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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。746Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8S9VYCadfT
746Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZXCWwOCeN9
「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？」746Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ20h0D2Tlc0
746Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtXncXV8lPm
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。746Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvlxxDM74Qb
746Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWlzgUVCKu0
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。746Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIXvWHSpx9W
746Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhES0xwXsjg
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。746Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtB5H5QAtqG
746Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwW6AnbP8bL
「你回家去忙你的。往後不必來。」爸爸淡然望向窗外。746Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpX9sEzGRqP
746Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOzaZ5VXiBf
「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。746Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaYMrNYLO79
746Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmK6EJgdp0K
「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。746Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCPoqYy3beZ
746Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtYYMaw7keO
「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。746Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMgrKMTXQKB
746Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡclakKzo68g
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》。」746Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6ghbkkE3BR
746Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOjeFReZN3o
「兩者有何關連？」本已疲累的我此刻更是頭昏腦脹。746Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSaGHKAWu59
746Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR8L23b9ePj
「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。」746Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw4WHHzeWxG
746Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCAUv47CWKX
「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。746Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ24PIFdPWIr
746Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiaMBJahqM8
「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。746Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuVWUEG7CxB
746Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6SvilXcgFR
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。746Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqmbVgNwy6u
746Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU46kqUeAau
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。746Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVUIPzOLzlx
746Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXa9Y4w0FnV
夜深，孩子們終於入眠，我和丈夫準備就寢去。746Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4WSsMk6UcQ
746Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv6BN9GOPeh
丈夫關心問我：「與岳父吵架？」746Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMC88KLP8Ds
746Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNrIbRuyO2G
「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？」746Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCXD58g9V6D
746Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡioBdoO1Fww
「記得。我們的答案全軍覆沒。」丈夫傻笑。746Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBFIBx6RrnP
746Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFxPE3yx7th
「原來答案是『《燕詩》』。」我嘆一口氣。746Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYa4HsCOfAj
746Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB6ejMrV93Q
丈夫若有所思，沒有立即回話。746Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmGDIJaanWi
746Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFGfaWd3gOv
「你明白？」看見丈夫似懂非懂的表情，我莫名其妙地火冒三丈。746Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQWnu1MhOP5
746Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRfDRLbMrOJ
「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。746Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaTMEmjyoy9
746Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKQlYLYFyF2
「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。746Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwcZFBqkAvL
746Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaOoT3o0hLa
父母的唸書聲驀地在我耳邊響起——「當時父母念，今日爾應知。」746Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpm2Ilj2Xf8
