初夏時節,嶺南村的梅樹已結實累累,村裡不論是已出嫁還是尚未出嫁的女子,此時都在滿樹青綠下,以帶繭的雙手採擷一顆顆脆嫩青梅。205Please respect copyright.PENANATCASucFWX5
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「女採青梅去,郎騎竹馬來,兩小無猜訴情意。女若有情,郎也有意,青梅掛枝頭,正是嫁娶好時節。」今年剛滿十五歲的青兒,一邊哼唱採梅歌,一邊將採下的青梅丟進背著的竹筐裡。很快地,竹筐裡滿滿青梅的重量就壓得她幾乎要彎了腰,卻也讓她樂得笑彎了眉眼。205Please respect copyright.PENANAGC4GRenLMS
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採收完後,青兒踏著輕盈步伐穿梭於梅樹間,她穿著的桃紅衣衫,以及梳在腦後烏黑油亮的髮辮,在滿園嫩青翠綠中鮮明歡快地躍動著。205Please respect copyright.PENANAUqMLISUYvA
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「梅姨,今天上午的份我採完了,妳來看看啊。」205Please respect copyright.PENANANPBGZnhJuH
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青兒一股腦將沉甸甸的竹筐放到地上,一名身材矮胖的婦人緩緩走來,瞇起眼睛笑道:「青兒,妳還是一樣俐落勤快呢,就這麼趕著去見妳的阿二哥呀。」205Please respect copyright.PENANA3RnGlgNSGV
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青兒的臉頰瞬間漲紅得像熟透的梅果,嘟起嘴說道:「梅姨,妳就別再取笑我了,我要去送飯了,等會兒就回來啊。」205Please respect copyright.PENANAqhRJ7uxus3
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梅姨望著青兒迫不及待向前奔去的身影,不禁嘆道:「姑娘家一到了這年紀,心跟身子都要飛到別人身上去囉。」205Please respect copyright.PENANAYmm5rP4Rwt
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繡著斗大「陳」字的赭紅色旗幟,歷經百年歲月更迭,今日仍高懸於陳家醋坊的簷柱,隨風飄揚。205Please respect copyright.PENANAXRjgFFrPky
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而在醋坊裡,數十個醋罈排列齊整,裡頭新釀的醋液,是流經嶺南村的烏江江水、今年初摘的青梅,以及陳家秘傳的醋母所融混而成。醋坊長工們打著赤膊,他們勤奮地翻攪醋液,以激出強勁的青澀酸味,之後他們就會將醋罈儲放進醋窖,待漫長時間醞釀出深厚醋香。205Please respect copyright.PENANAkxiuvfRcBB
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「阿二哥,我帶飯來了,休息一下吧。」青兒和她嬌甜的嗓音一同溜進醋坊裡。205Please respect copyright.PENANArNbD8UsZve
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在她面前的高壯男子停下手邊工作,那如磐石般剛硬方正的臉龐,在看見青兒的瞬間變得柔和許多。205Please respect copyright.PENANAOMQWU0nKxo
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「趙二,青兒又幫你送飯了啊,你差不多該把人家娶回家了吧,這麼好的姑娘可是很難找的啊。」另一名長工將手搭在趙二肩上,對他嘻笑道。205Please respect copyright.PENANATDIDPXXFSf
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趙二馬上沉著臉揮開對方手臂,然後接過青兒遞來的飯盒,溫聲道:「謝謝,別累壞自己。」205Please respect copyright.PENANAjMtGfoJIEG
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「我不會累,阿二哥你做這麼粗重的活,才要小心別累壞身子呢。」青兒甜滋滋的笑,勾起她面頰上的小酒窩。205Please respect copyright.PENANAd1lkV8BgnQ
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「青兒!真巧啊,居然在這見到妳。」聽見有人叫喚自己,原本還向著趙二的青兒轉過身,驚道:「明榮少爺,你怎麼來這裡了。」205Please respect copyright.PENANAfuj47adCYS
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「畢竟我是這醋坊的繼承人,有空就要過來看看這裡的情況,還好這裡的夥計勤快認真,我也不用操心了。」明榮一邊說,一邊朝青兒等人走來,他的容貌生得白淨俊朗,身形挺拔,¬穿的衣裳雖簡樸素雅,質料卻是上好的。205Please respect copyright.PENANACzArTpDSoU
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趙二看著這位村裡最富裕的陳家獨生子,再比照穿著粗布衣衫的自己,如此雲泥之別,不禁讓他自慚形穢。205Please respect copyright.PENANA5rSnQRJ7aJ
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「嘿,沒想到陳家的大少爺,做事這麼認真啊。」青兒笑著打趣道。205Please respect copyright.PENANAEGGO0hZ5q1
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「唉啊,我可不是那種閒閒無事的紈褲子弟啊,話說,妳姊姊近日身體還好嗎?」明榮格外關切地問。205Please respect copyright.PENANAvsGxW8ggp2
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「姊姊她很好啊,最近她能夠下床走動,也沒咳得像以前那般嚴重,真的要謝謝少爺幫她請來的大夫呢。」205Please respect copyright.PENANAFIkwn4lYBS
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「是嗎,那真的太好了。」明榮神情舒坦了下來,接著道:「青兒,那梅園採收的活兒妳做得還習慣嗎,妳才剛來幾日,應該還有些累吧。」205Please respect copyright.PENANAj9smDfztsb
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「不累啊,梅姨還稱讚我是新來的姑娘裡最勤快的呢。」205Please respect copyright.PENANAHNiycgU834
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趙二愣愣地捧著飯盒,插不上半句話,看見青兒也對著明榮露出那甜甜的笑,他心裡就湧出一股酸楚。205Please respect copyright.PENANALFp3nqMmbA
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他不懂這份酸楚從何而來,只好默默低頭離去,悶著頭吃著熱騰騰的飯菜。205Please respect copyright.PENANAQtZ3adg2BQ
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夕陽西下,天邊的暖紅霞光透過醋坊敞開的門扉,撫照著一甕甕密封起來的醋醰子,也籠罩著趙二獨自一人的身影。205Please respect copyright.PENANAjYj52vDEAu
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為了彌補自己因分心而延誤的工作,趙二此時仍留在醋坊裡,心緒卻還是被青兒跟明榮對話的情景所擾亂,他越拚命叫自己不去想,青兒那向著明榮的笑,在他腦裡就越清晰鮮明。205Please respect copyright.PENANAIHfFhaeRNu
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趙二悶悶地垂下了頭,然後,便瞥見落在角落地板上那熟悉的物事,他趕緊將它撿起,躺在他寬厚手心的,是一只平安符。205Please respect copyright.PENANAZolKSj8T0X
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他記得,這是青兒去逝的娘親從廟裡為她求來的,青兒五歲時,就沒了娘親疼愛,她只能用小小的手緊緊捏著這平安符,說什麼也放不開。205Please respect copyright.PENANAmNZfE4gRs9
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那時趙二就住在青兒家附近,他見這個小自己四歲的小娃兒十分可憐,便執起她又嫩又軟的小手,牽著她到處玩耍,看著青兒泛起小酒窩的笑臉,趙二臉上雖沒什麼表情,心底卻是歡喜的。205Please respect copyright.PENANA7JNo0qVXEk
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兩人就這樣一同度過十年歲月,青兒稚嫩的小手,也長成強健勤勞的雙手,再也不需要他一直牽著了。205Please respect copyright.PENANALbR3jrtVwB
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趙二不免有些感慨,他將平安符緊緊握在手心,然後奔出了醋坊,逐漸隱沒山巒間的夕陽,將他身後的影子拉得長長的。205Please respect copyright.PENANAIXRsr0GJnv
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梅園裡的一大片青梅綠葉,浸染於夕陽的暖紅餘暉,並透出一股淡淡梅香,而趙二穿梭於叢叢梅樹間,急切找尋在他心尖上的那人兒。205Please respect copyright.PENANAI7Krcr4Aar
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很快地,在染上夕色的一片青綠中,那最為明豔的桃紅身影躍入他眼底,連同在她身前的明榮少爺,就像根尖銳的細針狠狠鑽進他心窩。205Please respect copyright.PENANA9M1ANJhXq4
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趙二當場愣在原地,反倒是青兒察覺到身旁的動靜,向他喊道:「阿二哥,你來了啊,怎麼不叫我一聲呢?」205Please respect copyright.PENANAWlxUTW3Epw
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如同孩提時那般,青兒踏著輕快腳步朝他奔來,趙二卻覺得青兒離他越來越遠。205Please respect copyright.PENANAbn8ttzqEDG
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「妳有東西掉在醋坊,還妳。」205Please respect copyright.PENANA4dcWoSj5QZ
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趙二將平安符放回青兒手裡,青兒欣喜地笑道:「啊,我正想去尋我的平安符,沒想到你已經幫我找回來了,果然阿二哥對我最好了。」205Please respect copyright.PENANAuSkfHoyVgI
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青兒的笑容,讓趙二一瞬間心生猶豫,但他還是斬釘截鐵地說道:「青兒,以後妳不用幫我送飯了。」205Please respect copyright.PENANAggbdfcqGm8
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「阿、阿二哥!?」青兒驚愕地瞪大雙眼,雖然旁人都道趙二就像個頑石般面無表情,但青兒此刻還是能從他眉眼間看出焦躁的心緒。205Please respect copyright.PENANA7bmMd8arRj
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「畢竟,妳已經大了,跟我在一起會招人誤會,我走了。」話語剛落,趙二就頭也不回地跑走,拋下了身後不斷呼喚他的聲音。205Please respect copyright.PENANA0tpPvqCFje
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趙二就這樣一路跑回醋坊裡,勁烈的醋酸味從鼻腔滲入心裡,氣喘吁吁的他,思緒也亂成一團。205Please respect copyright.PENANAfEMBGMNjig
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這些年來,他是把青兒當作親妹妹看待,如今,他卻搞不清自己了。205Please respect copyright.PENANAL1RzPRomzT
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「阿二哥,你在這啊,我在後面一直追著你,你卻都不回頭看我一眼。」毫無預警地,青兒踏進醋坊裡,令趙二更加慌亂,胸膛的心跳聲婉如擂鼓般劇烈。205Please respect copyright.PENANAfaOR7MBiUJ
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「阿二哥,其實你是吃醋了吧」青兒眨著水潤雙眸,唇角勾起巧黠的笑意。205Please respect copyright.PENANAdT8FH9nIhP
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「我沒偷吃醋坊裡的醋。」趙二直白地答道。205Please respect copyright.PENANAOoWH9J2FFe
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「我知道你沒偷吃,但像你這麼大一個醋罈子,飄出來的醋味我都聞到了。」青兒湊到趙二身前,唇邊的笑意更深了。205Please respect copyright.PENANACz8qpAeIfC
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「你放心,明榮少爺的聘禮,可是要送給我姐姐的喔。」205Please respect copyright.PENANA6UiPzTlWNf
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趙二剛直的臉龐難得浮現驚訝神色,然後青兒牽起他的手,遞來熟悉的觸感及暖意。205Please respect copyright.PENANAgCEF6CBHW4
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「阿二哥,我就等著你送禮到我家門口了,以後我就每天用你釀的醋,做飯給你吃,你說好不好啊。」青兒的笑靨,在趙二心底化為如蜜糖般的甜。205Please respect copyright.PENANAuSShl1FOkx
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趙二厚實的大手,執起他從小到大牽著的青兒的手,作為他的答覆。205Please respect copyright.PENANAV2SyMhTr6q