyright.PENANAkICKNaWvCr
有可能趕在子時(一天中第一個時辰)前去到嗎?287Please respect copyright.PENANA3eS4VVXfxa
287Please respect copyright.PENANAgX7bFLoUNO
若果遲到,對方會否離開,不再出現?287Please respect copyright.PENANA6bnJU30L2n
287Please respect copyright.PENANAFK1Emxjg2d
絕望。287Please respect copyright.PENANAP4h2EgI43W
287Please respect copyright.PENANAcvwG49iDka
帶娣意識到自己沒可能在一片樹林中找到那棵樹。287Please respect copyright.PENANA4eHOIJs4I6
287Please respect copyright.PENANAUqmMWY8JxJ
跌坐地上,哭。287Please respect copyright.PENANAW8PqWot2l0
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撕心裂肺。287Please respect copyright.PENANAxbOHJzMAxZ
287Please respect copyright.PENANAkHXEL7aPzW
颯颯風中,倏忽聽見杳杳嗓音:「你在找我嗎?」287Please respect copyright.PENANA2NwBY14Q8w
287Please respect copyright.PENANArjq9IkxMJZ
帶娣抬頭,驚見不遠處聳立一棵參天梅花樹。她連忙止住哭聲,撐起身子往梅花樹跑去。287Please respect copyright.PENANAIBsVVNVGCf
287Please respect copyright.PENANARyep1UGFYx
樹下有人影。對方面朝前方、背對她。帶娣不假思索,衝前從後環抱對方。對方沒有掙扎,轉過身來將她擁入懷裡。帶娣哭,哭中帶笑,笑容裡滿是幸福快樂:「是真的!真的有人會愛我!」287Please respect copyright.PENANAehryyelf0y
287Please respect copyright.PENANAJleHAAnJvJ
她抬起頭,想要看看真命天子的臉。誰料天上繁星突然變亮,星光耀眼得她再也睜不開眼……287Please respect copyright.PENANA655OpKbnEG
日。眾人在樹林中找到她的遺體。287Please respect copyright.PENANAd9BCV08Vff
287Please respect copyright.PENANAFuVDBh1DJK
老爹呼天搶地,自責對帶娣動粗。287Please respect copyright.PENANAxXEbqdSAPU
287Please respect copyright.PENANAc0UAPcPwiU
村民口頭上紛表惋措,說帶娣其實是個很不錯的女生。287Please respect copyright.PENANA2Kctcyo5zH
287Please respect copyright.PENANAiBiMb4NHjM
讀書人從寺廟住持口中聽見帶娣死訊,暗忖:「那農婦真笨,竟會相信鬼神之說!」287Please respect copyright.PENANAdsefPVvVtr
287Please respect copyright.PENANAFIyuhsmlnv
老者從路人口中聽見帶娣遭遇,心裡發笑:「她真笨!我為了騙幾個大蘿蔔而亂寫一通,怎麼她會相信?」287Please respect copyright.PENANAHkHckF46Yt