学文网怎么也没有想到会在台湾的罗东这样相遇。
这是一个很好的天气。许多人或者许多情况已经得到证明,好天气有时候会给人酿造出好的心情,而在好的心情状态下往往会有令人意想不到的奇迹诞生。会是这样的吗?
可能是因为导游安排有点过早的原因,还不到下午六点,耿一林他们就已经吃过晚饭了。这时的太阳还没有落尽,浓淡不一的紫红色的余辉紧贴着西边那一望无际的槟榔树轻轻染去,高高的树林就成了红色的,远了看,宛如一片火焰在槟榔树顶燃烧,整个槟榔树林还好像是一个偌大的琉璃艺术品摆置在西天边际让人这么欣赏着。空里没有风,偶有鹭鸶什么的很大的白鸟飞过,携着几声缠绵的鸣叫。
就是顺着这样的景致,耿一林独自从罗东镇的西边,沿着路北的铺前窄道往东信步走去。镇子不大,整个建筑风格给人一种零零碎碎的感觉,却也秀气。回头再看西天边际,随着太阳的离去,槟榔树顶的红已经渐渐黯淡了,剩下一抹浓浓的黛绿。
夜幕就这样开始降落了。
也就在这时,耿一林突然感觉左眼皮在跳,为什么呢?许多人认为是左眼跳财(或者福),右眼跳祸。当然这是瞎说或者迷信。按照科学的道理,眼皮跳应该是疲劳所至的原因。没有理会。
寂然往前走着。
不大的镇子却有着许多小店,先入眼帘的是一个霓虹灯镶嵌着的“香云槟榔”。
早就听说台湾的槟榔特别是槟榔女非常有名气,便近了看。
这是一间不怎么宽敞的小屋。屋子是平顶的,紧挨着小屋的里边又是一幢两层的平顶楼房。临向街面的平顶楼房的窗子里有着很暗的灯光流出来,没等落到小屋顶就化了。挨着门口一米多远的右边是一个可以推拉的不锈钢窗子。窗子的灯光从小屋的左边窗子里窜出来然后爬在耿一林的脸上。这时,耿一林看见屋里的一张脸也几乎是同时抬起来转向了窗子转向了他。
这是一张女子的脸。她的目光与耿一林的目光相遇。
女子很平朴。他们就互相善良友好地凝视着,心里的内容比脸上的内容要丰富得多。小街上没有任何车辆行驶,周围都很静。这样大概过了3秒或者4秒钟,又几乎是同时他们互相向对方无声地微笑了一下。面对这样的场面,耿一林终于先点了点头,并且同时轻轻地说了声“你好”。女子也轻轻放大了微笑,以至于嘴角的左边绽放出了一个玉米粒一般大的非常美丽的小酒窝,紧跟着也回了声“你好”。
左眼皮突然急跳了几下,耿一林迅速用食指和中指的指肚轻轻地揉了揉。他见小屋的门敞开着,就说:“可以进去看看吗?”女子点了点头。
这的确是一个年轻而且很平朴的女子,看上去26岁左右。女子的皮肤很好,白皙的脸庞上没有皱纹也没有眼角纹,一米六多一点的个头儿,苗条而且很标准很有风韵的身材,就好像微风里亭亭玉立的槟榔树。头发是直直的垂柳秀发,已经深深地披过了双肩。瓜子脸,大眼睛,眉毛修饰了,很清晰,也涂了口红,淡淡的,别的就没有什么非常特殊的标志了。上身穿一件蓝底白花很合体的短袖衫,袖口镶着一公分宽的红边,挺醒目。下身是一件比较短但是还算不上超短的紫红色短裙。脚上蹬一双透明的水晶拖鞋。手和脚的指甲都是经过涂染了的,韵味很足。在女子的面前,靠窗摆着一张棕色的不大的木桌。人坐在桌前,抬头就可以非常方便地看见外边的一切。几分钟之前,女子就是这样通过窗口非常方便地看见耿一林的。现在她仍然在看着他。耿一林就站在她的面前。她很友好。她微笑着问他:“要槟榔?”耿一林也微笑着说:“看看。”她还是微笑着说:“噢,看吧。”
这时,耿一林才发现她眼前的桌子是一张专门制造槟榔的工作台。台面摆着许多槟榔籽、槟榔叶、石灰和做槟榔用的其它物件。耿一林说;“对不起,打扰你了。你忙你的,我只是看看。”女子很甜地笑了,说:“你看吧。”就拿起一片槟榔叶子,捏一捏白白的石灰粉撒上,然后放一粒槟榔籽,包起来,再缠上线⋯⋯
这就是她的工作。
她一边工作一边和耿一林说着话。女子很聪明,也很真诚。她告诉耿一林,说从她第一眼看见他以及听他说第一句话的时候就知道他不是当地人了。她说她也感到好奇才大胆凝视他的。耿一林知道自己的胶东口音比较浓,懂方言的人一般一听就可以判断出来的。当女子听说耿一林是从大陆山东来的时候,就停止了手里正在缠线的槟榔,头抬起来,看着耿一林,眼睛里有许多惊疑的光。紧接着,她就指了指身边空着的一把椅子让耿一林坐下。她问耿一林怎么不吃槟榔,他说不喜欢,可能是不习惯的原因。
他们就这样说着话,说了许多内容和话题。女子说她姓耿,叫香云,是1979年在宜兰出生的,属羊。她的老家也在山东,是文登的界石镇一带。她的父亲告诉她,1949年父亲随队伍到了湖南。那时她的父亲还不到20岁,再后来就到了台湾,还参加了横贯东西公路的建设。香云说她父亲40多岁才在罗东认识了她的母亲。现在,她的父亲已经退休了。前几年她的父亲曾经多次打听老家的事情,但是都没有什么音信。耿一林告诉香云,他的老家过去也是界石,但现在是龙口。他还告诉了香云他的名字。香云知道了他也姓耿。耿一林还问了香云父亲的名字,也说了自己父亲的名字。耿一林终于知道了香云的父亲就是他的堂爷爷。他告诉香云,界石的老家是1969年搬到龙口去的⋯⋯
完全没有想到的事。
心情是异样的激动。耿一林感觉到了小屋的低矮,屋里的电灯却阳光般的明亮而刺眼,最受不了刺激的眼睛里终于有了涌动的液体。他和香云都一样。他看见她的眼睛里先有泪珠出来,顺着眼帘到了嘴角。
按照辈分,他应该是叫香云为姑姑的,一个比他年轻许多的小姑姑⋯⋯
Geng Yilin did not expect that he would have such an encounter in Luodong, Taiwan.
Maybe the tour guide planned the schedule too early, for before six o’clock in the afternoon, Geng Yilin and his fellow tourists had already had dinner. At that time, the sun had not yet set; the light purple afterglow shone upon the boundless betel forest, looking as if some flames were burning over the betel trees. The entire betel forest looked like some giant piece of glazed ceramic ware stationed under the western side of the sky. There was no breath of wind in the air. Occasionally, some large birds, perhaps egrets, flew chirping over the forest.
In such a scene, Geng Yilin walked toward the north past the shops along the narrow paths. The town is not big. The entire architectural style seemed to be a mixture of odds and ends. Looking to the west, with the disappearance of the sun, the red color over the betel trees gradually became dim and only some deep dark green was left there.
There were many small shops in the town, among which the most remarkable one is the one displaying the neon sign “Xiangyun Betel Nut”.
Previously, Geng Yilin had heard that Taiwan’s betel nut, especially the betel nut girls were very famous. So he entered the “Xiangyun Betel Nut” to have a look.
This was a small house with flat roof. Right behind the small house was a two-floor building. Dim light was emerging from the windows of the building. In the 20 square meters or so of betel nut house, the light was very bright. At the left side of the house, there was a stainless steel door, which was clean without any decoration. At the right side of the door, one meter away on the wall was a stainless steel window, through which the light was shed into the house. As his face slowly approached the window pane, Geng Yilin saw a face inside the house turning towards him. This was a woman’s face.
They stared each other in a friendly way. There was no car in the street and the surrounding area was very quiet. In the house, in front of the woman was a worktable for making betel nuts, on which the betel nuts, betel leaves and lime were placed. She took a piece of betel leaf, put some lime powder on it, placed a piece of betel nut, wrapped the leaf and bound it with string…
This was her job. While working, she talked with Geng Yilin. The woman was very clever and sincere. They talked long on many topics.
Geng Yilin was every excited. According to the clan hierarchy, he should call her “auntie”, an auntie much younger than him…