October in Hinggan League, autumn colors spill over the mountain ridges.

On national and provincial highways, self-driving cars line up one after another, as people head toward Ulanhot nestled in the Horqin Grassland, and toward the dense forests of Arxan.

There are also a group of people stationed along the roadside, delivering every liter of fuel and every greeting to those on the road.

This National Day holiday, the duty manager Yang Yang and station chief Cai Xin at the Xinzhi gas station in Horqin Right Front Banner and the Xinqiao gas station in Ulanhot, along with their colleagues, stayed at their posts as usual.

At 4 p.m. on October 1, the Xinzhi gas station in Horqin Right Front Banner held its shift change.

Yang Yang stood in the refueling area, watching day-shift and night-shift employees hand over item by item — fuel dispensers, electrostatic grounding, fire extinguisher pressure, convenience store stock — checking each one and signing off on each one.

"Shift handover is not a formality. Equipment status and on-site conditions all have to be clearly handed over."

Yang Yang organizes travel brochures at the "Hinggan League Tourism Service Station."

She entered the gas station at 19 and has worked in this position for 23 years, spending almost every National Day at the station.

The station has 12 people, with 8 refueling attendants split into two shifts, 4 per shift, working one day on and one day off.

After the 4 p.m. shift change, the 4 on-duty staff take on the station duty tasks.

One person mans the front desk, three run the forecourt.

The night shift lasts until 11 p.m., and only when traffic thins out can they take a breather; around 5 a.m., they must be back on duty again.

"Nominally it's one day on and one day off, but you really can't rest." Yang Yang said with a smile.

The work at the station goes far beyond refueling and collecting payment — unloading fuel, equipment maintenance, inspections, and when not busy, wiping down dispensers, sweeping the floor, stocking shelves, and inspecting restrooms every two hours.

When employees eat, mobile posts rotate, giving each person twenty to thirty minutes.

Yang Yang also has to manage the front desk, train newcomers, and coordinate all matters big and small at the station.

"Every employee has a different personality, so you have to arrange things accordingly — some are suited for the front desk, others are quicker on the forecourt."

Hot water, rest seats, maps, a dining area — the station needs to have them all ready.

Long-distance travelers come in to make a bowl of instant noodles, get a cup of hot water, rest for a few minutes...

A long-haul driver took the hot water and sighed: "All along the way I was hoping for a place to rest. Here there's hot water and seats, and my heart warms up right away."

When talk turned to family, Yang Yang paused.

After her child was one month old, her mother took over care, while she stayed at the station year-round.

"Work is indeed busy, and I spend little time with family. But this job provides convenience and warmth to people on the road. I'm used to it, and I can't let it go."

With that, she walked toward the fuel dispenser again.

A car with out-of-town plates pulled in. She raised her hand to guide it, her voice clear: "Hello, what grade of fuel would you like?"

At the same moment, the Xinqiao gas station in Ulanhot was already bustling.

Station chief Cai Xin guided vehicles while chatting with drivers.

The station has 10 employees, two per shift, rotating 24 hours. He and the deputy station chief took turns covering duties in segments during the National Day holiday.

The station is located in the city proper, averaging more than 800 refueling transactions per day. Last National Day, peak daily fuel sales reached 37 tons.

"The more it's a holiday, the busier it gets. When fuel prices are adjusted, everyone is on duty, often working until 11 p.m." Cai Xin said, noting there is almost no rest time during holidays.

Cai Xin holds the front line, filling up vehicles traveling during the holiday to keep journeys smooth.

Busy as it is, service is not compromised.

Before the holiday, the station rushed to complete shelf stocking, with liquor, mooncakes and other holiday goods fully prepared; online delivery platforms simultaneously sold station products, with riders delivering to homes, so travelers could restock without getting out of their cars.

The convenience services at Xinqiao gas station also added "holiday features."

Hot water and rest areas were always ready, and Cai Xin and his employees became "hometown tourism ambassadors," handing out travel brochures and introducing attractions and specialty foods to out-of-town visitors.

"Hand-held mutton, reservoir fish — many tourists ask, so we tell them about it."

The station also hung up national flags, instantly filling it with a festive atmosphere.

"People come all the way to Hinggan League to have fun. We need to make them feel warm from their very first stop."

In Hinggan League, there are many oil workers like Yang Yang and Cai Xin.

During the National Day holiday, 110 gas stations of PetroChina Inner Mongolia Hinggan Sales Branch kept their lights on 24 hours a day, with employees standing beside fuel dispensers, in convenience stores, and in fuel trucks.

Hot water, maps, rest seats, travel brochures, emergency medicine... gas stations are not just places to refuel; they have also become warm stations along the journey.

As the night deepened, the lights of the two gas stations were still on.

Yang Yang greeted the next car, and Cai Xin was still handing travel brochures to newly arrived tourists.

This holiday, they are on duty.

Filling up for every journey, keeping the lights on for every road home.