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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。783Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbHDgZoEIjI
783Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8RsCJosYjL
「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？」783Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPXv04hwuJ5
783Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNrXh8Qh5nx
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。783Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLOUd60R9O9
783Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEzLIG2PNC2
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。783Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzIv9LbYhmQ
783Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTmXqO1fxIX
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。783Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxxyTICqdfF
783Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTGb64qTWNI
「你回家去忙你的。往後不必來。」爸爸淡然望向窗外。783Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ91aTU6QbbR
783Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡICOM7YzuZX
「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。783Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk4Jv5Yk432
783Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAy3EZn9fHA
「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。783Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvkmiEwlKJC
783Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcx9vse3FWf
「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。783Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbRg5dD5bLx
783Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLoJl4FW02R
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》。」783Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6O0xFD9DUP
783Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwhJNNxu4cb
「兩者有何關連？」本已疲累的我此刻更是頭昏腦脹。783Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDVqKWa4rHN
783Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAX5H8R0OWm
「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。」783Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmE4EGmyv53
783Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX8b8RPFtK2
「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。783Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGtwgH4jM2v
783Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjAhWxuJuA4
「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。783Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxkmU6LW5AI
783Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWjVf1MnhTN
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。783Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAashFvLmqe
783Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNSQDGIj5qv
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。783Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLGlfLufh6M
783Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6k0OFfZS1q
夜深，孩子們終於入眠，我和丈夫準備就寢去。783Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxEo8CtZJ5U
783Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb9MOC2hOK8
丈夫關心問我：「與岳父吵架？」783Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ49qCMx1ioz
783Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWgUHIBqve3
「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？」783Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7miuQ7yQyc
783Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡouY2TSyLjr
「記得。我們的答案全軍覆沒。」丈夫傻笑。783Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv8JZQBaYyd
783Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOKA4HrNVr2
「原來答案是『《燕詩》』。」我嘆一口氣。783Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡravwNhgmhD
783Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQsydDixxRs
丈夫若有所思，沒有立即回話。783Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgBlrYV7L4S
783Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ17IXutbvMC
「你明白？」看見丈夫似懂非懂的表情，我莫名其妙地火冒三丈。783Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdPPd0KExVU
783Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk7hvJTLzWM
「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。783Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYXoHwX6H2r
783Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQj36n9MLAj
「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。783Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxSzxpbqCye
783Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjXipkxVkE5
父母的唸書聲驀地在我耳邊響起——「當時父母念，今日爾應知。」783Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYPC5aEDgmT
