Guardians are at home greening the desert

In 2022, they traveled to Xinjiang at the invitation of Huang's sister, an employee of the Tarim Oilfield of China National Petroleum Corporation, who had worked as a water station guardian along the highway since 2008. "I thought the desert would be too harsh and unbearable to live in at first," Huang said. "But when we arrived, it was better than what we had expected."

What started as a brief visit finally turned into a long-term commitment — the change happened when the couple watched and then joined the work of Huang's sister. Seeing the fragile seedling take root and flourish under their own hands, the couple chose to remain with the trees longer.

"We planted a batch of red willow seedlings on March 30," said Huang. "At first, they looked too dry to survive. Now look at them — they're thriving."

Their efforts have paid off, with the survival rate of the seedlings now standing at 80 to 90 percent, a result that brings them a strong sense of accomplishment.

Life in the station is a blend of simplicity and hardship, but the conditions have become much better. The couple now lives in a bungalow powered by solar panels that run the water pumps, irrigation system and their modest appliances.

"We've got a fridge, TV and air conditioning," Huang said. "It's much better than before, when diesel generators only provided limited and unstable electricity, with thick smoke and constant noise brought together."