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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。779Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuBq7FLUnwh
779Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJLtJmfF8wP
「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？」779Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyHRGRyccRI
779Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC5sm8Ez6Vd
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。779Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk4QmktdQMR
779Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNSl8YL7EKm
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。779Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXFsoSY3uDY
779Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡel9QlOBpUi
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。779Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvKlBIoHEB0
779Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrgOobgBopH
「你回家去忙你的。往後不必來。」爸爸淡然望向窗外。779Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhnyQQU9uBT
779Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5y8x21D2Ip
「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。779Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQDW99B2QHB
779Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsPHyFkY394
「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。779Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOPjuo5La3J
779Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfz5MTJLpYX
「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。779Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQcoJtx0E0O
779Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKrzp56vEHO
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》。」779Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVxVhYOLm5k
779Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnpEkzOO3JW
「兩者有何關連？」本已疲累的我此刻更是頭昏腦脹。779Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrFmo0B6MOu
779Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxf2gmRm6yl
「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。」779Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjC3q9nNp1C
779Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkTxt4mcYAZ
「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。779Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx5Kpt3Mknm
779Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGIIAYHK6tW
「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。779Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnleFHFeRdV
779Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNcWlZGsLCI
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。779Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFzL8URAvJ6
779Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIWutWXJF1N
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。779Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe9DN6ZrClS
779Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡikcyoxRcXD
夜深，孩子們終於入眠，我和丈夫準備就寢去。779Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTbN7zD6hXX
779Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡruiyd3Tn49
丈夫關心問我：「與岳父吵架？」779Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgxm7VPYQMX
779Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2N80I022QQ
「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？」779Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJM5MpphO1D
779Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcxoqesCawq
「記得。我們的答案全軍覆沒。」丈夫傻笑。779Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZMVvR7yKvt
779Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7LKwapQQ59
「原來答案是『《燕詩》』。」我嘆一口氣。779Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUt1iYneiSL
779Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6SH1A7hlkz
丈夫若有所思，沒有立即回話。779Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB6RNGjPAnd
779Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWa0UxAdY7B
「你明白？」看見丈夫似懂非懂的表情，我莫名其妙地火冒三丈。779Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAR4jyyXEQA
779Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpM08R1hmv9
「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。779Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2Q9AG0AV3w
779Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMMuK9FYQqq
「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。779Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAOg5eFe8YH
779Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7u47j4c2N9
父母的唸書聲驀地在我耳邊響起——「當時父母念，今日爾應知。」779Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeti0odl2tm
