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。904Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy3iFtD5z3Y
904Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvmFocRQoAA
「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？」904Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhOGB61tuYV
904Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrl71JksorS
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。904Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKjJlKzqPhu
904Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYQZGzumMlB
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。904Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZWKU04UtaQ
904Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡutsctiKoKP
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。904Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNm2LblA8iZ
904Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaohBREDWC3
「你回家去忙你的。往後不必來。」爸爸淡然望向窗外。904Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL2us5QuiZJ
904Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgQqrV9Kozs
「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。904Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAeX3h92XNe
904Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzB7oUTByiT
「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。904Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXcDYVhocTo
904Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCtS9fhgivo
「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。904Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEBsq7ijPP0
904Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw7kizzQf9z
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》。」904Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3nqFpxlIl9
904Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEvJ4ovpgeB
「兩者有何關連？」本已疲累的我此刻更是頭昏腦脹。904Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhEddNY3cjt
904Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3uj4tTrVqK
「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。」904Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8iqRQfQ8sl
904Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7NuzrjeMmn
「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。904Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQJaYVccin2
904Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFwwzRVjSrd
「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。904Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL7WLxn5YVR
904Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbDIwqgOgGu
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。904Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0ZwORqUnU2
904Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkinwb2L1QR
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。904Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡooaGe8xVUL
904Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRUSQo0nDWX
夜深，孩子們終於入眠，我和丈夫準備就寢去。904Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDxSVrp8DKe
904Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzhF7YHxLyy
丈夫關心問我：「與岳父吵架？」904Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2UZFc3ZgJq
904Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw9dlqPiVBh
「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？」904Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡts9WioYvmh
904Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrSNvDGwe4i
「記得。我們的答案全軍覆沒。」丈夫傻笑。904Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8n4xqMuWiG
904Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡue9KhD3Jl8
「原來答案是『《燕詩》』。」我嘆一口氣。904Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp8nAUNR3UH
904Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYkorMqpmmO
丈夫若有所思，沒有立即回話。904Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2cLF6k2plc
904Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9oSWCpQUQC
「你明白？」看見丈夫似懂非懂的表情，我莫名其妙地火冒三丈。904Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeb2nv8zvcV
904Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmjuyMKcgJi
「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。904Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMtuv5WXxeu
904Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5nwCxnx0ql
「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。904Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsetks7DzDN
904Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFaH725WyzA
父母的唸書聲驀地在我耳邊響起——「當時父母念，今日爾應知。」904Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfG6kMDPLxF
然後按「加至主畫面」