Jingjing
With a Pocket Dimension in Hand, Farming and Walking Dogs
Biodata
| Feature | Value |
|---|---|
| Name | Jingjing (静静) |
| Gender | Female |
| Age | Three years old 15 |
| Family | Bai Jie (mother); Ye An (deceased father) 15 16 |
| Residence | Ye Family Village, also called Willow Tree Village; stays with Ye Huan’s family while her home is rebuilt 23 43 44 |
| Affiliation | Bai Jie’s separate household; cared for by Ye Huan and his family 17 23 |
| First Appearance | Mentioned in Chapter 15; appears in Chapter 16 15 16 |
Background / History
Early hardship
Jingjing’s father, Ye An, died two years before her introduction. His younger brother, Ye Gou, spent the compensation money, leaving Bai Jie and Jingjing without a share. Bai Jie could not leave the village to find work because Jingjing was too young; she supported them through farming and raising livestock 15 16.
Bai Jie rejected her parents’ attempt to force her into another marriage for a bride price. She also refused further dealings with her late husband’s family, choosing to establish a separate household with Jingjing. Their allotted farmland amounted to only half a mu 17 34.
Support from Ye Huan’s family
Concerned by Jingjing’s thinness, Ye Huan proposed employing Bai Jie long-term for 4,500 yuan a month plus a year-end bonus. He also insisted that mother and daughter eat with his family, worrying that Bai Jie would otherwise continue economizing on food 16.
That afternoon, Ye Huan found Jingjing watching older children play beside the river while Bai Jie washed bedsheets nearby. With her mother’s permission, he took her fishing. Jingjing quickly became attached to him, joining the family for dinner and listening to his stories under the stars 16 17 18.
Storm and rebuilding
During a severe storm, Bai Jie’s two-room home, built from adobe and red brick, collapsed. Ye Huan found mother and daughter sheltering beneath a neighboring house’s eaves and brought them home. His family prepared a downstairs room for them, and he promised to arrange a replacement house 23.
After rumors about Bai Jie spread through the village, she considered leaving with Jingjing. Ye Huan and his mother persuaded her to stay; he confirmed that the village would subsidize part of the rebuilding. By the time he returned from Jinling, he had paid a 100,000-yuan construction advance, and work on their new home was underway 25 43.
Appearance
- Build: Thin and small at her introduction; explicitly described as malnourished 16.
- Hair: Yellowish 16.
- Expressions: Her eyes shine when she proudly describes behaving well, and narrow into crescents when Ye Huan promises her a toy 17 38.
Personality
Jingjing is initially timid and more reserved than Little Tangyuan. She approaches Ye Huan hesitantly at the river and, at her first dinner with his family, holds back from taking food until he serves her chicken and venison. Once reassured, she eagerly talks about their fishing trip and asks to go again 16 17 18.
She is affectionate and considerate toward the people caring for her. She remembers messages about Ye Huan’s breakfast, offers him meat at dinner, and comforts an angry Ye Wuju by giving him one of her milk candies. Her growing confidence shows in her enthusiastic requests to stay in the mountain cabin and her excited retelling of Ye Huan’s bedtime stories 18 25 30 43 47.
Activities
| Activity | Details |
|---|---|
| Fishing outings | Accompanies Ye Huan on fishing trips and appears in his livestreams. He seats her safely away from the water, with Xiaobai keeping her company 16 44. |
| Catching crayfish | Together with Little Tangyuan, fills two small red buckets in half an hour, astonishing the livestream audience 32. |
| Picking vegetables | Joins Little Tangyuan in picking cucumbers while Ye Huan helps with the harvest before the storm 20. |
| Mountain-cabin stays | Watches the stars through the cabin’s glass roof, listens to bedtime stories, and watches cartoons on Ye Huan’s laptop 47 50. |
Relationships
- Bai Jie — Her mother and primary caregiver. Bai Jie keeps Jingjing close because of her age and concerns for her safety, but entrusts her to Ye Huan while working 16 18.
- Ye An — Her deceased father. His death left Bai Jie raising Jingjing alone 15 16.
- Ye Huan — The uncle she becomes deeply attached to. He provides meals, companionship, bedtime stories, and shelter; after his Jinling trip, he brings her plush toys, including Tibbies 18 23 43 47.
- Ye Wuju — Addressed as “Great-Grandpa.” She comforts him with candy, and Ye Huan asks her to keep him company during his trip away 25 38.
- Little Tangyuan — A close playmate less than a year older than Jingjing. They chat together, pick vegetables, and catch crayfish 18 20 32.
- Mimi — Ye Huan’s cousin’s daughter, a few months younger than Jingjing. The two quickly become comfortable playing together during Mimi’s visit 48 50.
- Saihu and Xiaobai — Animal companions on her outings. She is already familiar with Saihu when Ye Huan takes her fishing, while Xiaobai later stays beside her during another fishing trip 16 44.
Notable Quotes
“Don't be angry, Great-Grandpa. Have some candy.” 25
“Uncle, chicken drumsticks taste good.”
— Answering Ye Huan’s question about whether fish, shrimp, or pork tastes best 45
“Mm, I know. Uncle's such a good boy.”
— After Bai Jie tells her not to disturb Ye Huan’s sleep 49