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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。869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxv6XrhcvMJ
869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9Be0ARJLKZ
「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？」869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG1x1A7FvK4
869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5PsmEh1QKy
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。869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhUfvEhLN2j
869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGtaBYyOtlQ
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。869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQq3NNQN4VZ
869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1kBdMB3j06
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。869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2hJpBW53dQ
869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEhS895uUYV
「你回家去忙你的。往後不必來。」爸爸淡然望向窗外。869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLfAfdRgT16
869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjg76VwxRdV
「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。869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyEeqOgEkUg
869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡizJU3zYPU6
「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。869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVrigJoiuVX
869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUknJBf6Gz2
「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。869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr6sG3fHpDK
869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE2N0rBeYqY
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》。」869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg1awkvsiHA
869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtTcyRE7lrC
「兩者有何關連？」本已疲累的我此刻更是頭昏腦脹。869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTanbv6KCtC
869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpzUIfKHdzS
「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。」869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1qTfHx4DUv
869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM5PP4jWSjv
「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。869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡct0rBFCSEX
869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡozfHLomjW5
「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。869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXdFjg3jwSV
869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkuiUjmM04u
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。869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmMhinemP2a
869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5ZKAqRDthe
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。869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDJRlYJKxe6
869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoMFoHH4g0f
夜深，孩子們終於入眠，我和丈夫準備就寢去。869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ5oWtR2NNs
869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEeQ3lOtQ3M
丈夫關心問我：「與岳父吵架？」869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeDO8Oi5tI9
869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY95TgkOmEZ
「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？」869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiSHVoAv5N0
869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf832k6l6Fc
「記得。我們的答案全軍覆沒。」丈夫傻笑。869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4KVgVF88MH
869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBlEp3yRiX4
「原來答案是『《燕詩》』。」我嘆一口氣。869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgBeqSFGFuk
869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp8rMe75Hsy
丈夫若有所思，沒有立即回話。869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlX79GE9ceT
869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT2DtMxJr0R
「你明白？」看見丈夫似懂非懂的表情，我莫名其妙地火冒三丈。869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF7HowciiBl
869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYLj2jaY0rV
「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。869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqZX9AFIHY7
869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHeirHa2qlS
「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。869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡptqsY7boqF
869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ13rBGzcqxg
父母的唸書聲驀地在我耳邊響起——「當時父母念，今日爾應知。」869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1jkOtvNBFB
