殯儀殮葬,在香港這塊寸金尺土的彈丸之地,從來不只是關乎哀思的儀式,而是一門極其暴利、且永不衰落的生財之道。50Please respect copyright.PENANAtJLLwIUSL7
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所謂「最後的體面」,往往是用厚重的鈔票堆砌出來的。從一副質地平庸的楠木棺材,到那一套鑲金邊的絲綢壽衣,甚至是在靈堂前負責破地獄的師傅,每一聲嗩吶、每一點火星,背後都標記著清晰的價碼。負責辦事的人,在生者最脆弱、最不願計較的時候進場,熟練地推銷著那些最後都會化成灰燼的香燭祭品。他們安慰生者說,這是為了讓逝者走得尊嚴,但轉過頭,在結算帳單時,卻絕對不會少收分毫。50Please respect copyright.PENANALC7JXOZJj9
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如果以為把遺體火化、撒進大海或者是埋入土裡,這場關於死亡的消費就告一段落,那就實在太過天真。在香港,死後的「土地需求」甚至比生前更加畸形。50Please respect copyright.PENANAMWy1N9taHe
50Please respect copyright.PENANApOhPqpaWPj
公營的骨灰龕位,申請隊伍隨時排到二零四六年,那是整整一代人的等待。而私人的龕位,在那些金碧輝煌的紀念館裡,一個不到一呎見方的格子,動輒要價數十萬甚至上百萬港幣。在活人還在為了居屋、為了劏房掙扎時,死者也在為了那一方棲身之所進行著最後的資源掠奪。這是一種極致的諷刺,卻也是這座城市最真實的硬道理。50Please respect copyright.PENANALlWpGlih12
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二零一七年四月一日。愚人節。50Please respect copyright.PENANAhOOaI37Rqo
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早晨的霧氣還沒完全散去,紅磡機利士南路一帶已經開始瀰漫著香燭與 sandalwood 的味道。這是一片被死亡包圍的街區,殯儀館、長生店、紙紮舖林立,牆上貼滿了寫著「往生淨土」的黃色告示。50Please respect copyright.PENANA5KRddO73xT
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一對三十來歲的「夫婦」出現在鶴園街附近的一棟舊唐樓下。50Please respect copyright.PENANAcJkg2BOd8j
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男的穿著一件深灰色的舊西裝,領帶歪斜,眉頭緊鎖,眼底帶著一種經年累月的疲憊與哀愁,像是剛辦完喪事、正被生活重壓壓得喘不過氣的孝子。50Please respect copyright.PENANA6s030zpveD
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而挽著他手臂的女的,卻顯得有些「不合時宜」。50Please respect copyright.PENANALrJGwBxjYh
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她穿著一件大碼的米色長風衣,腰帶隨意地繫著,露出一截修長的小腿和洗得發白的布鞋。她沒有化妝,皮膚卻因為這幾天的「滋潤」而顯得紅光滿面,透著一種新婚燕爾的小姑娘才有的鬆弛與紅潤。她那種慵懶而危險的氣場,與這條壓抑的街道格格不入。她挽著男人的手,動作親暱得有些過分,眼神慢悠悠地在街邊那些壽衣店、石碑舖掃過,那神情不像是來辦後事,倒像是陪丈夫來挑選昂貴的珠寶首飾。50Please respect copyright.PENANAMAxoLh1VFI
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「黃生,黃太,呢邊請。唐樓樓梯窄,小心睇腳。」50Please respect copyright.PENANAhnH2DgajbK
50Please respect copyright.PENANASDNPqrOvFj
前面帶路的是個身材削瘦、穿著黑色唐裝的高個子男人。他自稱陳經理,是這一帶著名的「地產代理」——只不過他賣的不是給活人住的樓盤,而是給先人住的「豪宅」。50Please respect copyright.PENANAh0Y5AfOpv3
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陳經理帶著兩人踩在佈滿灰塵與霉味的樓梯上,一邊走一邊推銷:「今日係愚人節,但我哋做呢行嘅,最講誠信,絕對唔會呃人。呢棟樓雖然舊,但勝在清靜,先人住得安穩,後人才發得順手。」50Please respect copyright.PENANAC126UCvVDr
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阿信沒說話,只是象徵性地嘆了口氣,那種因為親人過世而「愁眉深鎖」的演技,在這種環境下發揮得淋漓盡致。三人來到三樓的一個單位。陳經理從腰間掏出一大串鑰匙,「哐啷」一聲打開了厚重的生鏽鐵閘,隨後推開木門。50Please respect copyright.PENANAFTFYMsiOb3
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一股陰冷而乾爽的空氣撲面而來。50Please respect copyright.PENANAxacXrG53SC
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屋子裡的窗戶全部被厚重的黑色窗簾遮死,日光燈發出滋滋的電流聲。室內的裝修極其詭異,原本應該是客廳的地方,被拆掉了隔牆,換成了幾排橫豎交錯的人造石櫃位。每一個櫃位大約只有十吋寬、十二吋高,密密麻麻地排列著,像是一個微型的圖書館。50Please respect copyright.PENANADm5pqXMj60
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只不過,書架上放的不是書,而是成百上千個造型各異的骨灰甕。50Please respect copyright.PENANAPboi6WHm71
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有的骨灰甕是用白色陶瓷燒製的,貼著逝者的黑白照片;有的則是木製的,刻著金色的經文。香爐裡的殘燼還沒冷透,空氣中迴盪著若有若無的梵音播放器聲響。50Please respect copyright.PENANASxmaNwiEWp
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阿信走近一排櫃位,伸出指尖輕輕摸了摸那冰冷的石材,聲音低沈地問道:「陳生,呢度一個位……要幾多錢?」50Please respect copyright.PENANADN5FJFCbWh
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「黃生你真係識貨,呢排係最上位,正對著長明燈。只要三十八萬八,包埋管理費。」陳經理神秘地笑了笑,指著那一圈排位,「風水先生睇過,呢度係『回頭金子地』,對子孫後代嘅財運最好。」50Please respect copyright.PENANAyMdUO85Umc
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「三十八萬八?」阿信眼皮跳了一下,這不是演戲,這是他本能的、關於數字的生理性牙痛,「一呎都唔夠,要三十八萬八?中環甲級寫字樓都無咁貴。」50Please respect copyright.PENANAlMRqlCwkN3
50Please respect copyright.PENANAcl3JY1Uehm
「黃生,人生除死無大事。你買咗呢度,係一份心意,亦係一份投資。」陳經理熟練地應付著,隨即看向一直沒說話、正漫不經心地打量著周圍的阿珊,「黃太,妳覺得呢?女仔人家,眼光通常比較細膩。」阿珊挽著阿信的手臂,身體幾乎半邊重量都壓在阿信身上。她像是在看名牌包包一樣看著那些骨灰甕,手指輕輕撥弄著風衣的扣子,嘴角掛著一抹若有若無的笑意。50Please respect copyright.PENANAFEtN9pkHJZ
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「地方係幾整齊。」阿珊開口了,聲音帶著一種懶洋洋的鬆弛感,卻直指核心,「不過陳生,我比較好奇嘅係……呢度到底合唔合法?我聽講政府最近執得好嚴,如果買咗之後,過兩年你哋俾人取締,我哋先人豈不是要『流離失所』?」陳經理的笑容僵了不到半秒,隨即又擴張開來,那是那種走在法律灰色地帶的人特有的不置可否。50Please respect copyright.PENANA6fdjtlas3i
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「黃太,妳真係幽默。法例呢啲嘢,年年都變。我哋呢度做咗十幾年,背後都有『老細』睇住。合法有合法嘅玩法,私人亦有私人嘅規矩。」他壓低聲音,「最緊要先人住得舒服,唔係咩?」50Please respect copyright.PENANAxyAutOdoUr
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阿珊與阿信交換了一個眼神。50Please respect copyright.PENANAXY4vAJ9PE1
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「我哋再考慮下。」阿信淡淡地說,「畢竟……幾十萬唔係細數。」三人又看了另外兩個隱藏在舊唐樓裡的單位。情況大同小異:狹窄的空間、密集的靈位、以及那些躲在暗處、逃避法規卻又極度渴求利潤的經營者。50Please respect copyright.PENANA9SOGTLp68V
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走出唐樓,紅磡的陽光有些刺眼。50Please respect copyright.PENANAae222nYaoa
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「黃生,黃太,考慮清楚隨時打俾我。愚人節快樂,希望你哋唔好俾外面啲政府公文呃到,最緊要係握在手心嘅實物。」陳經理揮揮手,轉身消失在長生店的陰影裡。50Please respect copyright.PENANADyJ7wwzOBP
50Please respect copyright.PENANAqsXVp1fYnx
阿信和阿珊沒坐車,而是順著機利士南路慢慢往地鐵站走。50Please respect copyright.PENANA8qSn9FH9LU
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阿信臉上的哀愁瞬間消散,取而代之的是一種深深的疲憊和計算後的厭惡。他揉了揉眉心,「三十八萬八。阿珊,你接呢單job,到底係為咗查真相,定係為咗幫呢班人搵地方『發死人財』?」50Please respect copyright.PENANAIl6mZ3d21E
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「阿信,我講過,我只係負責『資料整理』。」阿珊挽緊了他的手臂,整個人貼上來,柔軟的身體在風衣下帶著一種驚人的熱度。她笑得紅光滿面,完全沒有剛才在靈位前的嚴肅,「不過,你啱啱做得真係幾似。哀而不傷,愁而不怨,駱大律師如果見到,一定覺得你有做卧底嘅潛質。」50Please respect copyright.PENANAd6R7fOmj58
50Please respect copyright.PENANAs3ikFEn338
「我有無潛質我唔知,我只係知我嘅錢包好傷。」阿信毒舌地吐槽道,「你硬係要拉我落水,陪你嚟呢啲地方。紅磡呢浸藥油味同死人除,我諗我要抹三日地先洗得走。」50Please respect copyright.PENANAF7LPB5RWL0
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「唔使抹地。」阿珊在他耳邊輕笑,呼吸溫熱,「返去沖個涼就得。」50Please respect copyright.PENANAxV5cXZUdgl
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回到灣仔的天台石屋時,已經是下午四點。50Please respect copyright.PENANAlqEnFBfv81
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四月的香港,乍暖還寒。石屋外的天台,風已經帶了一絲海水的腥甜與春日的躁動。推開門的一瞬間,阿珊那種在外面維持的、帶著幾分危險氣息的「獵犬」氣場瞬間瓦解,取而代之的是絕對的鬆弛。50Please respect copyright.PENANAHnMZs1peBf
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她隨手把那件昂貴的米色風衣丟在舊沙發上。風衣下,她只穿著那件阿信穿舊了的、寬大且發黃的白襯衫。她沒有扣上胸前的幾顆扣子,襯衫領口大開,鎖骨優美的線條延伸入那片神祕的白。50Please respect copyright.PENANASsZLOz2aRa
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她依然是「真空」的。那種襯衫布料與皮膚直接摩擦的觸感,讓她整個人散發出一種原始、野性且極具誘惑力的張力。50Please respect copyright.PENANAHUunstC4i8
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「呼,熱死我。」阿珊直接坐進阿信懷裡,雙腿交疊,赤著腳踩在石屎地板上,腳趾像是在空氣中撥弄著琴弦。阿信坐在沙發上,身體有些僵硬。他一邊在腦海裡復盤剛才在紅磡看到的那些地圖和櫃位編號,一邊想著這二十萬背後的風險。50Please respect copyright.PENANAH9yEDNdBTh
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「阿珊,駱致孝俾你嗰隻USB,入面提到嗰間公司……」50Please respect copyright.PENANA8RO5yVZXDy
50Please respect copyright.PENANA1Lyij30FXj
「阿信。」阿珊伸出指尖,輕輕按在阿信的嘴唇上。她的手有些涼,卻帶著一種不容拒絕的力量。她勾著阿信的脖子,整個人縮在他懷中,像是一隻在暴雨後找回巢穴的獸,「今日係星期六,又係愚人節。我哋唔講嗰個人,唔講嗰啲死人位。」50Please respect copyright.PENANATV49llOz5R
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阿信嘆了口氣,手卻不自覺地放在了阿珊的腰際。襯衫的布料很薄,他能清晰地感覺到她皮膚的溫度,還有那道手術後微微凸起的傷疤。50Please respect copyright.PENANAbny17Vnscn
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「你知唔知澄澄依家喺興華邨安撫緊黃額娘?你仲係度玩?」阿信語氣雖然依舊毒舌,但手卻開始不安分地在阿珊身上四處遊走,掌心傳來的細膩觸感,讓他心底那股被理智壓制了許久的燥火重新燃燒起來。50Please respect copyright.PENANAwClVInTwg9
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「澄澄好乖,佢會幫我哋搞掂奶奶。」阿珊笑得狡黠,長髮垂落在阿信的肩膀上,遮住了兩人的視線,「至於我……阿信,啱啱陳經理話齋,人生除死無大事。既然我哋仲未死,咁就要做點大事。」50Please respect copyright.PENANAWh6qPzNxiM
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阿信看著她,看著她那雙因為興奮而燃燒著火光的眼睛。他知道這是一場博弈。阿珊在誘惑他,在試探他,也在依賴他。而他,卻無可救藥地沈溺在這種被「獵犬」噬咬的快感中。兩人交換了一個眼神。那個眼神裡沒有了平時的偽裝與計算,只有一種男人與女人之間、最原始也最默契的共鳴。50Please respect copyright.PENANAPTo3CHn9pd
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「去廚房。」阿珊在阿信耳邊輕聲說了一句,語氣曖昧。50Please respect copyright.PENANAUFJOMXgiI9
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「點解去廚房?」阿信愣了一下。50Please respect copyright.PENANAepEppOuGf3
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「因為我鍾意嗰陣油煙味。」阿珊輕輕咬了一下阿信的耳垂,隨即站起身,拉著阿信的手往那間狹小的開放式廚房走去。50Please respect copyright.PENANAxpXhYtldf1
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晚飯還沒開始。瓦斯爐上的水壺發出細微的鳴叫。50Please respect copyright.PENANAZcb7t1i5mN
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夕陽穿過天台的玻璃門,將兩人的影子拉得很長。在那個充滿了日常氣息的廚房裡,在一疊疊洗得發白的碗筷與調味瓶之間,阿信猛地轉身,將阿珊抵在了流理台邊。50Please respect copyright.PENANAg2KWeO1Hgq
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阿珊發出一聲輕笑,仰起頭,白襯衫的袖口滑落在流理台的邊緣,沾上了一點乾涸的水漬。50Please respect copyright.PENANA4aGRddQyb2
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既然生死之外無大事,那麼在這一刻,在這一方小小的天台屋裡,所有的陰謀、所有的二十萬、所有的非法骨灰位,都變得不再重要。50Please respect copyright.PENANAxG69HV8HHf
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唯一的真實,是彼此急促的呼吸,和那穿透了舊襯衫的熱度。50Please respect copyright.PENANAwkOsxaN6AW
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【後設吐糟】50Please respect copyright.PENANAJ3kkA05x6X
將「土地需求」延伸到死人身上,是這座城市最底層的悲哀。阿信對 38 萬 8 的「生理性牙痛」非常符合他的吝嗇人設——他可以為了幾十萬的法律費用心痛,更會為了死後的一呎之地感到荒謬。
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我的武林,妳的江湖
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我的武林,妳的江湖
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ISSUE #45
後事
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