根據居民的指示，我沿著竹林小徑走了一整天，終於到達目的地：一間全竹結構的寺廟。它比我預想中更為破落，冷冷清清的。我抬頭望向高高懸掛在山門的匾額，寫著「竹寺」。568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJTLBbdxFqO
568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2nS8vV2JfX
蠻有意思的名字。568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxImxXoIUN9
568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJlu5nhy99X
當我正要邁步內進時，一個打扮樸素的瘦削大叔剛好開門踏出。四目交投，雙方都愣住了幾秒。568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLYsws4Zg4A
568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg4VhcRqs0B
「歡迎內進。」沒等我回答，大叔已轉身為我引路。568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnB54WN1RRW
568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMRd7Xgx0Of
眼見天色漸暗，我不再磨蹭，看能否找到綫索，省卻逗留此地的時間：「不好意思喔，大叔！請問黃XX女士住在這裡嗎？」568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUdTKCRNKjD
568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7hZ0ApwtVB
大叔的腳步突兀地戛然而止。568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUsoGz0Vjvw
568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9JSMQC4iBb
是我的提問過於唐突嗎？568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7ToUgsLZeI
568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO9ih6zvm3L
大叔回頭仔細打量我，神色疑惑，似乎在猜測我和黃女士的關係。568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyhpuyOKM5b
568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO3Sqmzqlw9
「有人託我將信件親手轉交予黃女士。」568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYEqNpWhlQL
568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa7v7Ab8f9n
「黃女士已離開這裡好一段時間，不知何時會回來……甚或是不知會否回來。」568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡekF1LKEIvt
568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzH8HRUm0Kc
「她有透露去處嗎？」568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDND1e8uI7Z
568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD5iILwe59p
「沒有……我帶你去她昔日的房間試找綫索。」568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeJ1mKLFObi
568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPo3Map5av4
大叔再次邁步，步履沒有之前的輕，重若銀鉛。568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡysSrLWtTqc
568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQwWG4vgwHk
陰冷的空氣，空洞的房間，慘白的牆身，最基本的傢俬和雜物。沒有生活的氣息。568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY1mVa7NqNE
568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8PFtZ734mR
「剛才在門外碰見你，也還真令我驚訝。」大叔沒有進入房間，逕自在門外呢呢喃喃。「竹寺曾香火鼎盛。後來毗鄰的兩個小鎮分別新建更大更金碧輝煌的寺廟，無意間將信眾分流開去，到來竹寺掛單的僧侶亦逐漸減少，住持最終徇眾要求到另一寺廟主持大局。他指派我長駐於此，打掃清潔，說要方便途經的旅客。我一直覺得他想多了，豈料今天就遇見你。」568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHlNmEJ2iV9
568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIQjnuYZJql
「可能佛祖不想我白走一趟。」我話中有話，提醒侍奉佛祖的大叔不要忘記佛祖的存在，萬萬不能撒謊。568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNGwNNHRkS8
568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQlJyiDok0P
「我可以明天帶你見住持。他有掛單紀錄，可能有黃女士的聯絡資料。」大叔也不是省油的燈，簡單幾句就將我逼至沒有退路的位置：「但我希望你能先對我坦白事情的前因後果。住持是個大忙人。我可不希望為他增添不必要的麻煩。」568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKqZXm5A2Up
568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd99d1JJN9a
我只得坦白交代。568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlOONYWov4C
568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN297GD69PP
我的妻子過身了。臨終前，她希望我能預留一年時間為她完成唯一的遺願：親手將遺書交予離家出走多年的生母——黃女士。事隔多年，黃女士曾在多個地方落腳。我每次根據綫索趕至時，她早已遷居。輾轉間，我追尋至竹寺……568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSPLhx1CTTX
568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwcwdjFr8uT
「距離一年限期，還剩多少日子？」大叔生起關切之情。568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPMsaspOFrW
568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5xiFumn3U0
「三日。竹寺很可能是我的最後機會。」我加倍留意他的神色舉止。568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgy5PMKfoes
568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvQkHKGoKeU
「不考慮延長？」大叔表現出來的的關切絕對超過一個陌生人該有的限度。568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ13LGsWQ2Vr
568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlHTc65g3Yo
「妻子信緣份。她認為努力過後仍沒能找到，證明彼此有緣無份，毋須強求。她還叮囑我要燒毀遺書。」568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9OpR38wAuo
568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvmfBa2YDWQ
大叔若有所思後，講出驚人的一句：「若果一年期限屆滿時仍找不到黃女士，介意給我看看遺書嗎？」568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyqfhJcKb5y
568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx8jtb5jUwr
「極度介意！」我心裡認定大叔有事隱瞞。568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnrOWlH9Wki
568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUPt7RLYXWk
尷尬氣氛令大叔不再多話。568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvrW2tSs8mS
568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG2n49m6TVn
晚餐後，大叔在其他地方忙著，我則留在房間對著愛妻的照片痛哭一場。哭過以後，壓力得以紓緩，但心頭卻未能添加半分澄明，混沌混濁。568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvp7chi9UMn
568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM9v36q2f7T
我離房在寺內溜達散心。逛著逛著，忽爾看見大叔彎腰對著花園中的小樹喁喁細語，臉上盡是蜜甜。568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPQ9WlZ18qj
568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX1gRdkv4TF
我上前跟大叔打招呼。他微笑回應，和顏悅色，渾身散發著慈祥氣息，沒有白天時的隔膜。我嘗試放下戒心，開心見誠與他聊天。568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn4qCZxALvZ
568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFFM27bR3A0
不知怎地，聊著聊著，話題竟牽到大叔的心事去。568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡySsft3kDNO
568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvQAI9eIkeM
「貪，使人執著於一切順情之境。嗔，使人執著於一切違情之境。痴，使人不明白真理，致使生起貪嗔。568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA9Nf3vb3zO
568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrmMhlsoks3
我痴愚半生，痛苦不已。到此地求法，希望住持指點迷津。但他認為我凡心未盡，要我留在這裡靜思。568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡClsF3P8nvV
568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVO9zg2D7gs
我在竹寺侍奉多年，住持依然不為所動。我以為他在敷衍我。今天遇到你，我才明白住持所言非虛：任何無關的人事物都可輕易勾起我對逝去伴侶的思念。」568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ98lcUdLvWn
568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAtUQ559SlY
我終於明白初時大叔何以對我不太友善。568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu4Yv83d9L2
568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzTpFbKEOD5
將心比心。喪妻之後，任何人事物均能勾起我和對太太的思念。我曾抱怨上天幸災樂禍，何解不讓我安靜避世。我已盡力放下身邊一切，辭掉工作，不聯絡親友，遷出愛巢，但偏偏愛妻的遺願就是要我去彌補她的畢生遺憾！我沒有一刻能放下她，因為我的分分秒秒就是為她而過。568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmqZl2kfc3d
568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPlGMzV82KI
那種痛苦實非筆墨所能形容。568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7gqZBGR9Kf
568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMKcNeq43Hg
「你的妻子真聰明，給你的痛苦設下一年期限。只要你在這一年裡拼命為她圓願，往後也就了無遺憾或悔疚。我可沒那麼幸運，不知要拖著這副臭皮囊乾等到哪年哪月哪日……」568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfUabTzoBf7
568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG06Jj2YbaI
說罷，他跟我和小樹說晚安，然後揚長而去。568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFFeH2RmzBV
568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxZPwoTsUV2
翌日，我翻遍整間竹寺亦找不到大叔，只在他的房間找到他留給我的手繪地圖。我跟著地圖的指示走了大半天，來到住持現處的寺廟。568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpuYdebiZgb
568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2jeWrnyyni
住持聽罷我的經歷後，不禁黯然慨嘆：「黃女士始終凡心未盡……」568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtSjxyWzfzn
568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhrhBBV6WuL
黃女士當年拋夫棄女，與情夫私奔。豈料甜蜜日子不長久，情夫患急病逝世。黃女士大受打擊，認為是自己作孽甚深，連累情夫。她來到竹寺，望住持能指點迷津。住持認為她深陷激動情緒當中，容易作出錯誤選擇，逐要她在竹寺靜思己過。可惜她半夜逃離。當黃女士重臨竹寺時，她已花光積蓄在黑市做手術整容及變性，以情夫的外表現身……568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8hNPmGZfxU
568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWjSg3yt4rL
「大叔就是黃女士？」我不禁驚呼。568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV6CjbF2rzp
568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVjGI3BLcYq
震驚之情瞬間即逝，取而代之的是說不出的矛盾。568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnX1b7ZylyX
568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS7axbrbqVF
這個人，我恨不來，亦原諒不了。568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqyokUhtRqF
568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn9tBubkRVc
翌日，我和住持往竹寺走一趟。568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwRCjThJFtx
568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzjeLsEjP1f
寺前，我倆不約而同抬頭望向匾額。568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHC8wvyVxvY
568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlmMTYjyuBq
「你知道『竹寺』何以得名嗎？」住持問。568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2N1YxXASyt
568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ46JDrzpmYU
「等？」我的猜想有如初來之時。568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNIK6Y8e9hK
568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpiUsaYjcYt
「這名字只不過是客觀描述寺廟本身。」住持揚手指向全竹結構的寺廟：「大家實在想多了，對自己的想像投放情感，賦予它過多的意義，致使看不見眼前真象。」568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGfoZEDX3hf
568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7sCHmUwYdf
我驀地憶起大叔前夜的說話。568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV64z83YHPY
568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnlHBlIn0p1
住持直接走往花園。不出他所料，小樹已被連根拔起，樹下土地被挖出一個大坑，足以容納一個成人。568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgEYLTzuhDk
568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeMLDXUlJKf
我心頭一涼，頓時明白那是甚麼一回事：多年以來，情夫的屍首一直埋在這裡。568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIcTPmutYCL
568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiCB29uOsWT
我鼻頭一酸，淚如雨下。568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgW8B89c4P9
568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhkVEUnC0zo
「『強逼自己放下執著』也是一種執著。」568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKtS4KW0Cse
568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCZlSX7jxr0
住持淡然望天，開始為一切生者亡者誦經。
然後按「加至主畫面」