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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。730Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEDSfT9oeRc
730Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbiYOMA1U0e
「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？」730Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDiajUkx9m7
730Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4ygtW0M9Pa
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。730Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhOjkDAZniR
730Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIyPzR0xcTW
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。730Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBSbByU1SZr
730Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7URxrh6OSU
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。730Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡelUhsnkHPq
730Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDrtqqA3mbP
「你回家去忙你的。往後不必來。」爸爸淡然望向窗外。730Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIp2w7lVP7g
730Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxNwkRD1qa6
「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。730Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCEQZRv3NSz
730Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRHQgjBKuIT
「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。730Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8l3bCijVFU
730Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3Qn1mf00rZ
「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。730Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡELYILjMj3N
730Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuPEUGu4bUV
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》。」730Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1LyXmtB7lj
730Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfEbpAthCn9
「兩者有何關連？」本已疲累的我此刻更是頭昏腦脹。730Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnZA4p4JO3M
730Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡny6X0S2O5q
「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。」730Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO0ENCzBPy6
730Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl5mNRi4ra8
「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。730Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSWzHcpIMvz
730Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvWzL65sZ8o
「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。730Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSuLvVzQ8WP
730Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡilp85z3K2O
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。730Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvTVJ5gNIkv
730Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX5GCUPrX0L
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。730Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpijpDS9Lp1
730Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUapOrn0h5g
夜深，孩子們終於入眠，我和丈夫準備就寢去。730Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgmi9uBmmMR
730Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA8rv3RDVYA
丈夫關心問我：「與岳父吵架？」730Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡktG1NABjHv
730Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSI49m4Y7wO
「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？」730Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRBBTkmLIKy
730Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJrVMvg8ZQz
「記得。我們的答案全軍覆沒。」丈夫傻笑。730Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc8XfrQoAWg
730Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTTDJfpsFCe
「原來答案是『《燕詩》』。」我嘆一口氣。730Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgjAL9Y8e1n
730Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcVUe6KjDRI
丈夫若有所思，沒有立即回話。730Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYseyQUnmJM
730Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZFo92Biu6W
「你明白？」看見丈夫似懂非懂的表情，我莫名其妙地火冒三丈。730Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMuFJMmFG11
730Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpdfqs9fBSC
「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。730Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJGXSv8BKvO
730Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAWJFpYUMpM
「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。730Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIB7oL7v3MJ
730Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgNu3pPvp50
父母的唸書聲驀地在我耳邊響起——「當時父母念，今日爾應知。」730Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡco3cyMoOr7
