Sio-phah ê tāi-chı̀ chin kín tō hō͘ lāu-su chai-iáⁿ--a, ha̍k-hāu koat-tēng beh thâi-ke-kà-kâu, thang hó ûi-hō͘ ha̍k-hāu ê hong-khı̀.
Chèng-kı̂ lâi kàu ha̍k-hāu, seng-khu ê khang-chhùi iáu tı̄--leh, tiām-tiām chē tı̄ kàu-sek lāi-té, siūⁿ-tio̍h kap pa-pa ê tùi-oē, ba̍k-kho͘ soah âng--khí-lâi.
“Lí ba̍k-chiu án-choáⁿ--a? Kám sı̄ bô sóng-khoài? Goá ê chhiú-kin-á sı̄ chheng-khı̀--ê, ē-sái the̍h khı̀ chhit.” Chē tı̄ Chèng-kı̂ piⁿ--á ê cha-bó͘ gín-á kiò chò “N̂g Siok-cheng”, i khoàⁿ-tio̍h Chèng-kı̂ teh kan-khó͘, soà-chhiú sa chhiú-kin-á hō͘ i.
Chèng-kı̂ kā khoàⁿ--chı̍t-ē, kā chhiú-kin-á chiap koè chhiú, seh-siā liáu-āu tō koh tiām-chēng--khí-lâi.
Siok-cheng kám-kak Chèng-kı̂ lâng chin hó, koh chin gâu oē-tô͘, m̄-koh choè-kı̄n m̄-chai sı̄ án-choáⁿ, hā-khò lóng cháu khı̀ piān-só͘ thau chia̍h-hun, siōng-khò ê sı̂ kui seng-khu lóng hun-bı̄, hō͘ i kiōng beh tòng bē-tiâu.
“Chèng-kı̂, pàng-o̍h kám beh lâi goán tau sńg? Goán pa-pa, ma-ma kin-á-jı̍t chhut--khı̀, lán ē-sái thau chia̍h chin chē mı̍h-kiāⁿ--o͘!” Siok-cheng in chhù sı̄ kám-á-tiàm, ta̍k-pái lóng chin pa-kiat chhiáⁿ tông-o̍h khı̀ in tau chia̍h sı̀-siù-á.
“Ouh! Hó a......” Chèng-kı̂ kā Siok-cheng khoàⁿ--chı̍t-ē, sim-lāi chin kám-kek.
Chit-chūn, Sím Lêng-sı̀n ùi goā-kháu chông--jı̍p-lâi, khı̀-phut-phut kóng: “M̄-hó--a! A-pô-á beh kā Ông Kı̂ thè-ha̍k!”
“Siáⁿ-mih!”
Chhiu-thiⁿ, sı̄ koaⁿ-bang khui-hoe ê kùi-chiat, tı̄ hong tiong hàiⁿ--leh hàiⁿ--leh ê koaⁿ-bang, hō͘ lâng kám-kak pi-siong.
Tı̄ khe-piⁿ, seⁿ kah kui-phiàn ê koaⁿ-bang piⁿ--á, ū chı̍t keng thó͘-tı̄-kong biō-á, he sı̄ in siā-khu ê sı̀n-gióng tiong-sim, Ông Kı̂ in tiāⁿ-tiāⁿ tı̄ chia chū-hoē.
Khong-khı̀ tiong ū Chı̀n-êng kang-gia̍p-khu pâi--chhut-lâi ê hoà-ha̍k hùi-khı̀ ê bı̄. Chit-tı̄n kok-tiong-seng tiām-tiām chē tı̄ thó͘-tı̄-kong biō-á ê chio̍h-í-á téng, chio̍h-í-á peng-peng, liâng-liâng, Chèng-kı̂ bô sè-jı̄ ka chı̍t ē léng-sún.
“Soah--lah, ē-tàng án-choáⁿ?” Ông Kı̂ chhoán chı̍t ē toā-khùi: “Choán khı̀ kı̂-thaⁿ ha̍k-hāu mā bē-bái, siōng bô, bē chhiūⁿ lán chia koán chiah giâm.”
Ông Kı̂ kám chin-chiàⁿ bô iàu-ı̀? Koh ū, hoat-seng chit khoán tāi-chı̀, in pē-bó ē án-choáⁿ siūⁿ? Chèng-kı̂ sim-lāi án-ne teh siūⁿ, m̄-koh m̄-káⁿ kóng--chhut-lâi.
“Kı̂-sı̍t, lán hùn-tō-á chá tō khoàⁿ lán bô sūn-gán--a, chit-pái sı̄ thàn ki-hoē pò-ho̍k, chhiūⁿ goá, ta̍k-pái to hō͘ i chàm kah siōng chhám, lín khoàⁿ, téng-pái hō͘ i phah ê siong-hûn iáu tı̄--leh.” Sím Lêng-sı̀n kā saⁿ giú--khí-lâi, kı̂-tiong-khó kok-bûn khó bô hó hông phah ê siong-hûn, gêng-hoeh ná chı̍t tiâu chı̍t tiâu thâng tı̄ i kha-chiah-phiaⁿ.
“Sı̄ ah, i sı̄ beh piáu-hiān hō͘ hāu-tiúⁿ khoàⁿ, thang hó seng-kip, ka sin-súi, kán! Piáu-kiáⁿ!”
“Sái lín niâ--leh, nah ē-sái hō͘ i chiah hó-koè!”
“Thiaⁿ kóng in kiáⁿ tha̍k Tiong-chèng Kok-tiong, pêng-siông-sı̂-á chin chhàu-phùi, mā chin chē lâng khoàⁿ i bē-sóng, kui-khı̀--lah, lán chhoē chı̍t kang lâi kā khàm pò͘-tē.”
Chèng-lâng jú kóng jú hoaⁿ-hí, Ông Kı̂ hiông-hiông oa̍t-thâu mn̄g Chèng-kı̂: “Án-choáⁿ? Beh tàu-tı̄n khı̀--bô?”
Chèng-kı̂ gāng--chı̍t-ē, bı̄n-á âng-âng kóng: “Bē-sái, goá ài tńg--khı̀-a, nā bô, goán pē-bó ē kā goá mē.”
“Oeh! Lí......” Ū lâng siūⁿ beh chí-chek Chèng-kı̂, Ông Kı̂ kā tòng--lo̍h-lâi,” Bô iàu-kín--lah, lí kín tńg--khı̀, lán chiah koh liân-lo̍k.”
Kap chèng-lâng sio-sı̂ liáu-āu, thiⁿ-sek mā àm--a, Chèng-kı̂ ûn-ûn-á kiâⁿ tńg chhù, lâng-iáⁿ giú kah tn̂g-tn̂g, ta̍uh-ta̍uh-á ǹg thâu-chêng soá tín-tāng.
“Hái, Chèng-kı̂, nah ē chı̍t ê lâng tńg chhù?” N̂g Siok-cheng ùi āu-piah cháu--lâi, tiⁿ-but-but kā mn̄g.
“Ouh! Bô--lah, goá tú kap Ông Kı̂ in hun-khui niâ.” Chèng-kı̂ sió-khoá kín-tiuⁿ.
“Ouh!” Siok-cheng chhùi-tûn khiàu-tu-tu: “Kı̂-sı̍t lán tō--ê mā siuⁿ chhiau-koè--a, goá kám-kak Ông Kı̂ chò-lâng bē-bái, kan-taⁿ sı̄ sèng-tē siuⁿ chhóng-pōng, lí kóng tio̍h--bô?” Siok-cheng ná kóng seng-khu ná hàiⁿ, siūⁿ beh tit-tio̍h Chèng-kı̂ ê jı̄n-tông.
“Hmh.” Chèng-kı̂ chin hoaⁿ-hí kā Siok-cheng kóng: “Tio̍h ā, lí mā án-ne siūⁿ--o͘? Goá mā án-ne jı̄n-ûi! Lí khoàⁿ Kı̂--á, kı̂-sı̍t i ū chin chē chhù-bı̄ ê koài chhut-thâu, A-tı̄-á sò͘-ha̍k chin kiông, m̄-koh kı̂-thaⁿ kho sı̄ khah bái......”
“Tio̍h--lah!” Siok-cheng kā chheh-pau hàiⁿ--chı̍t-ē: “Lí m̄-sı̄ pàng-o̍h beh lâi khı̀ goán tau?”
“Hó ā!”
N̂g Siok-cheng in chhù ū nn̄g chàn lâu, it lâu chò tiàm-bı̄n, jı̄ lâu sı̄ khiā-ke, tē-tiám chin oá ha̍k-hāu, tông-o̍h hā-khò iah-sı̄ pàng-o̍h lóng ē lâi chia bé mı̍h-kiāⁿ, seng-lí bē-bái. Kin-á-jı̍t, Siok-cheng choan-kang kā thih-mn̂g pàng--lo̍h-lâi, chhoā Chèng-kı̂ khı̀ lâu-téng khai-káng.
“Lín chhù chin hó neh.” Chèng-kı̂ khoàⁿ kheh-thiaⁿ ê hı̂-siuⁿ-á, lāi-té ū chiok chē『熱帶魚』, hı̂-chhùi piⁿ--á koh it-tı̍t puh pho̍k-á, i khoàⁿ kah se̍h-sı̂n.
“Bô--lah. Beh chia̍h piáⁿ--bô? Chin hó chia̍h--o͘! Tiàm--nih chin hán-tit chı̀n chit chióng piáⁿ.” Siok-cheng chē khı̀ Chèng-kı̂ piⁿ--á, seh chı̍t ap piáⁿ hō͘ i, chhiò-chhiò-á mn̄g: “Oeh, Chèng-kı̂, lí í-āu siūⁿ beh chò siáⁿ?”
Siok-cheng jú oá jú kı̄n, Chèng-kı̂ kám-kak seng-khu sió-khoá sio-sio, thâu-khak-hia̍h-á mā teh lâu chhı̀n-koāⁿ.
“Ouh......m̄-chai neh, m̄-bat siūⁿ--koè neh......”
Chèng-kı̂ kín-tiuⁿ kah m̄-chai beh án-choáⁿ ı̀n, nn̄g lúi ba̍k-chiu mā m̄-káⁿ khoàⁿ Siok-cheng, kan-taⁿ káⁿ kā thau khoàⁿ, soah bô sè-jı̄ khoàⁿ-tio̍h Siok-cheng ê heng-khám.
Tng chheng-chhun-kı̂ ê Siok-cheng sin-châi bē-bái, Chèng-kı̂ siūⁿ-tio̍h ha̍k-hāu “kiān-khong kàu-io̍k-khò” ê lāu-su bat kóng--koè, chit-ê sı̂-chūn ê cha-bó͘ gín-á『性特徵』ē ta̍uh-ta̍uh-á bêng-hián, siūⁿ--leh siūⁿ--leh, Chèng-kı̂ soah pháiⁿ-sè kah bı̄n âng--khí-lâi.
“Án-ne--o͘.” Siok-cheng kā thâu-mn̂g poé--chı̍t-ē: “Kı̂-sı̍t goá mā bô siūⁿ chheng-chhó, lí khoàⁿ, goá tı̄ lán pan ê kong-khò mā m̄-sı̄ chiâⁿ hó, khoàⁿ--lâi séng-lı̍p lú-tiong sı̄ khó bē-tiâu--a, tio̍h-ài lâi khı̀ tha̍k ko-chit--a. Thiaⁿ tō--ê kóng, khó ko-chit--ê bô siáⁿ chiân-tô͘, seng-oa̍h mā bô chhiūⁿ ko-tiong-seng hiah cheng-chhái, goá siūⁿ, goá chit sı̀-lâng ē koè kah chin phó͘-thong......”
Chèng-kı̂ thiaⁿ-tio̍h chiah-ê oē, chin chèng-keng kā ı̀n: “Bē--lah, khó ko-chit mā bē-bái ā!” I jı̄n-ûi lâng ê kè-ta̍t bô èng-kai iōng sêng-chek kap tha̍k ê ha̍k-hāu lâi koat-tēng, m̄-koh soah m̄-chai beh án-choáⁿ piáu-ta̍t ka-tı̄ ê ı̀-sù. Oē kóng soah, tı̍t-tı̍t siòng Siok-cheng, kám-kak i chin kó͘-chui, sı̄ án-choáⁿ kāng pan chē chò-hoé chiah kú--a lóng m̄-bat hoat-hiān?
Liáu-āu, nn̄g ê lâng chē tı̄ kheh-thiaⁿ khoàⁿ tiān-sı̄, kàu 9 tiám goā chiah sio-sı̂.
(TGB Thong-sı̀n tē 52 kı̂, 2004 nı̂ 1 goe̍h)
