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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。873Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgMxZpZU80O
873Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBIMw97I5xk
「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？」873Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ5XfH6TJ3K
873Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNIQc3w2Vi1
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。873Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0qLTMAFdu9
873Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVy4MbYA4Oq
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。873Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxL3Sq7uvwS
873Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXdCM9o9EK5
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。873Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn3r780qGux
873Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVqYpxCs5VP
「你回家去忙你的。往後不必來。」爸爸淡然望向窗外。873Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnBxN1JXyHw
873Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6p8T6qeXuw
「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。873Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeibJDRUFln
873Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHgMSHds88i
「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。873Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhxlxbouFp4
873Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpCNbRjUOeA
「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。873Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy3EvrI4c7F
873Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPOtsbn62oA
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》。」873Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAY4JA7q6Fy
873Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0SBl3UrBhM
「兩者有何關連？」本已疲累的我此刻更是頭昏腦脹。873Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi85HbOeh4V
873Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC0iH7wi4gh
「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。」873Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ64bsNB7Up
873Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡinPcWFKtqV
「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。873Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbwm97bLDD3
873Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5sjIXa2O1Y
「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。873Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh5HJjsqjbD
873Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWFFObFBLsl
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。873Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpyjNkx1yc0
873Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡclkHNK9Mrx
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。873Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCpKkWP0etT
873Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsyVBFuXOT2
夜深，孩子們終於入眠，我和丈夫準備就寢去。873Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxMmVC4nBiw
873Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOQuN8cE4zL
丈夫關心問我：「與岳父吵架？」873Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0WC7Fvzuyi
873Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc9g9jlQMfJ
「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？」873Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNwwhnWroXr
873Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9xY5wT6Y3b
「記得。我們的答案全軍覆沒。」丈夫傻笑。873Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJR4X4jjNUb
873Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLrsiWz1XIx
「原來答案是『《燕詩》』。」我嘆一口氣。873Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7TKCzvWBTp
873Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBPv3zZNtgK
丈夫若有所思，沒有立即回話。873Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCn4MWW2fH6
873Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJBoFjQxk3r
「你明白？」看見丈夫似懂非懂的表情，我莫名其妙地火冒三丈。873Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcooJwN3f3N
873Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxjwRg15rBJ
「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。873Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEN1607PgMJ
873Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwz9HaHJpIn
「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。873Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf9srepRal2
873Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsLQdJ1Lzwl
父母的唸書聲驀地在我耳邊響起——「當時父母念，今日爾應知。」873Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsogHs931Rx
