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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。874Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUB9OYp6HPd
874Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPxy4zLOu5y
「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？」874Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJZOYR128sk
874Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPv2vItMLNt
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。874Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5otXBYY9wH
874Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCcPq5llZHw
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。874Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs4I5Nfx7g9
874Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTnFsZv98Lu
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。874Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmqn0O4HNBN
874Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7HQoYR6Psb
「你回家去忙你的。往後不必來。」爸爸淡然望向窗外。874Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBjkS8uREg5
874Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRfAgUZBMFe
「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。874Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ81iZoyvS6Y
874Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk2JMtFy5M0
「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。874Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1w2btOgEKZ
874Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVrUFPBTW5q
「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。874Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNYwQ5WyaUQ
874Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvKEri2P54C
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》。」874Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7682RtOWYU
874Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaIYnNr2Ssz
「兩者有何關連？」本已疲累的我此刻更是頭昏腦脹。874Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2CHKgxIuzC
874Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhtJ24OG5ob
「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。」874Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnUtlFCh4Dw
874Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLuVt074Ydn
「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。874Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8w7kflfrBs
874Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6BqRGVMSkR
「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。874Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVVF6nIZzZD
874Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr77sUXaLJo
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。874Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVf5IfY2yct
874Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN51UNKY2Qb
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。874Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnDCiEeJXBG
874Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkQzWR87hon
夜深，孩子們終於入眠，我和丈夫準備就寢去。874Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs4N57NqRks
874Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtRg0fhD9Wl
丈夫關心問我：「與岳父吵架？」874Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9GxNr0q61g
874Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB7IaxTtuva
「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？」874Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ8WorKZDcc
874Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaO6XhQ2FYh
「記得。我們的答案全軍覆沒。」丈夫傻笑。874Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOKDUeToyLP
874Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUCPIOvtI5J
「原來答案是『《燕詩》』。」我嘆一口氣。874Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzySUv7iEjh
874Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyXav3AIg26
丈夫若有所思，沒有立即回話。874Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcgGztXvug7
874Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEkZ56PeuQJ
「你明白？」看見丈夫似懂非懂的表情，我莫名其妙地火冒三丈。874Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkyz3fICJ10
874Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVg94oujhGX
「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。874Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAjcGfgww86
874Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVMZanc2yf5
「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。874Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN1cgUEA2wq
874Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡioYENLTnvu
父母的唸書聲驀地在我耳邊響起——「當時父母念，今日爾應知。」874Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUxbPvH5IKN
