Chen Yansheng is a qipao tailor in the water towns of Jiangnan. Born in the spring of 1937, he comes of age before the war arrives, though rumors of conflict are already spreading. From childhood, he has mastered the art of “hearing the wind to discern things,” allowing him to sense danger in the faintest sounds. News of battles in the north arrives constantly, and beneath the concessions’ bustling prosperity, dark currents churn. He tends his tailor shop, only to be swept into a secret operation by an anti-Japanese transport team overnight. Strange noises at the docks, maps hidden in secret messages, and spies lying in wait make danger lurk at every turn. With his keen hearing, he spots gaps in the patrols, discovers a radio hidden in a coffin, and notices when a comrade’s breathing is off. There are no flashes of blades, only deep currents beneath still waters. Using his gift for hearing the wind, he protects the lifeblood of his homeland and carves a bloody path through everyday life. Even an ordinary person can carry the torch forward.
I think it's well written and a good spy novel.