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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。822Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq3Nx2IZdnK
822Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj4fcEKEb87
「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？」822Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB83GKek70r
822Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNqSmlUrgsi
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。822Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6ysm2I5jbd
822Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3647itCgxK
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。822Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX5FGo7wbtG
822Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHzXosOdKIP
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。822Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtJ6ncAmljj
822Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHeSLu71Uam
「你回家去忙你的。往後不必來。」爸爸淡然望向窗外。822Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCEbT2OsfvS
822Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwOfhFSGWZl
「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。822Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSYt06ZHFVU
822Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡerO7fOQGj3
「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。822Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTa4T3lQGB0
822Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzMCCoL2Fg9
「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。822Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVxovaRA9VT
822Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP7ZxWiwGjo
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》。」822Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj6oQvqOGRz
822Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyVnlJe8UrR
「兩者有何關連？」本已疲累的我此刻更是頭昏腦脹。822Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGij9CjOjI8
822Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc5ga6l4nRY
「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。」822Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjRp2PtLPDB
822Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxJuYzCYGGL
「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。822Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvMVFrLdPsr
822Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9JudiLKsJN
「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。822Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8rw6yoNpRx
822Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLzhMWb2ARX
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。822Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnvARin8w8E
822Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfCWn9acGx5
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。822Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUu4Ry32tqt
822Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0XcNcUKuHf
夜深，孩子們終於入眠，我和丈夫準備就寢去。822Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKfPK5dnfWX
822Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ24bWItmzEY
丈夫關心問我：「與岳父吵架？」822Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl0VMOenRyB
822Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNLPTWJcc1m
「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？」822Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6vQAbgYnBR
822Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEFXq0LdyBO
「記得。我們的答案全軍覆沒。」丈夫傻笑。822Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtKgC7WOWzf
822Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ90dKSJFiE
「原來答案是『《燕詩》』。」我嘆一口氣。822Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRKZj2e4J6t
822Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpvkzilSiMn
丈夫若有所思，沒有立即回話。822Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsL5FyYYifs
822Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoxRD9Om4J3
「你明白？」看見丈夫似懂非懂的表情，我莫名其妙地火冒三丈。822Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1XZvagJ1sA
822Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB0aCIb3ECS
「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。822Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡceWZrt1ArZ
822Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRXiGjEAEDH
「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。822Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwoMlidIxHS
822Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfqAdPWoHL9
父母的唸書聲驀地在我耳邊響起——「當時父母念，今日爾應知。」822Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdwM44LxazS
