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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」。513Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS9zfnY3LOx
513Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡedwqQpZwLv
蠻有意思的名字。513Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo0JIRvZurx
513Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZkIHPk2vLP
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。513Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1FmezxRG6V
513Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsnWEIldoVJ
「歡迎內進。」沒等我回答，大叔已轉身為我引路。513Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrtQAnYiawQ
513Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKR9w2TJtly
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？」513Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcWWxQpr659
513Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCzYjW6BcfM
大叔的腳步突兀地戛然而止。513Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡocL2Yu1fIS
513Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpKwIIr3sj7
是我的提問過於唐突嗎？513Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWhsw6yks9H
513Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpYDgwCSfqk
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。513Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmXfkojgVoz
513Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHIXbKFQRIl
「有人託我將信件親手轉交予黃女士。」513Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ53ZSCX76wf
513Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnSxOtdmkhq
「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。」513Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjVcgJYGArs
513Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTpOE6kXfMw
「她有透露去處嗎？」513Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0Gls9wTHO8
513Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvo7vTDFs73
「沒有……我帶你去她昔日的房間試找綫索。」513Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQlxZMWMuMy
513Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6SFByfWXlh
大叔再次邁步，步履沒有之前的輕，重若銀鉛。513Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0W70nleUkj
513Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡojmV4jHthK
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。513Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQr3yed0WDF
513Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ9vvWKKlj8
「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。」513Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtgdrXsb8b7
513Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡba3Hest6jx
「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。513Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1i5NjcUDzD
513Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBKw1S0l19K
「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。」513Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ49KskJab44
513Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFRMIvWgTUn
我只得坦白交代。513Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqUsEC2zGDS
513Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf4q94El3On
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……513Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFVCuOLIGJ1
513Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtDm2WOXGt5
「距離一年限期，還剩多少日子？」大叔生起關切之情。513Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU2y8Oyps5u
513Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCaqZW0Uhbo
「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。513Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ55p1pmR9Jm
513Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ09sMSacYJN
「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。513Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmYPS6a5Uzq
513Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmnQPBc70rS
「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。」513Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRchND5XONo
513Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8Ezwc8Ob0j
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？」513Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0t66F8I3RB
513Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLHQ9Jy9PFS
「極度介意！」我心裡認定大叔有事隱瞞。513Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlZfiajcxLz
513Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFXD8UvDcho
尷尬氣氛令大叔不再多話。513Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdl1tmG4DRr
513Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0QFnR4ue2U
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。513Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOHpDBXase3
513Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKmIfpOuHN2
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。513Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlb70yBQakm
513Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNskXIapt3b
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。513Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdZIdtIJGNZ
513Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGAfmR0m9Lb
不知怎地，聊著聊著，話題竟牽到大叔的心事去。513Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWDmnkQrsRH
513Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNwuvc0AltO
「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。513Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4VCjEIDdq5
513Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNTet93Hy2p
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。513Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuHqVacIxo2
513Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBhTLHrLQdS
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。」513Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcrdXf5x9yM
513Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ21fDOMXdQQ
我終於明白初時大叔何以對我不太友善。513Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlWTTHhgMIu
513Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiH0YQnbsFi
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。513Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAJZXN4nP2z
513Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAbdav9zy82
那種痛苦實非筆墨所能形容。513Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQAS92eBXWw
513Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5DKf8dKvkH
「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……」513Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDY7pOZ1jUg
513Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy7r4Pyt9hV
說罷，他跟我和小樹說晚安，然後揚長而去。513Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCyN2X1ZeTn
513Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpAfNuM0R5S
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。513Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8pfXPASKzm
513Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡusjuQK8An5
住持聽罷我的經歷後，不禁黯然慨嘆：「黃女士始終凡心未盡……」513Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLxDKAAalTd
513Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ636vsTmxtU
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……513Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtI1iJA52kT
513Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl6z4Lfli9u
「大叔就是黃女士？」我不禁驚呼。513Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu9SbztFl1R
513Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7Ba67swdAx
震驚之情瞬間即逝，取而代之的是說不出的矛盾。513Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYMv7DVaWIx
513Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt4VnGjArrC
這個人，我恨不來，亦原諒不了。513Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvsLZcdJ9xB
513Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFVtDnEkkQk
翌日，我和住持往竹寺走一趟。513Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqb20etnfjS
513Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ2Ggfe4Dih
寺前，我倆不約而同抬頭望向匾額。513Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbWLlwhCwdh
513Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJw7ajjsFk0
「你知道『竹寺』何以得名嗎？」住持問。513Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlXfukwA3SU
513Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3CHQcOa8nf
「等？」我的猜想有如初來之時。513Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡheOXipdkhE
513Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrNyKrM2y2K
「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。」513Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJr4mUrRcG6
513Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdKcJsPWele
我驀地憶起大叔前夜的說話。513Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbRHdy6mS84
513Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡozOVG1Gmss
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。513Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZscNoF3Lus
513Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAzQTNFxvTu
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。513Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPlxTiYr12u
513Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCekQWhRi0b
我鼻頭一酸，淚如雨下。513Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh0pwqgI4I4
513Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4p4mbWUiue
「『強逼自己放下執著』也是一種執著。」513Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡikCWZeFS1c
513Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡat3ESxWWcL
住持淡然望天，開始為一切生者亡者誦經。
