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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」。665Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcjoIZCvsyo
665Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡniA9wOAUVZ
蠻有意思的名字。665Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkifoTmV8tv
665Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIoFTq50Ffq
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。665Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxzFLDiGCpy
665Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIKLHjmatlp
「歡迎內進。」沒等我回答，大叔已轉身為我引路。665Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ83nYUsxATh
665Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡycd1frA4sm
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？」665Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwbxR60R5A3
665Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzgDIbaXqxS
大叔的腳步突兀地戛然而止。665Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzlIJTQlu90
665Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzFxlg9xNTt
是我的提問過於唐突嗎？665Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPEqVlnBzMp
665Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡysyYQjSdGs
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。665Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLv6OA7U5yq
665Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFvDe2LOad9
「有人託我將信件親手轉交予黃女士。」665Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnouMOgB4jR
665Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5d9npQ4pcS
「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。」665Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFEQMZkaE8E
665Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn9vNctMHyn
「她有透露去處嗎？」665Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe2HB58g7ou
665Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmWipsRgWbY
「沒有……我帶你去她昔日的房間試找綫索。」665Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjmvv68M5nF
665Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ68aJjZkh6E
大叔再次邁步，步履沒有之前的輕，重若銀鉛。665Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsBNze274S9
665Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSHVdeb6bE5
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。665Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOcpjOF6Baw
665Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMc04N4Ly9C
「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。」665Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxaKbo5hpsU
665Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP9OkP5uvel
「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。665Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBtz7IKaZ4I
665Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSGNS4kSRCh
「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。」665Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk3wdMIYCCO
665Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH9ZDIm04PP
我只得坦白交代。665Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXCVWlnGrie
665Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTUOLAHZqFi
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……665Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEtvqQTapBZ
665Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd1GjA835dS
「距離一年限期，還剩多少日子？」大叔生起關切之情。665Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0NGUH0p9xi
665Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP7VRo2dUZI
「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。665Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiUZKm6evHF
665Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpntX7nFcBs
「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。665Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7T16P58bBH
665Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtp5V7X0Uwt
「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。」665Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRku8f8I8ZY
665Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtUAqOVR0Hv
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？」665Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDpTa5IMSVX
665Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqPsIMgZAEI
「極度介意！」我心裡認定大叔有事隱瞞。665Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwNSQ7UslU0
665Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTfFTwJisjU
尷尬氣氛令大叔不再多話。665Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4CNpBDe5gJ
665Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWgfCWB2FFE
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。665Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV6ZuYwkD0X
665Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtztovUCSEs
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。665Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQu1pWmcHs2
665Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEnFMTt84B9
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。665Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTsrzapRUfq
665Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk25zZYj5H5
不知怎地，聊著聊著，話題竟牽到大叔的心事去。665Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ237lPvaOWJ
665Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDewlPV0vQ6
「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。665Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx8XV9lWBTm
665Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5ae2KoV69K
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。665Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjf8bsxM8Tk
665Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoS9d0GO5MB
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。」665Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLlMCIh22p7
665Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5sJYmXn8Jn
我終於明白初時大叔何以對我不太友善。665Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA1JixRLgrJ
665Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvn63iUVUqQ
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。665Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmS50F4o3ya
665Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡODzLxS2SYM
那種痛苦實非筆墨所能形容。665Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6TaaGoJqsi
665Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVkDVZa2G1T
「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……」665Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuQYQtiXAk9
665Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ24OrLjcYL2
說罷，他跟我和小樹說晚安，然後揚長而去。665Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7FFLWEnuBs
665Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSBppBJJByd
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。665Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4AaJrL0aAt
665Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSjgSzXG09q
住持聽罷我的經歷後，不禁黯然慨嘆：「黃女士始終凡心未盡……」665Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvANSH6wlNY
665Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8FKyciKIJn
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……665Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0wPS9SdJzd
665Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7hK0GuQj6B
「大叔就是黃女士？」我不禁驚呼。665Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFJXf2UOdnj
665Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmzRzfD2FJd
震驚之情瞬間即逝，取而代之的是說不出的矛盾。665Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ058WeooyIX
665Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2zpZ3ZXQkI
這個人，我恨不來，亦原諒不了。665Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVyySLg571S
665Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp88vNvd43Z
翌日，我和住持往竹寺走一趟。665Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9xormDYCw8
665Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwDpS7KzIFd
寺前，我倆不約而同抬頭望向匾額。665Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBQjvGVCir6
665Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg76OfpLqre
「你知道『竹寺』何以得名嗎？」住持問。665Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSYPQbXZaIG
665Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNgVjmVsFTR
「等？」我的猜想有如初來之時。665Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuj18BNTA4L
665Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡobXotzAQMA
「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。」665Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDCg9mZLfX2
665Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9FMgzAttN1
我驀地憶起大叔前夜的說話。665Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡteBAhmVDUi
665Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrLXRFdHiaC
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。665Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi1oXcn4fTi
665Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdM5S0F8OJv
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。665Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFnPt0UbPGP
665Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoqn6AG1zXb
我鼻頭一酸，淚如雨下。665Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ34INUfv3AD
665Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4EoF2WzG8f
「『強逼自己放下執著』也是一種執著。」665Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk2FAdUroNL
665Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ73ZMhMTH8
住持淡然望天，開始為一切生者亡者誦經。
