Chapter 293: Good People, Bad People
Because of Pinkman's past as an addict, the landlord's daughter deliberately acted like a stranger to him whenever her father was around. She avoided clearly acknowledging their romantic relationship, as if the two of them barely knew each other.
It hurt Pinkman deeply.
During the time he spent back in Chicago, with Frank's help, Pinkman made a real effort to change.
For starters, he ditched the baggy, loose-fitting hip-hop clothes and bought outfits that an ordinary person might actually wear. He also used to hunch over habitually, giving off the impression that he couldn't stand straight, almost like he had a slight hunchback. Frank bought him a posture corrector—the kind designed to support the back—and insisted he wear it regularly, training him to lift his head, straighten his spine, stand properly, and sit with good posture.
Although these changes were mostly superficial—clothes and posture—the effect was immediate and striking.
Anyone who doubts it can try it themselves, or ask a friend to do so. It doesn't take much effort—just straighten your back and lift your chin. You'll unconsciously feel more confident.
Pinkman experienced exactly that.
After the change, the young man looked far more energetic and self-assured. Anyone who didn't know his past would never guess that Pinkman had once been an addict.
Not long after Pinkman returned, the landlord's daughter noticed the change.
"Are you free tonight?" she asked, "There's a movie I've been wanting to see for a while. Do you want to go together?"
Pinkman naturally accepted, and the two of them got back together.
---
At the same time, a party was being held at the White household.
"I'd like to raise a glass to everyone," Skyler said. "Thank you all for your support—truly, from the bottom of my heart. These past few months… I can't even begin to express how much your help has meant to us. Ah—sorry, I can't keep going like this."
As she spoke, memories of everything that had happened since Walter fell ill flooded back. Her eyes reddened, and she waved her hand in front of her face, trying to fan away the tears.
"No matter what, there's one person I must thank above all others. He saved Walter. He saved our family. No matter how many words I use, they'll never be enough to express my gratitude."
She lifted her glass toward Frank.
"Frank—you are our hero."
"To Frank!" everyone echoed, raising their glasses.
Frank smiled, returned the toast, and drained his drink.
"There's one more thing," Skyler continued after setting her glass down, her tone turning a little hesitant. "It may be a bit presumptuous, but I want to announce something."
She called Junior over to her side.
"When I first found out I was pregnant, I thought that if the baby was a boy, I'd name him after you, Frank. But unfortunately…" she smiled softly, "it turned out to be a girl."
"So instead," Skyler said, holding Junior's hand, "I'd like to ask you to be her godfather."
In Western culture, naming a child after one's benefactor is considered an especially profound gesture of gratitude and respect.
This trope appears frequently in films and television dramas—whether to honor a grandfather, a father, or a life-saving benefactor. In such cases, the protagonist often allows their child to inherit that person's name.
In Western tradition, this is seen as a symbolic form of legacy, a continuation of spirit and meaning.
Unfortunately, Skyler was expecting a baby girl. Naming her Frank would have been inappropriate, and passing on the name simply didn't fit.
So instead, Skyler proposed that Frank become little Holly's godfather—in other words, to let Holly formally recognize Frank as a second father figure, using this bond to express their gratitude.
This was clearly not a spur-of-the-moment decision. It must have been discussed and agreed upon by the entire family, which also meant Walter was on board with it.
In fact, Skyler had once mentioned the idea while she was drunk some time ago, but because she'd had too much to drink, everyone treated it as idle talk and didn't take it seriously.
"I don't know if you'd be willing," Skyler said.
Everyone looked at Frank. Junior's expression was tense with anticipation as well.
"I am—of course I am," Frank laughed loudly. "Who wouldn't want such a handsome young lad?"
"Go on," Skyler said, giving Junior a gentle nudge.
"Godfather," Junior said as he walked over, leaning on his crutch.
"Just call me Dad," Frank said with a grin as he pulled the boy into a hug. "Godfather sounds too formal."
The room erupted into applause, and the atmosphere of the party soared.
---
"Congratulations again," Frank said later, raising his glass when the party had ended and only he and Walter remained.
"You've congratulated me plenty of times already," Walter replied, clinking glasses with him. "Things have only just begun to improve. Whether I'll truly recover is still uncertain."
"You will," Frank said confidently. "God wouldn't abandon a good man."
"A good man?" Walter asked quietly, staring at the surface of the swimming pool. "Do you really think we're good people?"
"Of course," Frank replied. "As long as you live with a clear conscience, you're a good man. Or do you think we're bad ones?"
Walter nodded and took another sip of his drink.
"Being a bad man isn't so bad either," Frank chuckled. "Ever heard the saying? 'Good men don't live long; disasters last a thousand years.' Bad men tend to live longer."
"No matter what, I can never win an argument with you," Walter said with a wry smile.
"What are you two talking about?" Skyler asked as she approached with a plate of fruit.
"We were talking about the baby girl," Frank said, glancing at Skyler's belly. "If I remember correctly, her due date has already passed, hasn't it?"
"Yes," Skyler nodded, gently rubbing her stomach with a warm, maternal smile. "She's overdue, but there's no sign yet. I guess she's reluctant to leave her mother's belly."
"When she's born, make sure you tell me," Frank said.
After chatting for a while and sharing dinner, Frank finally took his leave.
Pinkman didn't come home that night. He returned the next morning in extremely high spirits—what he'd been doing was self-evident.
---
Several days passed in the blink of an eye.
Walter and Pinkman were pushing production at full capacity, but output was falling further and further behind demand.
Frank had already set his sights on a factory building. He purchased it, hired contractors, and began renovations, planning to turn it into a laboratory.
Around the same time, Skyler finally went into labor. Her water broke, and she was rushed to the hospital immediately.
Frank and the others all hurried there as well, waiting anxiously.
Although Skyler was technically considered a high-risk mother due to her age, this was her second child. She was experienced, and everything went smoothly—tense, but ultimately without danger.
A baby girl was born safely. Mother and child were both healthy.
"Frank—look, just look," Walter said excitedly, holding his newborn daughter with trembling hands, barely able to form coherent sentences.
"She's a beautiful little angel," Frank said with a smile. "She looks just like you two."
Naturally, Frank was being polite. All newborns looked more or less the same—wrinkled skin, like tiny monkeys. It was impossible to tell whether they were beautiful or not.
After giving birth, Skyler wanted to return home immediately—hospital stays were expensive, after all.
But under firm insistence from both Walter and Frank, she stayed a few more days for observation.
---
"Frank."
When Frank returned home from the hospital, he saw Pinkman sitting on the couch, smoking. Hearing the door open, Pinkman turned his head toward him and spoke with a complicated expression.