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根據居民的指示，我沿著竹林小徑走了一整天，終於到達目的地：一間全竹結構的寺廟。它比我預想中更為破落，冷冷清清的。我抬頭望向高高懸掛在山門的匾額，寫著「竹寺」。499Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHFtYZyDh7V
499Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡktcJryxAZD
蠻有意思的名字。499Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6RJDI9lTQs
499Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc2BxmiLFIf
當我正要邁步內進時，一個打扮樸素的瘦削大叔剛好開門踏出。四目交投，雙方都愣住了幾秒。499Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpEbEXfX0Ba
499Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡreDcTujQYu
「歡迎內進。」沒等我回答，大叔已轉身為我引路。499Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFFH5S2rZCT
499Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfpJghnEBm8
眼見天色漸暗，我不再磨蹭，看能否找到綫索，省卻逗留此地的時間：「不好意思喔，大叔！請問黃XX女士住在這裡嗎？」499Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQsKJsu3nxo
499Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNKIBnS5cQf
大叔的腳步突兀地戛然而止。499Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFFdg9PtXyq
499Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBDGWjwpaLq
是我的提問過於唐突嗎？499Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqfE92b8W3v
499Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLgK7FuswJe
大叔回頭仔細打量我，神色疑惑，似乎在猜測我和黃女士的關係。499Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb7sl1goOW9
499Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoPceWxVePv
「有人託我將信件親手轉交予黃女士。」499Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡatyIr0Tadv
499Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfzoVYF2Som
「黃女士已離開這裡好一段時間，不知何時會回來……甚或是不知會否回來。」499Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVck5CknyQW
499Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyt9DGCeN66
「她有透露去處嗎？」499Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhmdwGzVjQT
499Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfnBa5kSgnp
「沒有……我帶你去她昔日的房間試找綫索。」499Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5QhdbBWo7G
499Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ7lOV4zhou
大叔再次邁步，步履沒有之前的輕，重若銀鉛。499Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeiiITkNIvG
499Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1pQm5NcEsn
陰冷的空氣，空洞的房間，慘白的牆身，最基本的傢俬和雜物。沒有生活的氣息。499Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlMCREJTwk0
499Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdO9n6UTzmB
「剛才在門外碰見你，也還真令我驚訝。」大叔沒有進入房間，逕自在門外呢呢喃喃。「竹寺曾香火鼎盛。後來毗鄰的兩個小鎮分別新建更大更金碧輝煌的寺廟，無意間將信眾分流開去，到來竹寺掛單的僧侶亦逐漸減少，住持最終徇眾要求到另一寺廟主持大局。他指派我長駐於此，打掃清潔，說要方便途經的旅客。我一直覺得他想多了，豈料今天就遇見你。」499Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ4Sl07b4vI
499Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRPRmfJmuTA
「可能佛祖不想我白走一趟。」我話中有話，提醒侍奉佛祖的大叔不要忘記佛祖的存在，萬萬不能撒謊。499Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNw3obrmlhR
499Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡES50ZmOSdj
「我可以明天帶你見住持。他有掛單紀錄，可能有黃女士的聯絡資料。」大叔也不是省油的燈，簡單幾句就將我逼至沒有退路的位置：「但我希望你能先對我坦白事情的前因後果。住持是個大忙人。我可不希望為他增添不必要的麻煩。」499Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1rPLJpoQo7
499Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKlCqQTAhl0
我只得坦白交代。499Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡidYSAVmJSu
499Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpDaqLZeKW3
我的妻子過身了。臨終前，她希望我能預留一年時間為她完成唯一的遺願：親手將遺書交予離家出走多年的生母——黃女士。事隔多年，黃女士曾在多個地方落腳。我每次根據綫索趕至時，她早已遷居。輾轉間，我追尋至竹寺……499Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZF2Rjni6jZ
499Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo6slJe8Vqe
「距離一年限期，還剩多少日子？」大叔生起關切之情。499Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVsNvSSy40O
499Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdHWePuv9a5
「三日。竹寺很可能是我的最後機會。」我加倍留意他的神色舉止。499Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD5dL0eBdWo
499Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡna1fxxogIg
「不考慮延長？」大叔表現出來的的關切絕對超過一個陌生人該有的限度。499Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7rEN7K5Qd2
499Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU2C1EDinDv
「妻子信緣份。她認為努力過後仍沒能找到，證明彼此有緣無份，毋須強求。她還叮囑我要燒毀遺書。」499Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡszuVat6bZN
499Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8KzeWWGleY
大叔若有所思後，講出驚人的一句：「若果一年期限屆滿時仍找不到黃女士，介意給我看看遺書嗎？」499Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡllbF6TJgz4
499Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1Qrsd9nQ2F
「極度介意！」我心裡認定大叔有事隱瞞。499Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFuGqhJCr0x
499Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgtIQvIAZRA
尷尬氣氛令大叔不再多話。499Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4eiEDlx8MW
499Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqiNnRvpbvu
晚餐後，大叔在其他地方忙著，我則留在房間對著愛妻的照片痛哭一場。哭過以後，壓力得以紓緩，但心頭卻未能添加半分澄明，混沌混濁。499Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAgx752icdU
499Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiDBF4g3wJ5
我離房在寺內溜達散心。逛著逛著，忽爾看見大叔彎腰對著花園中的小樹喁喁細語，臉上盡是蜜甜。499Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt5EPhghW82
499Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡirCnbTnOJA
我上前跟大叔打招呼。他微笑回應，和顏悅色，渾身散發著慈祥氣息，沒有白天時的隔膜。我嘗試放下戒心，開心見誠與他聊天。499Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXYXhruqV0F
499Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ79hMYCi319
不知怎地，聊著聊著，話題竟牽到大叔的心事去。499Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPaUoLKvSHq
499Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7bBTJ3BOAG
「貪，使人執著於一切順情之境。嗔，使人執著於一切違情之境。痴，使人不明白真理，致使生起貪嗔。499Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZNnC7IkdT6
499Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSzXoTBMTpY
我痴愚半生，痛苦不已。到此地求法，希望住持指點迷津。但他認為我凡心未盡，要我留在這裡靜思。499Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHWZgv8UPDf
499Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMk4rQFAhQN
我在竹寺侍奉多年，住持依然不為所動。我以為他在敷衍我。今天遇到你，我才明白住持所言非虛：任何無關的人事物都可輕易勾起我對逝去伴侶的思念。」499Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdqGjaUYKyR
499Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0ybwHHJLLC
我終於明白初時大叔何以對我不太友善。499Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmK6KjvnyGN
499Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡahYoaAgdx5
將心比心。喪妻之後，任何人事物均能勾起我和對太太的思念。我曾抱怨上天幸災樂禍，何解不讓我安靜避世。我已盡力放下身邊一切，辭掉工作，不聯絡親友，遷出愛巢，但偏偏愛妻的遺願就是要我去彌補她的畢生遺憾！我沒有一刻能放下她，因為我的分分秒秒就是為她而過。499Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX5bEI1Bu50
499Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIMQ8goGCdV
那種痛苦實非筆墨所能形容。499Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4T4OQdGA1X
499Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPmG3BgxVaZ
「你的妻子真聰明，給你的痛苦設下一年期限。只要你在這一年裡拼命為她圓願，往後也就了無遺憾或悔疚。我可沒那麼幸運，不知要拖著這副臭皮囊乾等到哪年哪月哪日……」499Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx8UZWsfx3D
499Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAuDbVKj6cv
說罷，他跟我和小樹說晚安，然後揚長而去。499Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡefYn3X74a3
499Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp3vr7oBFWr
翌日，我翻遍整間竹寺亦找不到大叔，只在他的房間找到他留給我的手繪地圖。我跟著地圖的指示走了大半天，來到住持現處的寺廟。499Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTxgp2GdRI5
499Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQQgYODzCH2
住持聽罷我的經歷後，不禁黯然慨嘆：「黃女士始終凡心未盡……」499Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhq5r7CQLq7
499Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3Fwfvlpo6g
黃女士當年拋夫棄女，與情夫私奔。豈料甜蜜日子不長久，情夫患急病逝世。黃女士大受打擊，認為是自己作孽甚深，連累情夫。她來到竹寺，望住持能指點迷津。住持認為她深陷激動情緒當中，容易作出錯誤選擇，逐要她在竹寺靜思己過。可惜她半夜逃離。當黃女士重臨竹寺時，她已花光積蓄在黑市做手術整容及變性，以情夫的外表現身……499Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDNCIcE6LkW
499Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4pPKrKjy44
「大叔就是黃女士？」我不禁驚呼。499Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm5YrwSszZe
499Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWflh1n4vv7
震驚之情瞬間即逝，取而代之的是說不出的矛盾。499Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt67qv33pgE
499Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZeAa1Djw5e
這個人，我恨不來，亦原諒不了。499Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg4GzEcnnik
499Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡifqi1MGJPH
翌日，我和住持往竹寺走一趟。499Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbDc4xP7pUH
499Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ78wSEhBIel
寺前，我倆不約而同抬頭望向匾額。499Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg6gNQAqnUW
499Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY1bQmdBzvV
「你知道『竹寺』何以得名嗎？」住持問。499Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtg0vjPierj
499Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfp2RVVgEfU
「等？」我的猜想有如初來之時。499Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3EcOm7Fv41
499Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡakDZHNKFTt
「這名字只不過是客觀描述寺廟本身。」住持揚手指向全竹結構的寺廟：「大家實在想多了，對自己的想像投放情感，賦予它過多的意義，致使看不見眼前真象。」499Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuZRsgyCsvb
499Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcYvP7G4NBF
我驀地憶起大叔前夜的說話。499Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ57ubV4UKVM
499Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbC4A6fOJcE
住持直接走往花園。不出他所料，小樹已被連根拔起，樹下土地被挖出一個大坑，足以容納一個成人。499Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm0tcM6RVFF
499Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUXGiDi2Pj7
我心頭一涼，頓時明白那是甚麼一回事：多年以來，情夫的屍首一直埋在這裡。499Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKhQIacH3JB
499Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7UNao93rrF
我鼻頭一酸，淚如雨下。499Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqolHItbcRO
499Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8VM7llZFPK
「『強逼自己放下執著』也是一種執著。」499Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQhoYszfjpe
499Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcu7tXtEpFV
住持淡然望天，開始為一切生者亡者誦經。
