蘇州城,清溪客棧。914Please respect copyright.PENANA3O1JaIv5ZQ
914Please respect copyright.PENANA9ednKaa8kF
天色濛濛,欲醒未醒,輕盈靈動的晨霧宛若潔白羽紗,披覆在座古色古香的江南城鎮上,寧靜中帶著些許的躁動。914Please respect copyright.PENANAUU76XK9ki5
914Please respect copyright.PENANAOx8zyTjg3p
客棧後頭的廚房,隔著薄霧依稀可見星點般的火光,兀自延燒,為單調平凡的景象平添幾分色彩。914Please respect copyright.PENANAhmEWtQkpsk
914Please respect copyright.PENANAafCCtQtf93
月兒守坐在藥壺前,右手執著一把有些破舊的芭蕉扇,徐徐扇風維持藥爐火勢,身旁還擺著一盞已然燒盡的蠟燭。914Please respect copyright.PENANAu9AFhwlDiH
914Please respect copyright.PENANAi5QlCqx8Z5
似乎有些疲倦,月兒輕輕打了個哈欠,接著用手背擦去額上點點汗珠。春寒猶帶冷意,可是她守了多時爐火,不免也烘紅了臉蛋,流了不少熱汗。914Please respect copyright.PENANASBad0raWhD
914Please respect copyright.PENANARZV4JRYBW2
除了紅通通的臉頰,月兒臉上用手擦過汗的地方,留下一塊一塊淺淺的碳痕,月白色齊胸襦裙也沾了不少炭灰。即便如此,她缺一點也不覺得辛苦,反而對著即將燒好的湯藥,不自覺流露笑容。914Please respect copyright.PENANAcRdZUVatZP
914Please respect copyright.PENANA2nkLKBw7wi
這時廚房門被推開,發出嘔啞難聽的磨擦聲,一名穿著粗布衣的三十多歲婦人走了進來。914Please respect copyright.PENANAg8b1BLXtq6
914Please respect copyright.PENANAT54Zd26ocP
婦人一來便見著了月兒,不經說道:「月兒小姐,妳又起得這麼早啊!」語氣裡透著幾分不捨之意。914Please respect copyright.PENANAHXkFCJOJTY
914Please respect copyright.PENANApzI4Hf8ZXj
婦人是這家客棧的廚娘,平日總是第一個踏入廚房。可是自從月兒入住客棧以來,她已經連續好幾天落於後,這不由得令她感到有些不好意思。914Please respect copyright.PENANAfvTg2YYNmt
914Please respect copyright.PENANAAMaApqw2wQ
月兒搖搖頭,帶著靦腆的笑容說道:「真是不好意思,又沒經過大姊同意擅自使用這藥壺了。」914Please respect copyright.PENANAX0pKqpeaX2
914Please respect copyright.PENANAlsT6rUEwj3
「沒這的事。」廚娘連忙擺了擺手,要她別介意。她拿起吊掛在木架上,早已沾滿油污的圍裙圍在腰間,說道:「那藥壺擺著也是擺著,小姐如有需要,就盡量用唄。」914Please respect copyright.PENANAwY9GLflFdj
914Please respect copyright.PENANAPaD5NSAv5u
「謝謝。」月兒說道,細心呵護著爐火。914Please respect copyright.PENANAsMLaHtoCNu
914Please respect copyright.PENANAmQdjHxTzSr
廚娘走向灶台,開始準備早膳要用的蔬菜、肉塊。過了一會兒,她忍不住勸說道:「別嫌大姊囉嗦啊……月兒小姐,藥要燒,身子也要照顧啊,每晚看小姐總是過了子時才歇息,天未亮接著起來熬藥,這身子骨怎麼堪得住?」914Please respect copyright.PENANA08hEMn0SoJ
914Please respect copyright.PENANAawnV4TsNVq
並非廚娘有意探求他人隱私,只是看月兒一個十七、八歲的年輕姑娘孤身一人,又得獨力照顧帶傷的兄長,自然忍不住多加留意、關心。自從月兒入住以來,她就沒看到過房間是在子時前暗去的。914Please respect copyright.PENANAeFJ0s06kY6
914Please respect copyright.PENANAjLTNmEpXrI
「多勞大姊費心了,月兒不要緊的。」月兒笑道,搔了搔臉頰。914Please respect copyright.PENANAMv5cudmHYn
914Please respect copyright.PENANACDUikGqSm2
看得出來她真心不覺得這是一件苦差疲累事,反而從中得到了大大的滿足感。也不知道她是怎麼想的?914Please respect copyright.PENANAt4u4Xii42l
914Please respect copyright.PENANApXey4LFsrq
廚娘搖了搖頭,人家都說道這份上了,她也不好意思再多說些什麼,只得對著菜刀、鍋瓢之數,繼續膳食的料理。914Please respect copyright.PENANAW8T6xqvzye
914Please respect copyright.PENANApz01N2arRM
片刻後,藥終於煎好了。914Please respect copyright.PENANANl2QsiYHP4
914Please respect copyright.PENANA2s4DPhGniC
月兒站起身,跟廚娘借來瓷碗,小心翼翼地將藥爐子裡的湯藥到入碗裡,頓時冒出一股蒸騰熱氣。然而,相較於這股微不足道的熱氣,瀰漫滿座城鎮的霧氣早已隨著旭日東昇淡去,沒了蹤影,天氣也變得有些暖和。914Please respect copyright.PENANAuiS0f0d2vN
914Please respect copyright.PENANAKXPfuV2SGo
廚娘看著她熟練的動作,嘖嘖稱奇,慨歎道:「起初見著小姐舉止儀態,言談應對,本以為是哪戶五指不沾陽春水的大家閨秀。可是小姐選揀藥材、熬煮藥湯的手法又是這般熟練,絕非那些黃花閨女做得來的。真是好奇,小姐究竟是怎麼學來的?」914Please respect copyright.PENANAHucyX1QI54
914Please respect copyright.PENANAPcvF5h8yMw
月兒苦笑道:「大姊妳就別取笑月兒了……要說月兒是哪裡學來的,如果大姊家裡也有個人經常弄傷自己,或許大姊也能三折肱而成良醫了。」聲音裡有著幾分無奈,幾分擔憂。914Please respect copyright.PENANATtjpkWHfUi
914Please respect copyright.PENANAtXy3q8O70u
廚娘皺起眉,自然而然就顯想起那位同月兒入住的兄長。雖然月兒並沒有與那人同居一室,反倒是要了兩間相連的客房,但廚娘看得出來,月兒對這位兄長是十分敬重與愛護,每天每夜為了對方傷勢忙得不可開交。914Please respect copyright.PENANAxijYmLuglc
914Please respect copyright.PENANAqRFwa5DcIl
只是廚娘真的不懂,老天怎麼偏要捉弄這麼一個優秀的姑娘?月兒兄長的傷勢,正是身傷易瘉,眼疾難醫!不論傷病是好是壞,注定拖累......914Please respect copyright.PENANAj6rJ2KtxrD
914Please respect copyright.PENANADauc48M8Xc
月兒太過專心於湯藥,沒有注意到廚娘神情變化。她簡單收拾下煮藥器具後,跟大姊道了個別,便捧著瓷碗回房間去了。914Please respect copyright.PENANAAlG0lZpBCY
914Please respect copyright.PENANAgx06iF5OTf
廚娘望著明月般隱去的背影,不禁發出歎息。914Please respect copyright.PENANALq5YMjfTJH
914Please respect copyright.PENANAZOeHVq2086
造化弄人!