This case details the founding and development of Laoliehu (also known as NowLieve). In 2009, Tao Sun resigned to establish an agritainment venture, fulfilling her husband Qiang Wang's dream. Through exploratory differentiation, the brand "Laoliehu" was formally established in 2014 with a clear positioning of "Ecological Linpan Landscape + wild mountain delicacies." That same year, the business faced a multifaceted crisis, including legal disputes over land use rights and ingredient sourcing, a lack of menu innovation, and internal power struggles among chefs. At this critical point, Wang joined the company. He concentrated on internal operations by streamlining workflows, driving menu innovation, and resolving conflicts. Externally, Sun tackled the land-related issues. Their coordinated efforts enabled the business to survive the crises.

However, since 2020, Wang's aggressive investments in a "scenery revolution" and his autocratic management style caused growing employee dissatisfaction. This situation compelled Sun to re-engage in internal operations, leading to increasingly divergent strategic views between the couple and straining their personal relationship.

By late April 2024, Six Senses expressed interest in collaborating on a plot of land recently acquired by Laoliehu. However, Sun and Wang remained sharply divided over the partnership and the company's long-term direction. Sun increasingly felt the business might require a single decision-maker, prompting her to ask: should she reclaim core leadership authority as she had in the early days, or instead cede control to Wang?