A Trial by Halves

Gems

For the next few days, Su Su spent her time exploring her new world while Ye Hua prepared them for winter. He had told her that the seasons were the same as on Mount Junji, in fact most of what she had seen was similar, but she had still to visit the mainland which Ye Hua told her would happen once he had a very good idea of what the island lacked and what that he would have to purchase for them.

For now, they had more than enough stores to last a few weeks, but he would have to buy their vegetables and meat until the small garden he was preparing was ready to harvest. But it was fire wood he needed and plenty of it. From memory, the winters could be as bitter as the Mortal Realm, and being Mortal and pregnant, Su Su would be more susceptible to the cold than he was.

And knowing that she was more than safe to roam at will without him worrying about her getting lost, Ye Hua disappeared into the thick undergrowth. He had seen a cluster of trees that would also be good for carving into furniture which he wanted to try his hand at.

Watching him walk away, Su Su quickly ran towards the beach. The sand was an oddity to her because rather than fine dusty granules, the sand on this beach was littered in what looked like tiny gemstones which kept her enthralled for hours. Though had Ye Hua told her what the pieces really were, she may not have found as much enthusiasm for them.

They were in fact pieces of abalone and clam shells as well as coral, starfish and even sea snail tusks. All manner of coloured glass as well as the remnants of volcanic ash that had settled on the sea bed thousands of centuries before could also be found among the array of sharp colours and pastel hues. The beautiful gem like colours and shapes gave Su Su the impression that the entire beach was laden with wealth, and loving the way the sun glistened off the sharp edges only to send more colours flying in every direction, she spent hours hunting though the sand in search of the most prettiest to take home with her.

And it was while she was on the beach hunting for imagined treasure, that Su Su was really made aware of this new world she had found herself in. Before moving there, Ye Hua had taken her to Chang Sea which she had thought was the most beautiful place she had ever visited. But when he took her to the Peach Tree Grove, she changed her mind and thought that was the most beautiful place she had ever visited.

Only now, seeing this place with his rich forest filled with colourful birds and ripe with fruits she had never seen in her life, she now began to consider that this was the most beautiful place she had ever visited. And that brought Ye Hua to mind.

Stopping what she was doing, a handful of gems rolled between her fingers as she thought about all the unusual things she had seen since meeting him. From the moment he arrived injured on her doorstep, things never quite seemed normal to her but no matter how strange things became, everything seemed to fall into a nature rhythm, as if every strange incident and sight, was as normal as finding herself on a beach in the Immortal Realm surrounded by gemstones.

Su Sus mind was physically and mentally unable to maintain thoughts for too long. And though there had been little niggles of uncertainty over the years, she never really fought to hold onto them, because when she was with Ye Hua, there was no need. He kept her warm, safe and happy and in her mind that was all that mattered. Any doubts that she'd had in the past, were no longer an issue, because he was there with her now.

And this in large part was the reason why Ye Hua had finally settled on that island. There were many other areas he could have taken her to, but that island with its pretty stones and beautiful scenery were what would keep Su Sus mind occupied on her own world rather than his. She was so easy to please. So long as she felt safe and he was near, Su Su continued to live in her idyllic world happy and content, and as long as he kept her world that way, she would not fear and questions would not arise.