美玉是賴家裡人見人愛、花見花開的小女兒。437Please respect copyright.PENANALswm9QSMCu
437Please respect copyright.PENANAqk2lypNvv4
據說美玉還沒有出生前,美玉的爸爸媽媽就一直想要一個女兒,卻沒想婚後一連生了三個男孩。437Please respect copyright.PENANAbYvVZKZ3ns
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因為太想要女兒,爸爸媽媽就到當時傳說很靈驗的一處寺廟,以求神明賜給他們一個小女兒。437Please respect copyright.PENANA7F4lO8wgdY
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終於在第二年白雪融化的時候,美玉出生了。437Please respect copyright.PENANAHOtulZ3UDA
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出生幾天前的某一晚,媽媽夢到門前被人放著一塊質地絕佳的玉,拿著溫潤絲滑,令人著實喜歡。借著《張衡.西京賦》裡「翡翠火齊,絡以美玉」的意思,大家決定把小女兒取名為”美玉”。437Please respect copyright.PENANAobEiWr4yPo
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令人欣慰的是,雖然在家受到爸爸媽媽及三個哥哥們的萬般寵愛,美玉並沒有因此養成驕縱蠻橫的性格,反而生得溫柔體貼、處處待人和氣。437Please respect copyright.PENANA8q6cD8pobS
437Please respect copyright.PENANAKs7UtT0J2y
街訪鄰居都說,賴家小女兒是越長越好看、越看越喜歡。
437Please respect copyright.PENANAA33mtqSdAl
美玉從小唱歌就好聽,就算是再爛大街的曲子,在美玉這裡總能搖身一變成為一首動聽的歌謠,令人想一聽再聽。437Please respect copyright.PENANAmyXLotoELB
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中學的時候,美玉就靠著好人緣以及美麗的歌喉,擄獲了一大票忠實粉絲。裡面最出名的就是校長的兒子,木藤浩,所有人都知道他在追求美玉。437Please respect copyright.PENANAlDtnXKYS9d
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木藤浩覺得她就是自己未來的妻子。437Please respect copyright.PENANA3eqLrCs05C
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直至美玉畢業以後,因為藝術成績過於優秀,被學校以高額薪資留下來教學生們唱歌,木藤浩也因此沒有回去本家,而是同美玉一起留在學校裡,帶著一屆又一屆的學生。437Please respect copyright.PENANAL4dNqypRVy
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時間靜悄悄的流逝,美玉也到了準備婚嫁的年紀。437Please respect copyright.PENANAPnM2OGbl41
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在當時,婚姻嫁娶都是由家裡長輩做主,所以即使美玉知道木藤浩從學生時期就一直在追求她,但按照那個時期人人根深蒂固的禮教制度,她知道自己並沒有選擇的權利。437Please respect copyright.PENANAO56OSB3MPO
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更何況她是賴家唯一的掌上明珠,對於將來另一半的選擇,那更是要一而再再而三的細細斟酌。437Please respect copyright.PENANAJfZoBke1ey
437Please respect copyright.PENANALk5p7HqOCh
美玉的爸爸媽媽相信,情感可以從朝夕相處中慢慢培養,因此相較於順從內心的喜愛,選一個”門當戶對”的人家反而才是重中之重。437Please respect copyright.PENANABj6CylyXOg
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因為他們以及他們的長輩們都是這樣過來的。437Please respect copyright.PENANAhnJAObtjzp
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又過了幾年,通過家裡層層篩選,在一個慎重挑選的好日子,按著吉時,美玉嫁給了一戶姓陳、專門做出海生意人家的大兒子。437Please respect copyright.PENANAluDbTgGETc
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據說嫁過去那天,木藤浩在一座寺廟裡出家了。也是從那日起,身邊孰悉的人再也沒有見過他。437Please respect copyright.PENANAOnK4A0lFQd
437Please respect copyright.PENANAe2GCz57P5K
美玉是後來才從偶爾聯繫的朋友口中聽說了這件事,但她並沒有時間慢慢傷懷。437Please respect copyright.PENANAbAFgQ3dgKc
437Please respect copyright.PENANAdzyEakpAEI
嫁出去的女兒如同潑出去的水。美玉接下來的人生,再也不是從前那個賴家最寶貝的小女兒,而是做為陳家最大長媳,全身心都奉獻給了陳家。437Please respect copyright.PENANA4Zp5HYiyAz
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除了頭幾年省親跟後來唯一一次向家裡借錢,美玉再也沒有回去過那個曾經有著她最美好時光的老家。437Please respect copyright.PENANAUnbY9apAxC
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陳家是一個很大的大家庭,除了美玉的丈夫,陳家大兒子以外,下面還有八個兒子、三個女兒。437Please respect copyright.PENANAMPJ90XoGmU
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但陳家二兒子在後來的一次出海途中不幸喪命,那時美玉剛生完第一胎,是個男孩。437Please respect copyright.PENANAOKQ0nUGgGa
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因此美玉的第一胎就被公公婆婆過繼給了已經婚配、卻還來不及有子嗣的二兒子。437Please respect copyright.PENANArxiZy5Somo
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婆婆要求美玉要生的跟她一樣多,尤其是長媳,因為她覺得只有多子多孫,家族才會興旺。
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然而生小孩並不是一件容易的事,美玉時常因此感到很痛苦。好在生到了第六個孩子的時候,因為生病不幸夭折,那段時間美玉身心都受到了不小的打擊,婆婆也就沒有勉強美玉繼續再生下去。437Please respect copyright.PENANAqRo9pGeLmb
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也許是作為長子,需要承擔大部分家族的責任,美玉相處下來發現,丈夫是個極其嚴肅又固執的人,性急、脾氣也大。437Please respect copyright.PENANARuMDSamV7X
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雖然性格不怎麼樣,但卻是個好父親,對兒女們的健康極其重視,就算自己再辛苦再累,也要確保孩子們吃得好、穿得暖。437Please respect copyright.PENANAItvEnTYQS1
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或許是急欲有一番成就來照顧家庭,丈夫在一次投資中失敗了,這幾年辛苦攢下的家底所剩無幾。就算是當掉嫁妝,還是不夠應付家裡日常開銷及孩子們的學費,美玉沒有辦法,只能跟著丈夫一起回娘家借了一大筆錢,姑且用來暫時度過這次的危機,等將來有能力再還回去。437Please respect copyright.PENANAAJv8PcUuj1
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沒想到由此開始,事情漸漸變得一發不可收拾,成為了後來美玉夫妻倆時常爭吵的導火索。437Please respect copyright.PENANAYTGeZjKKSj
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因為經濟較寬裕之後,丈夫並沒有把當初借來的錢按約定還回去,反而偷偷拿去買了許多股票跟投資違規工廠。437Please respect copyright.PENANAT7cqxyGhx6
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工廠被政府查抄,吃上官司,導致又賠了一大筆錢。437Please respect copyright.PENANAUf0jtu6eOH
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美玉是賣了丈夫許多股票,拿著這些錢跟著弟媳暗中放高利貸,才勉強還了錢,把家裡維持下來。437Please respect copyright.PENANAKCXs0quyg7
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在如此雞飛狗跳的生活中,孩子們漸漸長大,不知不覺也到了嫁娶的年紀。437Please respect copyright.PENANAp1rEr83mxq
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三個兒子,老大是個燜葫蘆,老二很有想法也小有名氣,老三則是個不守規矩的;兩個女兒,大女兒較顧全大局,小女兒心計繁多。437Please respect copyright.PENANAHzsDuRN4oW
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美玉夫妻倆對孩子們的婚姻並未做過多的干涉。437Please respect copyright.PENANAaBcJAdNE70
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最先結婚的是小女兒,愣是把自己嫁去了國外;再來是大兒子,莫名其妙地跟初戀分手以後,通過朋友介紹取了個年紀稍小的女孩;第三個是大女兒,跟小女兒一樣,也是把自己嫁到了國外;最後是老三,國外經商的時候在當地取了妻。437Please respect copyright.PENANAHz9NFcC1T8
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老二並非找不到良人,而是因為成年後突然身患疾病,本來談好的女友因為承受不住如此變故,選擇了分手。這場疾病也導致老二在後來很長的一段時間裡面,受盡折磨。437Please respect copyright.PENANAbFAzERylVO
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美玉對此感到心痛不已,一直虔誠的在廟裡求神拜佛,只求她的二兒子能一切順隨。
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等孩子們陸續穩定下來,美玉夫妻倆也到了古稀之年。他們決定趁還有體力的時候,到各地看一看分散的子孫們。
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他們的大兒子有了兩個女兒、老三有一個兒子、小女兒生有一男一女。大女兒自打流產後就沒有再生育,二兒子則是選擇領養。437Please respect copyright.PENANADM1Ep7xv4T
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又過了幾年,美玉的丈夫因病去世了。437Please respect copyright.PENANAkk1zPpfXIz
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美玉的孩子們給他們的父親辦了一場最後的送別會。437Please respect copyright.PENANAddrqLX3wcP
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房間裡,搖椅跟地板互相摩擦,發出有規律地喀啦、喀拉聲。437Please respect copyright.PENANAr61DEZyhTB
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很久之後,搖椅上的老人才終於有了一點反應。437Please respect copyright.PENANAfquSWIds8N
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「謝謝,我也覺得故事不錯。」我靠在搖椅旁,感受到傍晚漸漸下降的溫度,幫老人摁好毯子。437Please respect copyright.PENANAksHkzBJB41
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「陳,我姓陳。」看著老人臉上遲鈍的表情,我緩緩說道,「要注意保暖喔。」437Please respect copyright.PENANAZJtiCX6Pve
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「我改天再來看妳。」437Please respect copyright.PENANA2IXzAYW9qn
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老人好似沒有聽到,望向窗外,繼續閉目養神。437Please respect copyright.PENANATeGFmYsXJb
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走出房門,忍住的淚水不小心又浸潤眼底。我頓了一下,才對著客廳裡幾個身影說到,「我先回去了,改天再來。」437Please respect copyright.PENANABD92yyv8qU
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「走吧。」437Please respect copyright.PENANAU60lfGVCCO
「再見。」437Please respect copyright.PENANAnXu1unOfiA
「恩。」437Please respect copyright.PENANAWZ8hGnS7wk
「改天見。」437Please respect copyright.PENANAc8YBoTcTeF
「拜。」437Please respect copyright.PENANAeESShEeaj5
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一塊美玉,一場人生。既短且長,但願珍重。
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