Summary

Weimin is a young Communist secret agent who arrives in Shanghai at the beginning of 1949. His mission is to infiltrate the Nationalists’ internal security system in the Eighth Bureau which trains hundreds of agents. The Communists focus on apprehending those who sabotage factories and disrupt transportation. Weimin is well-educated and speaks English fluently. He was just married one month before.

Weimin is encouraged by his Communist superiors to apply for a foreign service position under the alias, Gary Shang. He is offered a translator position with the Americans for $145 a month. The Nationalists regime is crumbling with Communist armies moving into Shanghai. Gary is ordered to go with the Americans when they leave for Okinawa. He is not given time to say goodbye to his family or young wife.

Lilian teaches an American history course at Beijing Teachers College but makes time to reconstruct her...