Waddles was fed!

A roasted pheasant was brought into Lai Yiteng's room an hour or so after he requested it. This was the first time he'd actually ordered something that wasn't a raw ingredient. Before this, he'd only accepted things like fruits or vegetables, or food that Xian Wu brought. Anything that he could test for tampering.

The servant who brought it to him had a look of slight joy on their face, as though a rabid stray cat had finally warmed up to them slightly.

Little did they know that the pheasant was solely meant for Waddles.

Lai Yiteng looked at the steaming meat on its platter, the oils on it had aromas of herbs and salt, and the skin on the outside was crispy while the meat itself was tender. He set it on the table, then pulled off once piece with his hand.

Now was the moment of truth.

He opened the lid of the chest and Waddles ran in a circle, surprised, then lethargically settled back down.