A century-old wealthy family that rose from Shanghai

A coffee shop in Silicon Valley, San Francisco.

Chen Wenhai sat by the window, his fingertips lightly tapping his coffee cup—he had just returned to the United States from Hong Kong and, without even adjusting to the time difference, had arranged to meet with his colleagues Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak.

Shortly after, Jobs and Wozniak entered. Jobs wore a faded denim jacket, his hair slightly disheveled, but his sharp eyes were undeniable; Wozniak wore a plaid shirt and carried a backpack full of electronic components, looking more like a "geek" immersed in the world of technology.

The two were colleagues at Midea's American subsidiary, where Jobs was in charge of arcade machine repairs and Wozniak occasionally helped troubleshoot circuits. Privately, they became close friends who could talk about anything because of their shared love for electronics.

"Dennis, what brings you here?" Jobs sat down first, his tone direct.

He had worked with Chen Wenhai for two months and knew that this colleague came from a wealthy family and had solid technical skills, even more so than his friend Wozniak. However, he never expected that the other party would ask him out for coffee in private.

Chen Wenhai smiled and pushed a hand-drawn game sketch in front of the two men: "When I went to Japan this time, I saw an arcade game called Gun Fight, which was really interesting—two cowboys fighting with guns, it's the world's first video game where people fight against each other. I plan to start a new company called 'Atari' and adapt this game into a microprocessor-driven arcade game for release in the United States. I'm here today to invite you to join us."

Jobs's eyes were instantly drawn to the sketch, and his finger traced the pixelated "Cowboy vs. Cowboy" design, his eyes lighting up. He had long been tired of the daily grind of arcade repair work and harbored the idea of ​​starting his own business, but he was struggling to find start-up capital and a suitable project.

Wozniak leaned closer, staring at the circuit markings on the sketch, and muttered softly, "Modify an arcade machine with a microprocessor? Nobody in the industry does that yet, but it's technically feasible and could significantly reduce the failure rate."

Chen Wenhai said, "Once this product is developed, I will give you a generous reward for joining us!"

In Silicon Valley, the best reward isn't a raise, but rather a substantial sum of money when a project succeeds—it's much more direct.

The words "generous reward" instantly brought Jobs back to his senses.

He suppressed his excitement and probed calmly, "Dennis, besides the two of us, how many more people does your new company plan to hire? And how long can the funding last?"

He knew that Chen Wenhai came from a well-off family, but he wasn't sure if the other party was just "dabbling" or "truly capable"—after all, starting a business is not a hobby, and a broken capital chain is the cause of death for countless startups.

Chen Wenhai had anticipated this question and said with a smile, "I have already raised 100 million US dollars, so the startup capital is more than enough. The initial team doesn't need to be too big. In addition to the three of us, we will just need to hire a few engineers and a few marketing specialists. The focus should be on Gun Fight first, and we aim to go public before Christmas."

"A million dollars?" Jobs and Wozniak were both stunned, their coffee cups hanging in mid-air.

It's important to know that in Silicon Valley in 1974, most startup tech companies had only tens of thousands of dollars in initial funding, and $100 million was considered a "huge amount of capital."

Jobs instantly realized that Chen Wenhai was not "from a wealthy family," but a "real capital player"; Wozniak seemed to have already seen this number and was already calculating the selection of microprocessors and circuit design in his mind—with such ample funds, almost any technical problem could be solved.

Jobs swallowed hard, his tone unconsciously softening: "I agree to join," he said, then looked at his friend.

"I agree"

Chen Wenhai said, "Okay, welcome to Atari! We can start working right away!"

He has abundant resources; he has already entrusted his second brother to find an office building, and time is of the essence.

In truth, Chen Wenhai felt that even if Jobs and Wozniak were combined, their skills might not be as good as his. However, since it was his father who had instructed him, he had no doubts.

Beneath the dolomite cliffs of the Dolomites in northern Italy, colorful flags and Red Bull's blue and silver brand flags flutter in the wind.

Thirty-two top climbers from 12 countries around the world gathered here, their eyes fixed on the north face of Marmorada, at an altitude of 2999 meters—the world's first "Difficulty Climbing Competition" is about to be held here, and the exclusive sponsor of the event is Red Bull Europe, which Chen Wen-ou has been in charge of for only ten months.

The morning sunlight pierces through the clouds and shines on the rock face, gilding the uneven rock surfaces with a layer of gold.

Wearing a dark suit, Chen Wenou stood in front of the event command tent, his gaze sweeping over every detail of the scene: the safety net under the rock wall had been secured, the medical team's ambulance was parked in the designated area, cameras from Italian National Television, the British BBC, and the American ABC were setting up their positions at the starting line, and staff were distributing water cups printed with "Red Bull gives you wings" to the audience.

Over the past few months, he has personally participated in everything from site selection and application for event qualifications to coordinating with the local government and liaising with the media. Now, looking at the orderly scene before him, the weight on his heart has finally been lifted.

"Vidocq, the mayor of Bolzano, Italy, has arrived and is waiting in the lounge." The European Red Bull Marketing Director hurried over and handed over a sign-in sheet.

Chen Wenou nodded, straightened his tie, and strode towards the lounge—good cooperation with the local government was key to the successful hosting of this event.

He had previously visited the Bolzano city government multiple times, promising to cover all security costs for the event and proposing the construction of hiking trails around the rock face after the competition to boost local tourism. He eventually persuaded the mayor to attend the opening ceremony in person.

The north face of Marmorada is one of the most challenging rock faces in the Dolomites, with an incline of up to 85 degrees. Some sections require free solo climbing, and the smallest hold-offs can only accommodate half a finger. To ensure the safety and fairness of the competition, Chen Wen'ou's team did their homework on the details.

"Victor, a reporter from ABC Television would like to interview you to find out why Red Bull chose to sponsor the climbing competition," his assistant rushed in to report. Chen Wen'ou walked into the media interview area and calmly responded to the cameras: "Climbing is a newly emerging sport that was just added to the world competition list this year. The spirit it represents—'breaking limits and challenging oneself'—is highly consistent with Red Bull's brand philosophy of 'giving you wings.' We hope that through this event, more people will get to know climbing and Red Bull—it's not just an energy drink, but a partner that accompanies people in breaking through their limits."

These words were transmitted simultaneously via satellite to television studios in Europe and the United States. Meanwhile, at the foot of the rock face, the first-ever difficulty climbing competition officially began as the Italian mayor struck the opening gong.

The first to take the stage was Italian athlete Marco Lusini, who chose the intermediate 5.12 route. He gripped the holds tightly, his feet pushing off the rock face as he climbed, his body moving with the agility of an ape, each push landing precisely on the designated holds. The spectators below held their breath, cameras following his every move, transmitting every taut muscle and every expression of unwavering determination to millions of television screens worldwide.

"Watch out for his right hand! This rock point is only the size of a thumb, and it could easily fall off!" the commentator from Italian national television exclaimed excitedly.

Just 10 meters from the finish line, Marco's right hand suddenly slipped, leaving him dangling in mid-air, eliciting gasps from the audience. He quickly adjusted his posture, gripping the rock face above him with his left hand and pushing off with his right leg, finally regaining his footing and continuing his ascent. When he touched the Red Bull flag at the finish line, thunderous applause erupted from the observation deck. Marco waved his arms, a victorious smile spreading across his face—his time was 8 minutes and 15 seconds.

American athlete Tom Evans then took the stage.
The competition lasted a full 10 hours, from dawn till dusk. Every climb and every challenge on the rock face captivated audiences worldwide through television cameras. As the last competitor crossed the finish line, the setting sun over Marmorada bathed the rock face in a golden-red hue. Spectators and competitors alike raised Red Bull drinks and chanted "Give you wings!" The scene was both awe-inspiring and exhilarating.

The televised broadcast of this event became a "key blow" for Red Bull in making a name for itself in Europe and the United States.

Italian national television broadcast the entire event live for four hours, while the BBC and ABC each aired a one-hour highlight reel. The cameras not only focused on the athletes' outstanding performances but also cleverly incorporated Red Bull elements into every detail.

Within a week of the event's conclusion, "Red Bull," "climbing competition," and "Malmorada" became trending topics on social media in Europe and the United States.

Red Bull sales in European supermarkets increased by 300% month-on-month, with distributors in the UK and France calling Red Bull Europe to request increased supply. Red Bull in the US is also starting to gain popularity. This beverage, which was previously jokingly referred to as "sweet potion" by European consumers, completely reversed market perceptions and successfully associated itself with the labels of "extreme sports" and "breaking through oneself" thanks to a rock climbing competition.

The excitement of the climbing competition in the Italian Dolomites had barely faded when Chen Wenou quietly arrived in Paris.

He met with a special person—Philip Pat, a high-wire walking master who has been gaining popularity in the global extreme sports world in recent years.

At this time, Philippe had just risen to fame with his feats of conquering Notre Dame Cathedral and the Sydney Harbour Bridge, while Chen Wenou's goal for this trip was to etch the Red Bull brand mark into the next peak challenge of this "aerial dancer".

The two chose to meet at an unassuming café on the Left Bank of Paris. Outside the window, tourists strolled leisurely, but inside, a subtle game of "limits and brands" was brewing.

Dressed in a simple casual suit, Chen Wenou held two cans of Red Bull in blue and silver packaging. He got straight to the point, yet with just the right amount of flattery: "Mr. Philippe, your conquest of Notre Dame Cathedral is still talked about by countless people; and that step on the Sydney Harbour Bridge showed the world that humanity can challenge itself. I guess the soon-to-be-completed World Trade Center Twin Towers in New York must be one of your next targets, right?"

As soon as he finished speaking, Philip paused slightly in his coffee cup. For the first time, a hint of surprise flashed in the eyes of this extreme master, who was known for his calm and composure. Challenging the World Trade Center Twin Towers was a secret plan he had kept hidden in his heart, known only to his core team members. Even the US police and building security had not noticed it. Yet this young entrepreneur had been able to see through it in a single sentence.

He calmly put down his coffee, a playful smile playing on his lips: "Perhaps. Challenging difficult goals is the meaning I pursue. But as you know, the World Trade Center is located in the heart of the United States, with security measures far stricter than Notre Dame Cathedral. Erecting a steel cable between two 417-meter-high towers is by no means an easy task."

Chen Wenou understood that Philip's "difficulty" was not a refusal, but a test of his sincerity and leverage.

He pushed the Red Bull in front of Philippe, his tone confident: "Your team will naturally solve the security problem; and Red Bull would like to be there for you. We would like to sponsor your World Trade Center challenge, and the condition is simple—when you complete the challenge and walk out of the building to face the cheering crowd, you can pick up a Red Bull and take a sip."

He paused, then presented two prepared compensation plans, his eyes brimming with confidence: "As for your compensation, you have two options. First, we will pay you $10 directly and invite you to become a long-term brand ambassador for Red Bull, sponsoring every one of your future public performances; second, we will establish the 'Philip Pat Foundation' for you, injecting $20, the use of which is up to you—whether it's supporting more young extreme sports enthusiasts or investing in charitable causes you care about."

$10 was a huge sum of money in 1974, and a $20 private fund was an even greater recognition of Philippe's personal brand.

Philip picked up the Red Bull on the table, pulled the tab, and took a sip. The rich flavor, with its perfect energizing kick, instantly reminded him of the Red Bull climbing competition he had seen on TV before—this brand always seemed to be able to accurately capture the soul of extreme sports.

He put down his drink, his tone becoming more serious: "You mean, all I need to do after completing the challenge and leaving the building is take a sip of Red Bull? No need to deliberately use advertising slogans, and no need to cover my equipment with logos?"

“That’s absolutely not necessary.”

Chen Wenou shook his head, his tone filled with respect for the spirit of extreme sports. "I know your challenge is pure art, and Red Bull doesn't want to ruin that purity with too many commercial elements. What we want to convey is the idea of ​​'Red Bull breaks limits with you.' We want the world to see that the charm of extreme sports lies not only in the challenge itself, but also in the human spirit of never compromising, and this is perfectly in line with Red Bull's brand core of 'giving you wings.'"

These words completely moved Philip.

He has always disliked overly commercialized sponsorships, believing that they would cause the extreme challenge to lose its authenticity. Red Bull's proposal respected his pursuit while also providing sufficient support and recognition.

He picked up the Red Bull, took another sip, and the initial hesitation was gone from his eyes, replaced by resonance: "You're right, the meaning of extreme sports lies in pushing your own boundaries. It's rare that Red Bull understands this."

Chen Wenou was overjoyed, knowing that the cooperation had been basically finalized.

Of course, in order to ensure that the Red Bull brand could capture the moment Philippe Pat drinking Red Bull, they would need to arrange their own photographer.

If Red Bull can generate significant buzz this time, it will have created another sensation in the Americas, following its success in Europe. (End of Chapter)