In 2013, driven by a deep affection for his ancestral home and a passion for the culinary arts, Ye moved to Zhoushan and opened the Tai Ba Wang restaurant. His goal was to bring authentic Taiwan cuisine to the community and foster a sense of cultural connection between Taiwan and the Chinese mainland.

Initially, the restaurant was located in downtown Zhoushan. In 2022, however, the Zhanmao subdistrict? introduced a new rural entrepreneurship initiative — the "Hello Little Island" rural startup base in Huangyangjian Village. The program, which uses a profit-sharing model described as "company plus village collective plus farmers plus business operators", aims to revitalize rural communities by reducing rents, sharing revenues and attracting entrepreneurial talent.

At the time, Ye's downtown lease was nearing its end, and he decided to become one of the base's first participants.