LayarHijau – The Chinese drama Pursuit of Jade (逐玉), starring Zhang Linghe and Tian Xiwei, has continued to achieve strong results since its release. The series has topped Netflix’s viewing charts in Taiwan, while its popularity index has surpassed 30,000 on Tencent and exceeded 10,000 on iQIYI.
The success of Pursuit of Jade has not only boosted the popularity of its lead stars but also brought attention to several supporting characters. One of the most talked-about is Fan Changning, the younger sister of the female lead, played by child actress Cao Yanning.
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In the drama, Fan Changning is the younger sister of Fan Changyu (Tian Xiwei). After their parents pass away, Fan Changyu is left to support the family while also caring for her sister, who has been physically weak since childhood and requires ongoing medical treatment. To support their household, Fan Changyu even works as a pig butcher.
Despite growing up in such difficult circumstances, Fan Changning is portrayed as unusually mature for her age. She rarely cries or throws tantrums like most children. Instead, she patiently waits each day for her sister to return home before sharing small stories about her day.
Fan Changning also stands by her sister during difficult moments. In one scene, when the daughter of a local official humiliates Fan Changyu by scattering coins on the ground and telling her to pick them up one by one, Fan Changning immediately crouches down and quietly helps gather the coins to protect her sister’s dignity.
Her maturity is also shown during moments of danger. When their home is attacked by criminals, Fan Changning obediently follows the instructions of both her sister and Xie Zheng (Zhang Linghe). She even turns around and counts to ten so she will not see the violent fight as her sister and her future brother-in-law confront the attackers.
At the same time, Fan Changning also brings many lighthearted moments to the drama. She often unintentionally helps bring Fan Changyu and Xie Zheng closer together.
For example, when Fan Changyu is still hesitant about discussing marriage with Xie Zheng, Fan Changning innocently says she wants the “handsome brother” to stay with them. Her straightforward remark ends up pushing the conversation about their relationship forward. Since Xie Zheng repeatedly protects Fan Changning in dangerous situations, his actions also become one of the reasons Fan Changyu gradually begins to trust him.
Fan Changning’s innocent remarks frequently add charm to the story. While sleeping beside her sister, she once casually asked when her sister would start sleeping with her “brother-in-law.” She also likes to act cute around both her sister and Xie Zheng, and proudly tells others that her sister can butcher pigs to support their family.
Cao Yanning’s natural expressions and lively performance make the character feel vivid on screen. Many viewers have praised her acting, saying she manages to be both adorable and emotionally convincing.
Cao Yanning only began her acting career in 2024. Despite her young age, she has already appeared in several popular dramas. She played the younger version of Shaoyao in Blossoms in Adversity (惜花芷), a role later portrayed by Lu Yuxiao as an adult.
She also appeared as the younger Jiang Ruoyao in The Double (墨雨云间), whose adult version is played by Liu Xiening. In addition, Cao Yanning made appearances in other dramas such as The Glory (雁回时) and Love on the Turquoise Land (枭起青壤).
Now, through Pursuit of Jade, the young actress has gained much wider recognition. Her portrayal of the intelligent, caring, and innocent Fan Changning has made her a memorable character for many viewers and significantly raised her profile among Chinese drama fans.
